Janus Launches Janus Protected Series – Growth for Insurance Channel

Janus Capital Group Inc. (NYSE: JNS) today announced the launch of Janus Aspen Protected Series – Growth, which aims to balance potential capital appreciation with a measure of downside protection. The portfolio’s capital protection is provided by BNP Paribas, one of the world’s largest banks. Janus Aspen Protected Series – Growth, which was launched on January 3, 2012, is managed by Janus portfolio manager Jonathan Coleman. Coleman also serves as Co-Chief Investment Officer, Equities, of Janus Capital Management.

“With the market volatility we’ve experienced over the last 2 years, our insurance partners are seeking risk-managed investment solutions that help them lessen their capital requirements burden,” said Chris Furman, vice president and managing director, financial institutions. “We specifically designed this product with our clients’ needs in mind.”

According to Furman, Janus Aspen Protected Series – Growth is the logical next step in the build-out of Janus’ variable insurance trust series. Janus Aspen Moderate Allocation Portfolio was launched August 31, 2011 as part of a longer-term product development strategy to bring new solutions to market in an effort to address Janus clients’ actuarial risk-management needs.

Janus Aspen Protected Series – Growth aims to balance capital appreciation and capital protection by actively allocating its assets between and within domestic large cap equities, cash and cash equivalents, U.S. Treasuries or other instruments that have the potential to reduce risk such as short index futures, assisted by BNP Paribas’ risk allocation methodology. The portfolio is designed to provide investors with a protected NAV of no less than 80% of the highest NAV ever achieved by each individual share class of the portfolio, reduced for dividends, distributions, extraordinary items and extraordinary expenses. If the NAV per share for any share class is less than the protected NAV, the portfolio would liquidate. When Janus Aspen Protected Series – Growth’s NAV is above its protected NAV, the portfolio’s equity exposure could be up to 100%. In the event that the portfolio’s NAV approaches its protected NAV, the equity exposure could be as low as 0%. The portfolio may also lag other similarly managed growth portfolios that do not pay a capital protection fee. There is no guarantee that the investment techniques used by the portfolio manager and the risk allocation methodology employed by the capital protection provider will produce the desired results. The allocation process can result in the portfolio underperforming or lagging its benchmark or similarly managed portfolios during rising markets, particularly following a period of market decline.

For more information, please visit www.janus.com/variable-insurance.

About Janus Capital Group Inc.

Janus Capital Group Inc. (JCG) is a global investment firm offering strategies from three individual investment boutiques: Janus Capital Management LLC (Janus), INTECH Investment Management LLC (INTECH) and Perkins Investment Management LLC (Perkins). Each manager employs a research-intensive approach that is distinct within its respective asset class. This multi-boutique approach enables the firm to provide style-specific expertise across an array of strategies, including growth, value and risk-managed equities, fixed income and alternatives through one common distribution platform.

At the end of September 2011, JCG managed $141.0 billion in assets for shareholders, clients and institutions around the globe. Based in Denver, JCG also has offices in London, Milan, Munich, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Melbourne.

About BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas (www.bnpparibas.com) is among the strongest banks in the world*. The Group has a presence in more than 80 countries and more than 200,000 employees, including more than 160,000 in Europe. It ranks highly in its three core activities: Retail Banking, Investment Solutions and Corporate & Investment Banking. In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the leader in consumer lending. BNP Paribas is rolling out its integrated retail banking model across the Europe-Mediterranean zone and boasts a large network in the western part of the United States. In its Corporate & Investment Banking and Investment Solutions activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas and solid and fast-growing businesses in Asia.

*Rated AA- by Standard & Poor’s i.e. 4th rating level on a scale of 22. Rating is subject to change.

Please consider the charges, risks, expenses and investment objectives carefully before investing. For a prospectus, or if available a summary prospectus containing this and other information, please call Janus at 1-877-335-2687 or download the file from janus.com. Read it carefully before you invest or send money.

Janus Aspen Protected Series-Growth is not a capital guaranteed or insured product. As with all investments, there are inherent risks when investing in it including, but not limited to, allocation risk, maximum settlement amount risk, turnover risk, liquidation risk, opportunity cost risk, capital protection termination risk, underperformance risk and counterparty risk, each as disclosed in the Portfolio’s Prospectuses. The protection feature is subject to various conditions and the financial payment capabilities of BNP Paribas. See the Prospectus for further details.

Portfolio distributed by Janus Distributors LLC (12/11)