NattoPharma ASA and PL Thomas proudly announce that NattoPharma's natural vitamin K2 product, MenaQ7^TM, has received the prestigious 2008 Frost & Sullivan Product Innovation of the Year Award in the North American Vitamin market. According to Frost & Sullivan, "The award is in recognition of the company's unique capability to develop natural vitamin K2 as MenaQ7^TM with established and proven bone and heart health benefits. Owing to its natural form coupled with superb bioavailability, MenaQ7 obtained excellent market acceptance."

Newly recognized natural Vitamin K2 is among the most interesting new offerings in the vitamin market in recent years. Its function is unique among other vitamins and its beneficial health effects have been clearly documented. The role of vitamin K2 has for the past decade been linked to two of the most important health issues, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. This link specifically centers on calcium utilization -- implying that in the absence of adequate vitamin K, concurrent arterial calcification and osteoporosis may occur. K vitamins are essential to activate proteins involved in calcium metabolism.

"We are honored to receive this award from Frost & Sullivan, recognized as a global market analysis and solution leader," commented NattoPharma CEO Egil Greve. "Vitamin K2 has been consumed in Japan for centuries through the food dish natto, however the beneficial health effects have only recently become known in the western world. A major challenge is to educate physicians as well as the public about these health benefits, and NattoPharma has committed itself to do this in a scientific manner."

Greve continued, "We are investing heavily in Research & Development and we base all our marketing on the solid scientific documentation of our safe and highly effective natural vitamin K2 product, MenaQ7^TM. We find it very encouraging that this investment, accompanied with NattoPharma's and our US distributor PL Thomas' intense marketing to educate the market about this unique ingredient, has been honored with the Award."

Paul Flowerman, President of PL Thomas added: "We are most pleased to have MenaQ7 recognized as an innovative ingredient. It is truly fulfilling to be able to provide a natural product with real health benefits at all stages of one's life. MenaQ7 provides an essential vitamin for neonatal care, for healthy growing and mature bones, and to ensure proper utilization of calcium for cardiovascular health as we age."

The Frost & Sullivan Product Innovation of the Year Award is presented each year to the company that has demonstrated excellence in new products and technologies within its industry.

The recipient of this Award has excelled based on one or more of the following criteria:

• Significance of new product(s) in its industry
• Competitive advantage of new product(s) in its industry
• Product innovation in terms of unique or revolutionary technology
• Product acceptance in the marketplace
• New products value-added services provided to customers
• Number of competitors with similar product(s)

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For more information, contact Egil Greve at +47 951 09 565

NattoPharma ASA offers a natural vitamin K2 under the trade name MenaQ7.

About MenaQ7^TM (link)
MenaQ7 provides Natural Vitamin K2 as an extract of natto, a fermented soy food from Japan. Natto is particularly rich in the highly bio-available form of vitamin K2 called menaquinone-7 (MK-7). MenaQ7 provides the only commercially available Natural Vitamin K2 with guaranteed actives and stability, clinical substantiation and international patents awarded and pending.

For more information on the health benefits of MenaQ7, please visit www.menaq7.com

About NattoPharma
NattoPharma, Norway, is a publically-traded company and the exclusive international supplier and brand owner of MenaQ7 natural Vitamin K2. NattoPharma has entered into a multi-year research and development program to substantiate and discover the health benefits of natural vitamin K2 for applications in the exciting marketplace for functional food and health food supplements.

About PL Thomas
PL Thomas, a New Jersey-based ingredient supplier offers fifty years of innovation in securing reliable, high quality raw materials for the food/functional food and nutrition industries. PLT is a one-stop resource for application solutions, current industry information and technical service, and specializes in water-soluble gums and clinically-supported botanical extracts.

About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Consulting Company, partners with clients to accelerate their growth. The company's Growth Partnership Services, Growth Consulting and Career Best Practices empower clients to create a growth focused culture that generates, evaluates and implements effective growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan employs over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 30 offices on six continents. For more information about Frost & Sullivan's Growth Partnerships.