** Shares of biotech firm Niagen Bioscience NAGE.O rise 2.6% to $3.47 premarket

** Co says its experimental drug, NB4168, received rare disease designations in the U.S. and Europe for ataxia-telangiectasia, a rare inherited disorder that affects movement, weakens the immune system and raises cancer risk

** Says the designations provide regulatory incentives to support development of treatments for rare diseases and strengthen plans to advance NB4168 globally

** Co says there are currently no approved treatments for the disease

** NAGE says the drug is in preclinical development and plans to seek FDA clearance to begin human studies

** As of last close, NAGE was down 46.7% YTD