Sirtris Pharmaceuticals

Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, MA that is developing therapies for type 2 diabetes, cancer, and other diseases. Founded in 2004 by a Harvard University biologist, Drs. David Sinclair, and venture capitalist Christoph Westphal, the company went public in 2007 and was subsequently purchased by GlaxoSmithKline in 2008 for $720 million. Sirtris's drug discovery is focused on developing activators of sirtuins, a class of enzyme that may mediate benefits of calorie restriction. The company's lead drug candidate was SRT-501, a proprietary formulation of the compound resveratrol, possibly an activator of the SIRT1 enzyme.[1]. Development of SRT-501 was halted by GlaxoSmithKline in late 2010, due to adverse effects in study participants. The company is now focusing on developing more potent synthetic activators of SIRT1 and is investigating SIRT3 as another potential drug target[2]. Recent studies from rivals Amgen and Pfizer have failed to reproduce the findings that resveratrol is an SIRT1 activator[3].

References

  1. ^ "Scientists find path to fountain of youth". October 1, 2009. http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.9dd9f35bd76b9fc96fd39c548f04e9bb.241&show_article=1. 
  2. ^ http://www.sirtrispharma.com/about.html
  3. ^ Beher D, Wu J, Cumine S, Kim KW, Lu SC, Atangan L, Wang M. "Resveratrol is not a direct activator of SIRT1 enzyme activity." Chem. Biol. Drug Des. 2009, 74, 619–624;[1] Pacholec M, Chrunyk BA, Cunningham D, Flynn D, Griffith DA, Griffor M, Loulakis P, Pabst B, Qiu X, Stockman B, Thanabal V, Varghese A, Ward J, Withka J, Ahn K. "SRT1720, SRT2183, SRT1460, and resveratrol are not direct activators of SIRT1." J. Biol. Chem. 2010. Prepublication.[2]

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