Symrise launches “nature-identical” synthetic CBD for pharma applications

04 Jun 2020 --- Flavors and fragrances heavyweight Symrise has developed a cannabinoid that the company expects will “revolutionize the pharmaceutical market.” Coined Canapure, the nature-identical alternative to traditional cannabidiol (CBD) allows the pharmaceutical industry to access a synthetically produced CBD that is suitable both as an active pharmaceutical ingredient and as an intermediate product for the development of new substances. The product is based on D-limonene and achieves a purity level of 99.8 percent, according to Symrise.

“With Canapure, we are offering a reliable alternative to natural CBD,” says Jörg Thilo Fischer, Technical Manager API at Symrise. “This product innovation is identical to natural CBD, of consistently high quality and purity, and is available year-round.”

“We have developed Canapure for the pharma industry, which requests the highest quality standards. However, it will be suitable for nutrition applications as well. Symrise’s CBD alternative obeys the same legal requirements as natural CBD, which means Novel Food Applications evaluations are requested for any applications in food,” Christina Witter, Director Corporate Communications at Symrise, tells NutritionInsight.

Canapure is a nature-identical synthetic alternative to traditional cannabidiol.The company says the bioavailability is still under research. Witter adds that “associations are more and more concerned with corresponding notifications and associated data surveys, including toxicological data for the intended use.” 

The launch comes as the obscurity that surrounds CBD on the regulatory front remains prevalent. NutritionInsight recently reported on the CBD market, its regulatory hurdles and alternatives to the ingredient. Notably, Brazillian company Beraca introduced a “natural and safe alternative” to CBD, which is a complex of Amazonian oils marketed as reducing inflammatory activity while stimulating the production of beneficial β-endorphins. Moreover, Gencor’s PEA ingredient, dubbed Levagen+ has also been noted for showing potential as a viable CBD alternative. The ingredient is touted as having anti-inflammatory and pain relief properties.

Identical to the natural
To further back the product’s potential as a viable alternative to traditional CBD, Symrise endorsed scientific studies, which proved that the active ingredient is identical to CBD derived from the cannabis plant. However, Canapure does not have psychoactive effects, the company maintains. It is said to have relaxing and anticonvulsive, anti-inflammatory, anxiety-relieving and nausea-relieving effects. 

Furthermore, THC derivatives are not detectable in this synthetic active ingredient. A joint comparison study by the Universities of Madrid and Córdoba and specialized institutes in Spain and Germany confirmed that analytics found no significant difference in the biological value of purely natural CBD and Canapure. In addition, an x-ray structure analysis by the Max Planck Institute proves that the absolute configuration of Canapure matches that of CBD.

Based on D-limonene
In the production of Canapure, Symrise used its expertise on fragrances and flavorings made from terpenes. D-limonene, the basis for the active ingredient, belongs to the group of terpenes. This renewable raw material is a byproduct of the orange juice industry. It comes from the peels of the fruit. Symrise converts the D-limonene to menthadienol, which is ultimately used to produce Canapure.

“When producing our Canapure ingredient, we use a chemical synthesis process and several purification steps. There are no hurdles from a processing aspect, as Symrise is expert in terpenes and its derivatives. GMP processes and controlled substance issues were mastered with internal and external experts,” explains Witter.

Symrise developed the synthetic CBD according to the guidelines of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) for active ingredients for the pharmaceutical industry. Accordingly, both the source materials and Canapure are produced under GMP conditions. This means that the processes comply with the particularly strict requirements for all manufacturing practices such as materials, equipment and hygiene.

“During production, we place great importance on sustainability and GMP-compliant quality management. In this way, we conserve resources and at the same time meet the high demands of our customers,” Fischer concludes.

By Kristiana Lalou