Netherlands-based Innexus Nutraceuticals says uncertainty around CBD produc]. ts' status in the supplements sector has led to a reluctance to include CBD and hemp-based ingredients in supplements and OTC products aimed at pain relief, as they frequently do not meet quality and regulatory standards, or the requirements of R&D departments.
As a result, the firm created OptiPEA, formulated from palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), a naturally occurring bioactive lipid which has been suggested to deliver positive results for pain without negative side effects.
PEA is a cannabimimetic, which means it mimics the process of CBD in the body. The firm argues it could even be considered a better alternative to hemp cannabinoid products because it is a single molecule and therefore much easier to measure into precise doses.
Samuel Zonneveld, CEO of Innexus, said the supplement meets the growing demand for a safe solution to chronic pain.
"With OptiPEA we offer companies the opportunity to benefit from the current worldwide interest in the endocannabinoid system. It also meets the rising demand for a safe solution for chronic pain, and the consumer trend toward branded, transparent and sustainable ingredients.
“CBD has always been a ‘problem child’ of the nutraceuticals industry, due to its varying legal status around the world and ongoing regulatory issues. But when everyone else was focusing on CBD we had a clear vision for OptiPEA as a viable alternative.
"Its potential as a nutraceutical is almost unlimited and with the uncertainty around the status of CBD likely to continue, manufacturers can be reassured that there’s an effective alternative already available.”
The supplement is produced sustainably from RSPO-certified palmitic acid and manufactured in Europe using a patented GMP production process and its origin is transparent and sustainable.