SIRT6: The protein that talks the talk and walks the walk

Nir Barzilai on keeping longevity research relevant to humans, developing gerotherapeutics and making the best decisions.

Last month, US-Israeli startup SIRTLab announced the appointment of leading geroscience researcher Dr Nir Barzilai as its Chief Medical Adviser, adding additional longevity kudos to a company founded by Boaz Misholi and Professor Haim Cohen, a world leader in research of SIRT6, who has seen over $40 million invested in his research.

My take on this: SIRTLab has the development of therapeutics that boost levels of SIRT6 in its sights, and given that SIRT6 has been shown to protect against aging-associated pathologies, including metabolic disease and cancer, and to promote longevity, it is no wonder that SIRTLab styles itself as “focused on longevity”. The company includes liver disease, frailty, metabolic syndrome, neurodegeneration and inflammatory conditions among its targets, and we grabbed some time with Nir Barzilai to find out more about his hopes for SIRT6 and how SIRTLab is moving forward.

Nir Barzilai on excitement about SIRT6

It’s not only talking the talk, but it’s walking the walk. Having previously given advice unofficially, I am now on the Board and fully behind SIRTLab – this due to the new evidence and new technologies at play, and that excites me from a scientist’s perspective. In my centenarian study we found functional mutation in SIRT6 gene that, for me, completed the story from mice to humans – and this is important. In 2021, two-thirds of the drugs approved by the FDA were based on or supported by genetic discoveries in humans. Previous drug development has been too focused on young mice and, as a result, has failed too often. What SIRTLab is doing is going to be very relevant to humans.

Get to know more SIRTLab updates, straight from Nir Barzilai, HERE.

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