Surotomycin is a benzenebutanoic acid derivative patented by Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as antibacterial agents for the treatment of Gram-positive infections. Surotomycin has a fourfold greater in vitro potency than vancomycin against C. Difficile and other Gram-positive bacteria with minimal impact on the Gram-negative organisms of the intestinal microbiota. Surotomycin, given orally, has been shown to be highly effective against both initial and relapsing hamster Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, with a potency similar to vancomycin. Surotomycin is non-inferior to vancomycin and offers a promising alternative for the treatment and prevention of C. diff infection.

CBP-501 is a chemically modified duodecapeptide and an analog of M-phase inducer phosphatase 3 (CDC25C) that increase cisplatin influx into tumor cells through an interaction with calmodulin enhancing cisplatin cytotoxicity, and affects cell cycle progression by abrogating DNA repair at the G2 checkpoint. CBP501 selectively inhibits the kinases MAPKAP-K2, C-TAK1, and CHK1 in vitro. Cell lines exposed to CBP501 plus bleomycin show a dose-dependent reduction of phosphorylated Ser216 on CDC25C. In addition to these effects on the G2 checkpoint, CBP501 also increases platinum concentration and DNA-platinum adduct formation in tumor cells through binding with calmodulin. In an in vitro panel testing the sensitivity of several tumor-derived cell lines to CBP501 in combination with a variety of anti-cancer agents, the combination of CBP501 with cisplatin was particularly effective against all four mesothelioma cell lines tested. Unfortunately, CBP-501 does not improve the efficacy of standard chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Ticalopride is an isomer of the active metabolite of cisapride, which is marketed by Janssen for the treatment of nocturnal heartburn due to gastroesophageal reflux disease. Ticalopride acts through the stimulation of the serotonin 5-HT4 receptors which increases acetylcholine release in the enteric nervous system (specifically the myenteric plexus). This results in increased tone and amplitude of gastric contractions, relaxation of the pyloric sphincter and the duodenal bulb, and increased peristalsis of the duodenum and jejunum resulting in accelerated gastric emptying and intestinal transit. Phase II clinical trials of the Ticalopride are being suspended while investigators study reports of adverse events in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease and diabetes.