“We are pleased to have completed the acquisition of LifeGen,” said Dr. Joseph Chang, Nu Skin’s chief scientific officer. “We believe the acquisition significantly enhances Nu Skin’s position as a leader in the anti-aging industry, providing Nu Skin exclusive ownership of LifeGen’s substantial intellectual property encompassing more than 30 years of breakthrough scientific study on the genetic sources of aging and a proprietary algorithm that identifies important age-related genes. The global anti-aging market is expected to grow at a rapid rate in the coming years. By bringing the proprietary LifeGen scientific assets and expertise in house, we believe we are in a unique position to develop a steady stream of our super-class of anti-aging products that help people live younger, longer.”

The company initiated its scientific collaboration with LifeGen in 2009. Since that time, LifeGen’s proprietary genetic science has enhanced the development of Nu Skin’s next-generation super-class of anti-aging products, including the company’s most recent introduction of the ageLOC® R2 nutritional supplement.

“We are pleased to become a part of the Nu Skin family as we continue to break new ground in understanding the relationship between gene activity and nutritional control of the aging process,” said Weindruch.

Prolla added, “We believe that through this exclusive relationship between LifeGen and Nu Skin is synergistic and  will drive the launch of science-based products that effectively slow the effects of aging.”

“We are already feeling the positive impact of LifeGen’s proprietary databases as we develop ageLOC products for introduction in 2013,” continued Chang. “Together, we are discovering new genetic insights for weight loss and overall longevity that have unique application for anti-aging solutions. Overall, I believe that the acquisition of LifeGen cements our ability to truly create the most innovative products in the anti-aging category for many years to come.”

About LifeGen Technologies

The mission of LifeGen Technologies has been to discover the genetic basis of the aging process with the ultimate goal of increasing a healthy life span. LifeGen’s patent for the use of aging  supermakers for  measuring the progression of the aging process at the molecular level is a key component of the intellectual property acquired by Nu Skin.

About Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc.

Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. demonstrates its tradition of innovation through its comprehensive anti-aging product portfolio, independent business opportunity and corporate social responsibility initiatives. The company’s scientific leadership in both skin care and nutrition has established Nu Skin as a premier anti-aging company, evidenced in its unique ageLOC™ science that addresses aging at its source. The company’s anti-aging products feature the new ageLOC suite of products including the ageLOC R2 nutritional supplement, ageLOC Galvanic Spa System and Galvanic Body Spa™, as well as the ageLOC Transformation daily skin care system. A global direct selling company, Nu Skin operates in 52 markets worldwide and has more than 825,000 independent distributors. Nu Skin is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NUS.” More information is available at http://www.nuskin.com.

Please note: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that represent the company’s current expectations and beliefs regarding the company’s acquisition of substantially all the assets of LifeGen Technologies, LLC; the impact of the acquisition on the company’s research and product development efforts; and the company’s plans and strategies. These forward-looking statements and related assumptions are based on current information and expectations regarding the acquisition, and are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the risk that the acquisition will not impact the company’s research and product development efforts as currently anticipated; and risks related to the company’s ability to effectively integrate and utilize the acquired assets and the founders of LifeGen Technologies, LLC. These forward-looking statements are further qualified by the risks discussed in company filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which risks could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from expected results and any forward-looking statements or views expressed herein. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

SOURCE Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc.

HCG stands for human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone made by the human placenta and found in the urine of pregnant women. The products are typically given in conjunction with an extremely low-calorie diet — as low as 500 calories per day — which has some experts worried about possible health effects.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, companies marketing over-the-counter HCG weight loss products labeled as “homeopathic” were sent warning letters on Tuesday by the FDA and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. The letters cautioned that the companies are violating federal law by selling the unapproved drugs, and by making unsupported claims for their products.

HCG is approved in the United States as an injectable drug for treating some cases of female infertility and other medical conditions, but is not approved as a weight loss aid.

The FDA said that HCG weight loss products are sold online and in stores as oral drops, pellets and sprays, despite no proof as to either their effectiveness or safety.

Visitors to the website for one maker included in the FDA action, The Original HCG Drops, are told they can “lose 20-30 pounds in 30-40 days,” as they take the product. The company also claims that HCG “tells the body to release abnormal fat” and “hold on to lean muscle. All this is designed to establish a new body weight and reset your metabolism.”

The FDA is especially concerned, however, because labeling on homeopathic HCG weight loss products typically advises consumers to take the products in conjunction with a very low calorie diet. However, there is no substantial evidence that the HCG products help people lose weight, the agency said, and people on these types of severely restricted diets put themselves at heightened risk for problems such as gallstones, electrolyte imbalances and heartbeat disorders called arrhythmias.

“These HCG products marketed over-the-counter are unproven to help with weight loss and are potentially dangerous even if taken as directed,” Ilisa Bernstein, acting director of the Office of Compliance in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in an agency news release. “And a very low calorie diet should only be used under proper medical supervision.”

One expert agreed with the FDA’s move.

“The HCG diet is a typical fad diet that preys on people’s desperation for fast weight loss,” said Samantha Heller, a dietitian, nutritionist, exercise physiologist and clinical nutrition coordinator at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Conn. “Not only is it dangerous for people to consume only 500 calories a day over time but the safety and efficacy of taking HCG for weight loss has not been established. A near starvation diet can result in emotional, psychological and physiological damage.”

The companies have 15 days to notify the FDA of measures they’ve taken to correct the violations outlined in the warning letters. If they fail to respond, the companies may face legal action, including seizure and injunction, or criminal prosecution, the FDA said.

“Deceptive advertising about weight loss products is one of the most prevalent types of fraud,” David Vladeck, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in the statement. “Any advertiser who makes health claims about a product is required by federal law to back them up with competent and reliable scientific evidence, so consumers have the accurate information they need to make good decisions.”

Companies receiving warning letters are: HCG Platinum, LLC makers of “HCG Platinum,” “HCG Platinum X-30,” and “HCG Platinum X-14″; HCG Diet Direct, LLC, makers of HCG Diet Homeopathic Drops; theoriginalhcgdrops.com and resetthebody.com, marketers of “Homeopathic Original HCG” and “Homeopathic HCG”; Natural Medical Supply, whose products include “Alcohol Free hCG Weight Loss Formula,” “hCG Diet Pellets Weight Loss Formula,” and “hCG Diet Drops Weight Loss Formula”; Nutri Fusion Systems LLC, makers of “HCG Fusion 30″ and “HCG Fusion 43″; and hcg-miracleweightloss.com, marketers of “HCG Extra Weight Loss Homeopathic Drops.”

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases outlines how to choose a safe and effective weight loss program.

Source: health.usnews.com

MERIDIAN, Idaho, Dec 01, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Forbes Magazine named Scentsy to its 2011 list of America’s 100 Most Promising Companies. Scentsy was ranked #66 on the list that features “100 privately held up-and-comers with compelling business models, strong management teams, notable customers, strategic partners and precious investment capital.”

Scentsy was the largest company on the list based on revenue and employees, with 2010 revenues of $381 million and an employee base of 750. Scentsy now employs more than 1,000 people in three states and expects revenues in 2011 to exceed $500 million.

Founded in 2004, Scentsy’s flagship product is scented, wickless candles heated in decorative ceramic warmers. The warmers use a low-watt bulb so there is no flame, smoke or soot. Independent Consultants sell the flameless candles and other Scentsy fragrance products at home parties, through catalog or basket parties, and online.

“It’s an honor to be on Forbes’ list of America’s 100 Most Promising Companies,” said Orville Thompson, Chief Executive Officer and co-owner of Scentsy with his wife Heidi Thompson. “The selection considers not only what we’ve accomplished, but our potential for continued growth, and the future is bright for Scentsy.”

“We have our Consultants and employees to thank for our success. They have stayed focused on providing great quality products and service through every stage of our growth,” said Heidi Thompson, President and co-owner of Scentsy.

In 2010, Scentsy launched a line of Scentsy Buddies — scented, plush animals that appeal to younger family members — which validated the company’s ability to sell a product other than wickless candles through its distribution channel. Recently, Scentsy used its fragrance expertise to introduce solid perfume. It now sells a full line of home fragrance products for the entire family.

Scentsy also continued a series of cause products designed to honor and benefit national charities, resulting in contributions of more than $1.3 million within the last year. Net proceeds from its current cause product, Sasha the Bear, benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities(R) in the U.S. and Canada.

In recognizing Scentsy and other companies, Forbes’ list of America’s 100 Most Promising Companies took a different approach from other rankings by using sophisticated software to assign an algorithm-derived score to each company it considered.

“Sizing up younger, privately held companies is hard: Their fortunes can change very quickly and there’s a dearth of public data,” says Forbes Executive Editor Brett Nelson. “We took a more comprehensive approach to evaluate their health and potential.”

To sharpen its search, Forbes teamed up with CB Insights, a Manhattan-based data firm that tracks investment in high-growth private companies. CB Insights has developed complex software called Mosaic that mines myriad online sources to come up with one, algorithmically derived score that measures a private company’s health. Forbes married Mosaic’s data-crunching with its reporting to assemble a list of rising stars with bright growth prospects. To view the complete list, please visit www.forbes.com/ampc .

About Scentsy

Scentsy, Inc. is a rapidly growing international party-plan company offering a variety of fragrance products. The simplicity and value of its flagship product, scented, wickless candles heated in decorative ceramic warmers, provides a better alternative to burning wicked candles in the home and office. What began in 2004 in a 40-foot ocean container on a small sheep farm is now an international company headquartered in Meridian, Idaho. Scentsy products are sold through a network of more than 145,000 Independent sales Consultants running home-based businesses in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.

SOURCE: Scentsy, Inc.

After nearly 50 years of building its brand by knocking on doors, Texas-based cosmetics company Mary Kay is plotting a major marketing shift, with plans to funnel a chunk of its budget into social-media promotion and mobile commerce.

According to people familiar with the matter, the company is in talks with a variety of agencies to pitch for its social-media business.

Given rising competition in the space from retailers who have wield both bricks-and-mortar stores and online shopping channels — such as Sephora or Ulta, or online sellers such as Avon and Mark — you could say Mary Kay is arriving late to the online party. But, if all goes according to plan, it might wind up catching lost ground in the mobile space. Starting in 2012, the company plans to roll out customizable web tools onto the iPhone, iPad and Droid platforms, according to a person close to the matter.

It’s a major change of direction for a brand that relies on seller recruitment and has historically shuns traditional advertising in favor of word-of-mouth. The company spent just $6.8 million on measured media in 2010, according to Kantar, relying instead on its salesforce of nearly 2 million individuals selling in 35 markets. Much of its growth is coming from outside the U.S.; its newest markets are Singapore, Armenia and Asia.

A company spokesman told Ad Age that Mary Kay is not ready to announce its plans heading into its annual leadership conference in January.

But the social-media search isn’t expected to affect its public relations agency of record, Coyne PR.

Mary Kay says it has more than $2.5 billion in annual wholesale sales worldwide. In the first half of 2011, it saw a 9.5% increase in independent sales force members in the United States, compared to the same period in 2010, and March 2011 represented the highest sales month in company history.

Today, the private company has more than 600,000 Facebook fans, a YouTube channel, an e-catalog that connects consumers with “beauty consultants” online, a Virtual Makeover platform and a shareable Personal Beauty Profiler. These platforms serve as promotional tools for sellers, who also use their own Facebook and Twitter accounts, as they attempt to generate revenue and recruit individuals.

In 2009, Amy Robinson, now senior VP-communications for the Direct Selling Association, told Ad Age that historically during a recession, GDP has gone up on average just 0.8%, while direct sales increased 4.5%. In 2008, when the economy cast a dark cloud over most traditional retailers, Mary Kay took advantage of its opportunity to attract new sellers. At the time, Ad Age reported that it launched its first TV recruiting campaign and revamped its online site and rep promotions, resulting in a 108% increase in visits to the “Sell Mary Kay” section of its website in the first three days.

TYSONS CORNER, Va. MicroStrategy® Incorporated (Nasdaq: MSTR), a leading worldwide provider of business intelligence (BI) software, today announced that Herbalife, a global nutrition company, has built and deployed a new Sales and Marketing Analysis App for the iPad using the MicroStrategy Mobile platform.

The iPad app, known as Herbalife Mobile Analytics, enables Herbalife to analyze related sales trends and track performance based on various criteria, such as by product or location, to capitalize on new opportunities. The app helps evaluate sales performance across multiple channels (i.e. Phone, Internet, Walk-in, etc.) and gauge the success of various marketing campaigns. Executives and sales managers can track global sales order trends for over one million orders, and compare sales performance relative to targets by region, country, or warehouse. Additionally, the app enables them to access data directly on a daily or monthly basis, anywhere, anytime.

“We’re delighted with Herbalife’s successful use of their new iPad app, and proud of our leadership in mobile business intelligence,” said Sanju Bansal, MicroStrategy Chief Operating Officer. “We see a growing trend of customers embracing mobile BI, and are impressed by the speed with which companies are able to mobilize their enterprise data and applications with the MicroStrategy Mobile platform, as well as the immediate business value that comes with extending mobile apps to business users.”

About MicroStrategy Incorporated

Founded in 1989, MicroStrategy is a leading provider of enterprise software platforms for business intelligence (BI), mobile intelligence, and social intelligence applications. MicroStrategy’s BI platform enables leading organizations worldwide to analyze the vast amounts of data stored across their enterprises to make better business decisions. Companies choose MicroStrategy BI for its ease-of-use, sophisticated analytics, and superior data and user scalability. MicroStrategy’s mobile intelligence platform helps companies and organizations build, deploy, and maintain mobile apps across a range of solutions by embedding intelligence, transactions, and multimedia into apps. MicroStrategy’s social intelligence platform includes a number of applications that help enterprises harness the power of social networks for marketing and e-commerce, as well as a suite of free “friendly” consumer apps that use MicroStrategy’s enterprise technologies. The MicroStrategy Cloud offering combines MicroStrategy and third-party software, hardware, and services to enable rapid, cost-effective development of hosted BI, mobile, and social applications. To learn more about MicroStrategy (Nasdaq: MSTR), visit www.microstrategy.com and follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/microstrategy) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/microstrategy).

MicroStrategy, MicroStrategy Business Intelligence Platform, MicroStrategy Cloud, MicroStrategy Mobile, Cloud Personal, MicroStrategy Transaction Services, Wisdom, MicroStrategy Wisdom and Emma are either trademarks or registered trademarks of MicroStrategy Incorporated in the United States and certain other countries. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE: news.thomasnet.com

The investigation increases scrutiny of the world’s largest door-to-door cosmetics company, which has trailed Wall Street’s forecasts and earlier this year fired four executives amid a probe involving possible bribes to Chinese officials.

“Any sensible board would have to look at management from head to toe and try to figure out whether these are the right people to turn around the company,” Ali Dibadj, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. in New York, said in an interview.

The SEC’s subpoena seeks information about the company’s contacts with financial analysts, Avon said yesterday. The SEC is also investigating Avon’s international operations.

The latest accusation, if true, “is like taking a chink out of a wall,” saidJay Lorsch, a corporate governance professor at Harvard Business School in Boston. The SEC doesn’t take such steps lightly, he said.

A year ago, Office Depot Inc. (ODP)’s CEO resigned after the retailer agreed to pay $1 million to the SEC to settle claims that it had signaled to some analysts in 2007 that earnings could miss estimates. Office Depot said the resignation wasn’t related to the SEC settlement.

“We are going to conduct in-depth operational and financial reviews and reassess the internal and external factors that impact our performance,” Avon spokeswoman Jennifer Vargas said. She declined to comment further.

Expanded Probe

In 2008, Avon began investigating its Chinese operations’ compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which outlaws bribing foreign officials. The four executives were fired in May, and Avon expanded the probe to other developing countries.

As Jung, 53, deals with those distractions, her company vies to compete with larger rivals in such emerging economies as China and Brazil, where newly affluent consumers are flocking to buy make-up and skin care. Avon generates more than 80 percent of its revenue from outside the U.S.

The company does well with its door-to-door model when traditional retail networks are rudimentary, Dibadj said. When a more sophisticated retail industry develops, Avon battles to compete with the likes of Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) and Estee Lauder Cos., which can outspend and out-innovate the direct seller.

Jung and her team should concentrate on markets such as Africa and India where door-to-door sales have less competition, Dibadj said.

Lowered Forecast

The same day Avon disclosed the probe, it reported third- quarter net income that fell more than analysts estimated and said it no longer expects to meet its forecast for sales growth this year. The results marked the fourth time in five quarters profit trailed projections.

The disclosures punished Avon’s shares, which tumbled 18 percent in the biggest drop since 1999. Avon fell for a second day, sliding 1.5 percent to $18.53 at 9:46 a.m. in New York.

In addition to her challenges at Avon, Jung sits on the boards of Apple Inc. (AAPL) and General Electric Co. (GE)

“If it was one or the other board” and Avon “was a stable company, you wouldn’t be so worried,” said Charles Elson, director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at theUniversity of Delaware in Newark. “Both of those companies have issues and are extraordinarily complex. One may wonder whether she’s spread too thin.”

Jung also hasn’t replaced Liz Smith, the president who left two years ago to head OSI Restaurant Partners LLC.

Smith had been chief of North American operations and global brands and a “very well qualified” potential successor at a company lacking in succession planning, Dibadj said.

Source: bloomberg.com

The ED accusation is that Amway is running a major cheating and looting business under the guise of a multi-level marketing company pretending to sell a product, and suspects that Rs. One lakh crore (US$ 10 billion) has been repatriated to foreign countries without check. The direct selling sector in India is currently governed by “The Prize Chit and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act of 1978″, “The Consumer Protection Act 1986″, and “The Sale of Goods Act 1958″.  All these are now outdated and no longer applicable. This accusation comes in the wake of the rise and fall of companies like Southern Wonder World Resorts Limits, Japan Life India, Mihira Magic New Working Co and more recently Speak Asia, having duped millions of innocent Indians of their hard earned cash.

The India Direct Selling Association IDSA represents eighteen reputed Indian and multinational direct selling company`s. On September 22, 2011 in Bangalore for the first time, IDSA held a Knowledge Forum aimed at creating awareness about the direct selling sector which is a miss-understood sector in India. This will help participants know the difference between legitimate operators and financial pyramid schemes. During the event this message from WFDSA was released, “Direct selling is one of the most vibrant forms of micro-enterprise on the planet, transforming not only the lives of individuals, but also improving communities, and driving positive change in society at large.”

In further support of the industry, Ms. Chavi Hemanth, Secretary General further affirmed that India was ranked 11th in the world in 2009/2010 in the direct selling industry. This sector offers self employment to a large number of people especially women, in both urban and rural areas. Turnover is expected to have reached Rs.7,100 crore (US$7,100 billion) by 2012/2013.

There are several barriers preventing the growth of this very promising industry. Some of these problems can be addressed by the IDSA. Others, however, will need government intervention, namely (a) the provision of a clear definition of direct selling (b) streamlining of the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy (c) the enactment of a governing legislation for the sector and (d) the establishment of a nodal ministry or single point of contact.

The IDSA and WFDSA have plans underway and have begun to take steps to create an environment that supports direct selling where independent entrepreneurs can create fulfilling careers similar to people living in 150 other countries.

Source: obtainer-online.com

Mary Kay Inc., the cosmetics seller famous for rewarding top sales agents with pink Cadillacs, plans to invest $25 million to build a distribution center in China, soon to be its largest market.

Mary Kay, which sells skin care and color cosmetics through 600,000 independent saleswomen in China, will this year start building a distribution center in Hangzhou, the site of its only overseas plant, Chief Executive Officer David Holl said in an interview. Construction will last 12 months, he said.

The door-to-door seller of cosmetics is benefiting from increased consumer buying power. Urban per capita disposable income rose 13.2 percent in the first half and rural cash income climbed 20.4 percent, China’s statistics bureau said in July.
The nation’s beauty and personal-care products market may expand 58 percent between 2010 and 2015, to 255 billion yuan ($40 billion), according to Euromonitor International.

“True growth is coming from third- and fourth-tier cities,” Holl said yesterday in southeastern Chinese city of Nanjing, where he addressed about 40,000 sales agents in seminars. “We don’t need a shopping mall to sell, so we can do extremely well in cities where they don’t have all the infrastructure.”

Mary Kay, which has invested about $100 million in China since 1995, expects sales to increase 30 percent this year, compared with 20 percent last year, Holl said. Global sales may rise to $3 billion from $2.5 billion, and will expand by “low
double digits” in 2012, he said.

‘Billion-Dollar’ Market

“We expect China to be a billion-dollar business and surpass the U.S. next year or the year after,” Holl said.

The cosmetics market may grow as much as 14 percent in tier-three cities in China, exceeding tier-one and tier-two markets, which will see growth of about 2 percent and 8 percent respectively, according to Holl.

Mary Kay, based in Addison, Texas, had a 2.9 percent share in China’s beauty and personal-care market in 2010, ranking
seventh, data from London-based Euromonitor show. Procter &
Gamble Co. led with a 16.6 percent share.

China introduced a new direct-selling law in 2005 that regulates agents’ compensation and the size of sales meetings, according to the commerce ministry. There are 28 direct-sales companies with approved licenses and verified business-service network records, the ministry’s website showed.

Mary Kay, which awards top saleswomen in China with pink Mercedes C- and E-Class cars, operates in all but six provinces in the world’s second-largest economy. It has tailored products to local-customer needs to help expand market share and reduce
reliance on the U.S. market, Holl said.

Standalone China

“Over the course of last five to eight years, we’ve started to look at what China will need in five years,” said Holl, 51. “We’ve managed the transition so that it’s no longer all about the U.S.”

Holl, who took over as CEO in April 2006, has more than doubled revenue and expanded into 14 new markets, bringing the total to 35 worldwide.

The company, founded by Mary Kay Ash with $5,000 in savings in 1963, has about 2.2 million saleswomen worldwide. It entered India in 2007, Singapore in 2009 and Armenia in 2010, and is
looking at Vietnam, Thailand and Turkey as potential markets,
Holl said.

Source: bloomberg.com

“[The founding of the company] was really about selling economic independence. Fast-forward 125 years, that’s what I think of our company. Not as a lipstick or skin care company,” said Jung during CEW’s Newsmaker Forum Wednesday night at the Harmonie Club in Manhattan. The forum was moderated by Jill Scalamandre, chief marketing officer of Chrysallis.

Jung recalled a story of a woman in Turkey who has lost her home and belongings during the devastating earthquake there in 2003.

“Her husband didn’t want her to work, but she began to sell Avon while he worked, and she became our top senior executive unit leader and made enough to buy a home and belongings,” Jung said. “She says she is one of the only women in her village whose husband comes home and cooks dinner for her.”

And while Avon is the largest engine of women’s economic opportunity in the world, it is also the largest engine of lipstick in the world, selling four lipsticks every second. It makes 1,000 new products every year.

To keep the direct-sell model relevant in the age of technology, Avon has evolved it over time.

“If you look at the last 10 years’ direct sales in every major geography, direct sales has continued to gain share. I think that the perception is [direct selling is] more antiquated [and that] the Internet and modern retail formats have either eclipsed it or made it far more difficult, but if you look at every geography, even developing markets, the last 10 years have been good ones.”

By implementing e-tools, Facebook, a virtual Avon store and a pdf file of an Avon brochure, among other social media and digital efforts, Avon, said Jung, has evolved with the times.

The company has 20 Twitter feeds and two million followers and fans.

“Seventy percent of Avon reps do business online,” said Jung.

Article Source: wwd.com

Osmond Teams With Company After Taking Protandim At His Doctor’s Suggestion And Experiencing Significant Health Benefits

SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — LifeVantage Corporation (OTCBB: LFVN), maker of Protandim®, the Nrf2 Synergizer™ patented dietary supplement,  today announced that legendary entertainer Donny Osmond, popular among all generations and whose career spans over five decades, is now acting as spokesperson for the Company’s flagship product, Protandim.

Donny Osmond is famous for his music as well as his youthful appearance. Starring in one of the most popular Las Vegas shows, “Donny & Marie,” and the oldest celebrity ever to win Dancing With The Stars, Osmond credits his youthful appearance to his dedication to healthy living, taking an active role in physical fitness and caring for himself. As part of his health regimen, Mr. Osmond has been taking Protandim for approximately two years at his doctor’s recommendation and has experienced personal success with the supplement.

“I take Protandim daily,” Osmond said. “I’m often asked to endorse products, but Protandim is the rare product I’ve chosen to share with others because I’ve experienced many health benefits and anti-aging results which I attribute to Protandim.”

Donny was introduced to LifeVantage and Protandim, the Nrf2 Synergizer, in 2009, and had his doctor review the dietary supplement before taking it.  Donny was then informed through his doctor that Protandim reduces oxidative stress and activates Nrf2, which up-regulates positive genes that are often called survival genes, and down-regulates negative factors, such as inflammation.

To this, Osmond said, “I believe Protandim is one of the reasons I look and feel as young as I do, so I’m eager to share the message about it with others.”

“This is a great opportunity to get Protandim back on the national stage and to attract widespread media and consumer attention just as we did when Protandim was featured on ABC Primetime,” said David W. Brown, President of LifeVantage Network. “We’re extremely pleased Donny Osmond has joined LifeVantage as a spokesperson for our product. His frequent public appearances, combined with his popularity among all generations, make him the perfect voice for LifeVantage.”

Douglas C. Robinson, LifeVantage Chief Executive Officer, added, “Our relationship with Donny Osmond is a significant step for our Company. Donny Osmond was acting as an informed consumer when he first took our product to his doctor who studied it and validated it and then recommended it to Donny. His personal experience, together with his celebrity status, should enable him to tell the world why activating Nrf2 and reducing oxidative stress, linked to numerous health conditions, is important.”

About Donny Osmond

Donny Osmond‘s career in radio, television, film, singing, songwriting and performing on the Broadway stage has spanned more than five decades. Host of a worldwide syndicated daily radio show, he anchors entertainment reports on Good Morning America, special reports for Entertainment Tonight and is the 2009 Dancing With The Stars (37 million viewers weekly) champion. In addition to starring with his sister, Marie, in the Donny & Marie Show at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, now in its fourth year, he and his sister recently released their first CD together in 30 years, “Donny & Marie,” which debuted at number 30 on the Billboard 200 Pop Albums chart and at number 7 on the country chart. Donny has over 150,000 followers on social media, with more joining every month. Donny and Debbie, his wife of 31 years, have five children and three grandchildren. For more information about Donny, visit www.donny.com.

About Protandim, the Nrf2 Synergizer

Protandim® is a clinically demonstrated supplement that provides substantial benefits for healthy aging. This patented Nrf2-activating therapy works in a very different way than conventional antioxidant supplements. Unlike vitamin- or carotenoid-containing products that have proven to be largely ineffective in reducing oxidative stress caused by free radicals, Protandim® is an indirect antioxidant therapy, which stimulates the body’s production of its own powerful antioxidant enzymes and other stress-related gene products. Protandim® works at the cellular level, triggering cells to naturally increase production of protective antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione synthase, while decreasing production of pro-inflammatory signals.

A peer-reviewed human clinical study showed that after Protandim® was taken for 30 consecutive days, important biochemical markers of aging were decreased by an average of 40%. The study also reported that these markers of aging were reduced in the subjects taking Protandim® to the level of a typical 20 year old. Protandim® is currently the subject of approximately 20 scientific studies at universities and research facilities. The nature and stages of the studies vary.

Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, Protandim® is considered a “dietary supplement”.  Protandim® is not intended for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or cure of any disease.  For more information about Protandim®, visit www.LifeVantage.com.

About LifeVantage Corporation

LifeVantage®, (OTCBB: LFVN), maker of Protandim®, the Nrf2 Synergizer patented dietary supplement, is a science based nutraceutical company. LifeVantage is dedicated to visionary science that promises to transform wellness and anti-aging internally and externally with supplements that reduce oxidative stress at the cellular level. The Company was founded in 2003 and currently has offices in Salt Lake City, UT, and San Diego, CA. For more information, visit www.LifeVantage.com.  

Forward Looking Statements

This document contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words and expressions reflecting confidence, optimism, satisfaction or disappointment with current prospects, as well as words such as “believe,” “hopes,” “intends,” “estimates,” “expects,” “projects,” “plans,” “anticipates, and variations thereof, identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and the Company’s actual results could differ materially from those contained in such statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future events affecting the Company and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the Company’s actually results or outcomes to be materially different from those anticipated and discussed herein. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the potential failure or unintended negative consequences of the implementation of the Company’s network marketing sales channel; the Company’s ability to retain independent distributors or to attract new independent distributors on an ongoing basis; the potential for third party and governmental actions involving the Company’s network marketing sales channel; the potential for product liability claims against the Company; the risk government regulators and regulations could adversely affect the Company’s business; future laws or regulations may hinder or prohibit the production or sale of the Company’s existing product and future products; unfavorable publicity could materially hurt the Company’s business; and the Company’s ability to protect its intellectual property rights and the value of its product. These and other risk factors are discussed in greater detail in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q under the caption “Risk Factors,” and in other documents filed by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this document. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company on the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document, except as required by law.

Media Relations Contact:
Andrea Ramsey (801) 432-9019

Investor Relations Contact:
Cindy England (801) 432-9036
-or-
John Mills (310) 954-1105
Senior Managing Director, ICR, LLC

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