SAN FRANCISCO — Nalu Bio Inc., developers of a proprietary chemical synthesis platform that produces ultra-pure, consistently performing cannabinoids, announced today that opioid addiction expert Dr. Christopher “Dino” Beckett is now an advisor to the company. Dr. Beckett, who has been on the front lines of the opioid crisis for the last decade, is nationally recognized for his expertise in combating opioid addiction. He will provide invaluable guidance to Nalu Bio on how synthetic cannabinoids can be used to achieve an opioid-sparing effect, and potentially replace opioids in the treatment of chronic pain.
The opioid epidemic in the US remains a crippling crisis, with 191 million prescriptions written to treat the 30% of Americans living with chronic pain. Many of these patients become dose tolerant, requiring more medication to achieve pain relief. The result is that 1 in 3 patients are driven to misuse opioids, resulting in 128 deaths per day.
Study findings and physician experience have shown that non-addictive CBD (cannabidiol) is an effective treatment for chronic pain, with the potential to reduce opioid misuse. However, an insurmountable barrier to realizing the full therapeutic potential of CBD has been the inability to achieve pharma-grade standards of purity and consistency in hemp-based CBD.
Randall Ussery, Co-Founder of Nalu Bio, offered his personal insight into how the inherent inconsistency of hemp-based CBD can impact patients. “My father has multiple sclerosis, and was taking a regimen of drugs to modulate his chronic pain. Looking for alternatives, we introduced CBD, and saw some really positive effects, but it was completely inconsistent. We never knew what to expect – and this was with the same product!”
Nalu Bio’s synthetic CBD will eliminate purity and inconsistency issues by providing an ultra-pure CBD with uniform performance – one physicians’ will be able to prescribe with confidence, and medical researchers can use to validate CBD as a therapeutic for addiction, pain management, anxiety and other indications.
Dr. Beckett agrees. “There’s lots of promise with CBD. Studies have shown that it can reduce drug cravings and anxiety in patients being weaned off opioids, and I’ve seen that in my practice. A synthetic CBD is an outstanding breakthrough, because it assures purity and predictable dose-to-dose performance.”
Matthew Roberts, CTO of Nalu Bio, explained, “Nalu Bio is committed to enabling the better treatment of major medical challenges like addiction, pain management, and mental health issues. We see our CBD as a bridge that, when combined with cognitive behavioral therapy and lifestyle support, can safely transport patients from a life of chronic suffering to one of fulfillment. Dr. Beckett’s expertise and shared vision makes him a perfect partner for us in achieving that goal, and we are thrilled to have him on our team.”
About Nalu Bio
At Nalu Bio, we learn from nature, and deliver through chemistry. Nalu Bio is creating a new category of cannabinoids and wellness ingredients that offer great therapeutic promise for more effective management of chronic pain and the treatment of opioid addiction, among other critical health needs. Nalu Bio’s proprietary organic synthesis platform promises to set a new industry standard for purity, consistency, and quality, because it removes the risk of contamination from pesticides, heavy metals, and THC inherent in hemp-extraction. Our unique, scalable platform has the ability to keep pace with anticipated market expansion, and will reliably deliver high quality and widely-accessible cannabinoids to global retail and pharmaceutical markets.
About Dr. Christopher “Dino” Beckett
Dr. Christopher Dino Beckett, OD, is a graduate of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. He is the Founder and CEO of the Williamson Health and Wellness Center in Williamson, West Virginia, a leader in medication-assisted treatment for individuals struggling with an opioid addiction. The Center offers a full continuum of care, providing a blend of therapies and the use of safe and effective medications, to treat the entire problem of addiction, not just a piece of it. Dr. Beckett’s success with a holistic, hands-on approach to addiction and pain management has made him a sought after participant on regional, state and White House panels focused on defeating opioid addiction.
