Alcolase raises €1.5M to tackle alcohol intolerance with enzyme technology
Alcolase raises €1.5M to tackle alcohol intolerance with enzyme technology
Publish Date: 2026-05-17 18:01:00
Source Domain: tech.eu
Danish biotech startup Alcolase has raised €1.5 million with investment from Ada Ventures, Delphinus Venture Capital, Antler, Manigoff Invest and a group of business angels.
Alcolase is developing an enzyme-based technology designed to break down alcohol in the stomach before it is absorbed into the bloodstream.
The technology is aimed at approximately 540 million people in East Asia living with ALDH2 deficiency, a genetic variant that makes it difficult for the body to break down alcohol effectively and can lead to flushing, nausea and discomfort, as well as increased health risks associated with alcohol consumption. The idea began as a conversation in a student dorm during the coronavirus pandemic.
Mikkel Precht and his co-founders wanted to use their knowledge of biotechnology to solve a real-world problem.
After exploring a wide range of global health challenges, they kept returning to one issue: alcohol intolerance.
For many people, alcohol intolerance is not a matter of choosing not to drink. In cultures where social drinking is woven into business meetings, networking and family life, people with ALDH2 deficiency are physiologically excluded from settings that shape professional opportunity and social belonging. It was meeting people living with alcohol intolerance that made the problem clear to Mikkel Precht, CEO and Co-founder of Alcolase.
“When you speak to people with alcohol intolerance, you realise this is not about wanting to drink more. It is about not being shut out of dinners, work events and family gatherings because of a genetic difference. We want to give people a real choice they are currently denied,” says Mikkel Precht.
“What drives me is the idea that biotechnology can solve problems that affect people’s everyday lives. If we succeed, we can create a healthier alternative for a very large number of people.”
Alcolase has developed a new way to protect enzymes from stomach acid and keep…
