Schaan, Liechtenstein, April 2026. Virella Ltd, a European biotech company developing small-molecule SIRT6 activators, has filed a European Patent Application covering its proprietary compound series targeting the Sirtuin 6 enzyme. The filing marks a key milestone as the company advances toward preclinical studies with contract research partners.
A New Class of SIRT6 Activators
Virella’s program is built on a novel chemical scaffold that activates SIRT6, an enzyme increasingly recognized for its role in DNA repair, metabolic regulation, and aging. The compounds were developed in collaboration with the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology at the University of Ljubljana, where more than two years of medicinal chemistry work produced hundreds of analogs with structure-activity relationships published in ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters in March 2026.
“We started with a known antifungal scaffold and systematically explored it for SIRT6 activation,” said Andraž Žurman, Co-Founder and Head of Business Development at Virella. “The result is a compound series with the strongest reported SIRT6 activation in the literature.”
In Vivo Longevity Data in C. elegans
Working with Prof. Uroš Petrovič and his team at the Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Virella tested multiple compounds in C. elegans, the standard model organism for aging research. Studies with sample sizes of 300 to 900 animals per group showed clean toxicology profiles across all tested compounds, confirmed biological activity in a living organism, and demonstrated significant lifespan extension. The lead compound outperformed both resveratrol and rapamycin, which served as positive controls.
“These are real in vivo results, replicated across independent experimental series,” said Žurman. “For a preclinical-stage program, having consistent lifespan data in a validated aging model is a strong starting point.”
Advancing Toward Preclinical
With the patent application filed and in vivo data in hand, Virella is now advancing toward formal preclinical development. The company is concluding ADME studies and working with contract research organizations on pharmacokinetic studies and cellular assay programs for its lead compounds.
Virella’s research program builds on close collaborations with three faculties at the University of Ljubljana: the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology for medicinal chemistry and compound design, the Biotechnical Faculty for in vivo longevity studies, and the Faculty of Pharmacy for solubility, cytotoxicity, and permeability profiling. Additional studies with these academic partners are ongoing.
Virella’s pipeline targets four therapeutic areas: longevity, oncology, osteoarthritis, and metabolic diseases, all linked to SIRT6 biology.
About Virella
Virella Ltd is a Liechtenstein-based biotech company developing novel small-molecule therapeutics targeting Sirtuin 6. The company works closely with three faculties at the University of Ljubljana and is advancing its lead compounds toward preclinical development. Virella’s compound series represents the most potent known SIRT6 activators, with results published in ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters in March 2026. For more information, visit www.virella-science.com.
Contact:
Andraž Žurman
Co-Founder & Head of Business Development
andraz@virella-science.com
www.virella-science.com
