GABA Labs

GABA Labs is a UK biotechnology company founded in 2016 by neuropsychopharmacologist Professor David Nutt and entrepreneur David Orren to develop Alcarelle, a synthetic ingredient engineered to bind selectively to GABA-A receptor subtypes associated with alcohol's relaxing, sociable effects while avoiding the receptor subtypes responsible for intoxication, hangovers, and long-term organ damage. The company licenses its science to the drinks industry rather than selling directly to consumers: Alcarelle is intended to be registered as a food ingredient and licensed globally once it clears novel food registration in the UK, EU, and Canada and Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status in the US. In the meantime, GABA Labs' consumer-facing brand Sentia, a fully botanical proof-of-concept GABA-enhancing spirit, has been sold in the UK since January 2021 and launched in the US market in February 2024.

Company Facts

• Headquarters: Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom
• Founded: 2016
• Type: startup
• Website: https://gabalabs.com
• Industries: Functional Beverages, Alcohol Alternatives, Biotech Ingredients, Consumer Health