Medical Research Institute (company)
Medical Research Institute (MRI) was a San Francisco-based nutritional supplement company founded by Ed Byrd in 1996. After creating a new category in sports nutrition with the first commercial release of creatine monohydrate supplement with former company EAS (acquired by North Castle Partners in 1999 for $160 million), Byrd started MRI with $140,000. In four years MRI’s valuation had increased to $125 million.
MRI created, popularized and sold its flagship product NO2 (nitric oxide), which quickly became GNC’s best selling product in its 70 year history. NO2 increased exercise performance and enhanced recovery. MRI also produced CE2, a creatine-based muscle building product, ProNOS, a protein powder using NO2 technology, and Black Powder, an energy booster in powder form.
MRI began by selling Glucotize™, an alpha lipoic acid product used to rejuvenate cells and reduce oxidative stress in aging individuals. Glucotize™ was also used for blood sugar and liver regeneration in diabetes patients, and was recognized by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Byrd developed a proprietary drug delivery system and partnered with GNC. NO2 sales rocketed to the top of the industry very quickly, with bodybuilders, athletes and the fitness community championing the product.
Byrd also wrote and published NO2: The 21 Day Transformation (2002), distributed by GNC, which was distributed by GNC and Byrd to educate NO2 customers and promote the product. NO2 became a blockbuster for GNC, becoming the biggest selling sports nutritional product in the last 50 years and generated 5% of GNC gross revenue and backordered for over 2.5 years. At the time GNC was the largest dietary supplement retailer in the world and was publicly traded on Wall Street. MRI was sold to Natrol in 2007.
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