Sirtris Seeks Drug To Mimic Effects Of Near Starvation

Researchers say resveratrol appears to offer the gain without the pain, providing benefits associated with calorie restriction without intense dieting. Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, a much heralded startup company that aims to beat age-related diseases by developing drugs that mimic the effect of near starvation, has filed to go public. Sirtris, which has drawn more than $80 million in venture financing, has been at the vortex of a publicity storm about advances in anti-aging research, with a series of stories in The Wall Street Journal plus lengthy coverage in Fortune and elsewhere.

Sirtris said it planned to apply the IPO proceeds to develop SRT501, its proprietary formulation of resveratrol, for Type 2 diabetes and new compounds that appear to activate the same enzymes as those targeted by resveratrol.

The company says that its enzyme research could lead to drugs targeting diseases including cancer and metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases. In a 2006 paper published in the journal Cell, resveratrol was found to bulk up mitochandria, which powers living cells.

Investors include Polaris Venture Partners, TVM Capital, Cardinal Partners, Skyline Ventures, Three Arch Partners, The Wellcome Trust, Bessemer Venture Partners, Novartis Bioventures Fund, Cargill Ventures, Genzyme, QVT Fund LP, Cycad Group, Hunt Ventures, Red Abbey, and Alexandria Real Estate Equities. As of December 31, the company had about $50 million in cash and cash equivalents.

Sirtris said it planned to apply the IPO proceeds to develop SRT501, its proprietary formulation of resveratrol, for Type 2 diabetes and new compounds that appear to activate the same enzymes as those targeted by resveratrol.

The company says that its enzyme research could lead to drugs targeting diseases including cancer and metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases. In a 2006 paper published in the journal Cell, resveratrol was found to bulk up mitochandria, which powers living cells.

The firm would trade on the Nasdaq under the symbol SIRT.