{"id":31978,"date":"2019-12-25T16:43:27","date_gmt":"2019-12-25T21:43:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/?post_type=emagazine&p=31978"},"modified":"2023-05-30T06:21:07","modified_gmt":"2023-05-30T10:21:07","slug":"alcarelle-interview","status":"publish","type":"emagazine","link":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/alcarelle-interview\/31978\/","title":{"rendered":"The drinks innovator creating a new generation of exciting alcohol alternatives"},"content":{"rendered":"

As part of Kaspersky\u2019s Bring on the Future<\/a> series, we meet businesses around the world who are changing their industry and society for the better.<\/p>\n

Alcohol, or more importantly, ethanol, has been used globally for around 9,000 years, with the earliest moonshine traced back to ancient China<\/a>. Why? Well, as many could probably attest to, it makes us feel good. And there\u2019s scientific evidence behind that<\/a>. At a basic level, alcohol helps us to connect and bond with others \u2013 a good thing. So why then, is it so inherently bad for us? From liver damage to broken bank balances \u2013 according to the World Health Organization<\/a>, alcohol kills around three million people across the globe every year.<\/p>\n

But what if there was a way of taking the good effects of alcohol and leaving behind the bad? Well, the solution may very nearly be here, and we have Alcarelle<\/a> to thank for it. They\u2019re working on an ingredient that they hope could mimic the effects of (at the most) two glasses of wine but without the health threats or hangovers. I talked to Alcarelle\u2019s Managing Director, David Orren, to find out more.<\/p>\n

Ryan Loftus: Alcarelle \u2013 how did it all start?<\/strong><\/p>\n

David Orren: David Nutt and I started Alcarelle in 2016. David had been working on a social drink alternative to alcohol; his goal for his whole career was to develop something that mimics the good feelings and positive socializing effects of an adult drink, without the adverse effects. But before we started Alcarelle, his ground-breaking scientific work was seen by some as an offensive against the alcohol industry.<\/p>\n

Four years ago, when I came on board, David had established the foundation for research and identified several viable compounds. But his understanding of the regulatory environment and the general business side was limited. He\u2019s a scientist and a very good one at that. My background is in business, supporting disruptive technologies that have the potential to make large-scale change. It\u2019s hard to find those opportunities in your lifetime; meeting David, I knew this was one of those moments.<\/p>\n

So, we decided together, four years ago, to start Alcarelle. And instead of taking on the alcohol industry, we set out to work with the industry, making an ingredient we can take to beverage companies to help them create better products and an alternative future. It was born out of a societal need, really. Alcoholism is a huge problem. But on the flip side, the positive effects of alcohol \u2013 notably on how we socialize \u2013 can be exponentially good for us as individuals and for making social connections. Therein lies the challenge.<\/p>\n

You mention the \u201cgood\u201d effects of alcohol, what do you mean specifically? And why do you think that\u2019s important? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Back in 2012, Sayette et al. did an important study<\/a>. They had three groups of people, one drinking a small amount of alcohol, one with a placebo \u2013 participants thought it was alcohol, but it wasn\u2019t \u2013 and one with a soft drink. They set up their cameras to record how, or if, the groups connected when left alone in a room, using markers like smiling, retaining a gaze, or even awkward silences. There was a more positive connection between those drinking alcohol.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s no secret: when we drink alcohol, on the whole, we tend to relax. This study reinforces that idea, and that some of the effects of alcohol can be beneficial, most notably in helping us to connect with others, to relax, celebrate and to form a community. And it\u2019s clear from ancient religions, including Christianity and Judaism, that alcohol has played an essential role in enabling people to come together to celebrate and mark important occasions. It\u2019s embedded in our history.<\/p>\n

At Alcarelle, this inspires us. If we can get this right, and find a balance with the right ingredients, there are no limits to where it could go. Or how beneficial it could be for society. We might be looking forward to a new generation of healthier drinks. Imagine that \u2013 it could potentially make going to a bar a healthier experience.<\/p>\n

Ground-breaking! What\u2019s the big vision?<\/strong><\/p>\n

To create an ingredient which could be offered to the drinks industry, for different brands to develop their own range of drinks. Four years ago, when we set out, people were asking, \u201cIs this an alternative to beer or wine?\u201d Back then, people mostly thought, \u201cWhat is this like?\u201d Today we\u2019re past that. I see a new generation of exciting adult drinks. Granted, some might still use it to create an alternative to beer, but the possibilities are endless.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say we\u2019re against alcohol. We don\u2019t want to tread on the toes of any fine wines, spirits, or beers. I continue to enjoy a beer or fine wine or single malt when the occasion suits. David and I are often to be found discussing the day\u2019s work over refreshments at the London wine bar he co-owns with this daughter.<\/p>\n

But the purpose of our work points towards a pleasant alternative future, which doesn\u2019t encourage people to drink more or use the product as an alternative to getting drunk. Our big picture: we want to help other companies do the same thing. I think once we\u2019re in the market, there will be a lot of innovation. We welcome that.<\/p>\n

Getting to market is expensive and time-consuming. Hopefully, in the future, we\u2019ll be able to use our research benchmarks \u2013 especially with things like compound development \u2013 to help innovators cut that time and expense. We want to become a collaboration partner for other companies, so the drinks industry flourishes.<\/p>\n

A helping hand for the next generation. So to bring it back to the product, how does it affect you?<\/strong>
\n\"alcarelle
\nFirstly, and most importantly, our goal is to create an ingredient that will not get you \u201cdrunk.\u201d The aim isn\u2019t to get people to a point where they forget what happened the night before. It\u2019s specifically intended to avoid that. Our work aims to produce a maximum effect equivalent to a glass or two of wine.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re aiming for a flat curve, which means if you continue you to drink, you shouldn\u2019t feel any more effect. To be honest, this aspect of the scientific vision blew my socks off and is a testament to not only the curiosity and ingenuity of our team but also to the genius of nature and the enormous body of work from generations of scientists who preceded us.<\/p>\n

Right on. So what stage of that journey are you at now? <\/strong><\/p>\n

After several years of investigating, synthesizing and testing high potential compounds, we\u2019re now very close to a shortlist. We have several compounds that we\u2019re excited about, and we\u2019re hoping that by the end of 2019, we\u2019ll have shortlisted those to three frontrunners. Then we\u2019ll keep testing until we\u2019re down to one. The next stage is even more expensive, so fundraising will be a big focus for us.<\/p>\n

Right now, we\u2019re introducing new scientists into our group and new ways of working. On a personal level, David and I are both very interested in the use of AI; I\u2019m investigating how we might introduce it into two different streams of the research process: bioprospecting and behavioral understanding.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re research-focused \u2013 \u201cscience in nature\u201d is a core value that defines who we are and where we want to go. It brings us together as a team, making us accountable for our end goal: using the lens of science to understand better one small aspect of nature \u2013 the effect of alcohol on the human body \u2013 that has the potential to improve many lives.<\/p>\n

It seems like you\u2019re making great progress. Have any health organizations validated your claims?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are many health bodies, all over the world, and many different jurisdictions. We\u2019ve had early conversations with regulatory specialists, which has been invaluable and helped to guide our compound testing. During 2020, we plan to move to the next stage and will need to cover significant costs to make progress with the regulators.<\/p>\n

Very, very exciting. What challenges have you faced so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The biggest challenge today is finding the right investors to support our network. We expect to raise $25m to bring this to the market over the next three to five years. For many, not seeing a return on investment for that time can make us look very unattractive. From another perspective, if we\u2019re successful and do reach market, there\u2019s no limit to what could happen.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s been your most significant success?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The last four years have been a series of several steps forward, with one or two steps back, specifically in terms of the compounds we\u2019ve investigated and others we\u2019ve developed. We\u2019re continually learning and expanding our team to include some incredible scientists and researchers, and now we\u2019re looking into AI.<\/p>\n

What does the future hold for Alcarelle?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Under our current strategy, and this comes down to testing and regulatory processes, we hope to be in the market within the next five years. We\u2019re investigating a few things right now which might allow us to accelerate that timeframe, which is very exciting. Keep your eyes peeled!<\/p>\n

Thanks for your time David, and good luck!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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