OPTIPEA, Innexus

CBD alternative? PEA-based ingredient takes aim at pain relief after CBD’s ‘novel food’ reclassification

Uncertainty around CBD products’ status in the supplements sector has led to a reluctance to include CBD in supplements, says Innexus Nutraceuticals as it look to push forward with its PEA-based CBD alternative.

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.