Company
Sirtris Pharmaceuticals (Historic)
Last updated 2026-05-30· 1 min read
Reviewed by the Ultimate Longevity Bible editorial team. Educational reference — not medical advice. See disclaimer.
What it was
Sirtris Pharmaceuticals was founded in 2004 by David Sinclair and Christoph Westphal to develop sirtuin-activating compounds (STACs) based on the then-prevailing hypothesis that resveratrol activated SIRT1 and could deliver caloric-restriction-like benefits.
Acquired by GlaxoSmithKline in 2008 for $720M — one of the larger early-stage biotech acquisitions in the field’s history.
What happened
- Subsequent biophysical work showed the original SIRT1 activation assay was an artifact of the fluorophore-labelled substrate used.
- Clinical-stage programmes (SRT2104, others) failed to demonstrate meaningful disease benefit.
- GSK closed Sirtris in 2013, spinning some assets back out.
What we learned
- Hype-cycle effects in biotech: a high-profile mechanism can attract massive funding before the mechanism is well-validated.
- Biophysical assay artifacts can sustain wrong mechanistic stories for years.
- The "sirtuin theory of aging" required substantial refinement; AMPK activation may be a more honest description of what some "STACs" actually do.
Related entries
David Sinclair, Sirtuins, Resveratrol, resTORbio (historic).