The ingredient, branded Estraflex CMO, will be distributed by DNP International. It was launched at SupplySide West in Las Vegas last week.
Biocell VP marketing Asma Ishaq told NutraIngredients-USA.com that the joint health market for dietary supplements presents ingredients companies with real opportunities at the moment.
"Flexibility and mobility are major issues for the aging population," she said. "This is a great natural alternative to the likes of Vioxx."
The company previously offered a CMO (cetyl myristoleate) powder with a concentration of 50 percent. Not only is the new version slightly more concentrated at 52 percent, but it is also available in oil form with 75 percent concentration.
Both the powder and the oil are suitable for use in tablets, capsules and topical preparations. The oil can also be used in soft gels.
They are priced on a quantity-dependant scale, but at the smallest quantity the powder is 25 percent cheaper than the oil.
BioCell has also redeveloped its website (www.biocelltechnology.com). The new site includes a consumer section, to inform the end user about the ingredient.
Communicating with the consumer is a growing trend amongst ingredients companies, with brands like Meg-3 (Ocean Nutrition) and PeptoPro (DSM) seeking to become household names.
Ishaq said that BioCell's EstreaFlex brand logo may be used on packaging but it is not a requirement.
BioCell originally launched a CMO ingredient in 1997, even before Imagenetix's Celadrin.
In 1997, CMO products could cost as much as $300 at retail. Now the price is between $20 and $40, depending on potency.