Dalvastatin is a synthetic HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor developed by Rhône-Poulenc Rorer. Dalvastatin is a prodrug and is itself an inactive lactone. After oral ingestion, the drug is hydrolyzed in vivo to the corresponding beta-hydroxy acid, which is the pharmacologically active form. HMG-CoA reductase is the rate-limiting enzyme in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway. An active form of dalvastatin inhibits HMG-CoA reductase with IC50 of 3.4 nM. In ex vivo assay, orally administered dalvastatin inhibited cholesterol biosynthesis in rat liver slices with an ED50 value of 0.9. The efficacy of dalvastatin to lower cholesterol was investigated in the clinical trials in the 1990s, but no results were reported.

TIC10 (NSC350625 or ONC201) is a small-molecule compound belongs to a chemical class known as imipridones, that possess a unique three-ring heterocycle with two substitutable basic amines. ONC201 has anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects against a broad range of tumor cells but not normal cells. The mechanism of action of ONC201 involves engagement of PERK-independent activation of the integrated stress response, leading to tumor upregulation of DR5 and dual Akt/ERK inactivation, and consequent Foxo3a activation leading to upregulation of the death ligand TRAIL. The isomeric structure of TIC10/ONC201 is critical to its activity: anti-cancer activity is associated with the angular structure and not the linear isomer. Clinical trials are evaluating the single agent efficacy of ONC201 in multiple solid tumors and hematological malignancies and exploring alternative dosing regimens. Oncoceutics is developing ONC 201 as a potential therapy for treatment of p53-deficient cancers (including solid tumours).