Optimi Health launches Blue Serenity, Canada’s first natural therapeutic psilocybin product
Optimi Health (CSE: OPTI) has launched Canada’s first natural therapeutic psilocybin product, Blue Serenity, in collaboration with psilocybin patient advocate, Thomas Hartle.
Blue Serenity contains 25 milligrams of natural psilocybin in form of EU-GMP biomass grown as Panaeolus cyanescens mushrooms, cultivated at Optimi Health’s labs in Princeton, British Columbia.
Optimi chief science officer Justin Kirkland and head of cultivation Todd Henderson worked closely with Mr Hartle to breed specific genetic strain based on Mr Hartle’s previous therapeutic experiences.
The Canada-based company first announced its partnership with Mr Hartle on 8 August, declaring its intention to produce a Canadian-grown and harvested natural therapeutic psilocybin product for patient use.
Optimi Health chief executive officer Bill Ciprick said the breakthrough is a testament to the patient advocate contributions.
“Anyone who has entered the psychedelics space in the last two years will tell you that Thomas Hartle’s story of compassion and kindness inspired them in some way to want to make a difference,” he said.
“We are tremendously excited to be partnering with Thomas to become the first Canadian company to launch a natural psilocybin product specifically to help patients seeking relief through the Special Access Program.”
Blue Serenity is set to become available to all legal psilocybin patients who have been approved by Health Canada.
Patient advocate overview
Mr Hartle became the first Canadian to legally receive psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy when faced with health struggles back in 2016.
He experienced a “debilitating level of anxiety over his future” as a result of being diagnosed with stage four colon cancer in 2016; however, due to his decision to explore new options in 2020, Mr Hartle has experienced a substantial improvement in both his emotional wellbeing and his overall ability.
Research shows up to 80% of patients with an advanced stage of cancer are likely to suffer distressing thoughts surrounding death and up to 50% of patients with incurable conditions are likely to have psychiatric diagnoses.
Mr Hartle said the name of Optimi’s new product, ‘Blue Serenity’, is fitting and relates to the emotional and visual aspect of his psilocybin experience.
“Blue Serenity was born from an experience that took me from a state of extreme anxiety to a feeling of calm that I never knew existed.”
The proceeds from the sale of Blue Serenity will benefit psilocybin patients through Mr Hartle’s new charity, providing access to psilocybin therapy for underserved adults.