Resveratrol and the SIRT1 longevity bet (2003-2013)
Scientists reported that resveratrol, a compound in red wine, activated a longevity protein called SIRT1 and extended life in yeast and mice. David Sinclair's startup Sirtris drew a $720 million buyout from GlaxoSmithKline in 2008.
The findings fueled a wave of red-wine health headlines and a supplement market.
The results proved hard to replicate, the mechanism was disputed, and GSK shut the Sirtris unit in 2013 without a drug.
Like coffee and NR4A1, this began as a food compound hitting a promising receptor. It shows how far a clean lab result can sit from a working therapy.
