DRUGMAKER of RESVERATROL COMPOUND PURCHASED

EUROPE’S BIGGEST DRUGMAKER, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, agreed to buy Sirtris Pharmaceuticals Inc. for about $72O million. Sirtris, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, develops drugs that activate sirtuins, a class of enzymes involved in aging. Its most advanced compound is a formulation of resveratrol, a substance found in red wine and plants that is thought to slow the effects of aging. Glaxo will get a foothold in a new area of research that may lead to treatments for diabetes, muscle wasting and neurodegeneration, the company said. -WINE & SPIRITS DAILY