IVA-337 (LANIFIBRANOR), an indole sulfonamide derivative, is a pan peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonist. It is under investigation in Phase 2 clinical trials for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and type 2 diabetes.

MK-1903 is a potent and selective hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA2, GPR109A) full agonist. Exhibits no binding at the GRP109B receptor. This drug had been in phase II clinical trial for the treatment of atherosclerosis and Dyslipidemia. But then, according to Merck, elevation of HDL cholesterol relative to placebo did not meet the trial's pre-specified primary objective for efficacy; no safety signals were implicated as drivers of the decision to discontinue development.

CPG-52364 is a potent antagonist of toll-like receptors TLR7, TLR8, TLR9. The drug was developed by Coley Pharmaceutical Group (later acquired by Pfizer) for the treatment of immune diseases and reached phase I of clinical trials presumably for systemic lupus erythematosus. However, the development of CPG-52364 was terminated by unknown reason.

CG-200745 is a novel inhibitor of histone deacetylases (HDACs), initially developed by CrystalGenomics, Inc for treatment of various hematological and solid cancers. Combinations of CG-200745 with SN38 (the active form of irinotecan), or oxaliplatin were more effective than the agents alone when used to inhibit the growth of HCT116 cells. The protein expressions of acetyl-H3, p21, caspase-3, -8, and -9, PARP, and XIAP were affected in a time- and dose-dependent manner in HCT116 cells treated with the CG-200745 alone or combined CG-200745 and SN-38. In HCT116 xenografts, the HDACI CG-200745 in combination with irinotecan dramatically inhibited tumor growth without showing additive toxicity.

9cUAB30 is a synthetic analog of 9-cis-RA with little or no RAR-binding activity relative to 9-cis-RA and other RA. 9cUAB30, is a selective rexinoid for the retinoid X nuclear receptors (RXR). Retinoid 9cUAB30 binds to and activates retinoid X receptor (RXR) homodimers and/or and retinoic acid receptor (RAR)/RXR heterodimers, which may result in the dissociation of corepressor protein and the recruitment of coactivator protein, followed by transcription of downstream target genes into mRNAs and protein translation. Gene transcription regulated by these transcription factors may result in inhibition of cell proliferation, induction of cell differentiation, and apoptosis of both normal cells and tumor cells. 9cUAB30 displays substantial chemopreventive capacity with little toxicity and is being translated to the clinic as a novel cancer prevention agent. 9cUAB30 has been assessed in vitro with human cell cultures. Human hepatocytes demonstrated no signs of cytotoxicity with treatment of 9cUAB30 up to 50 umol/L, although when human breast cancer cells were treated with 9cUAB30, they showed a significant inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptotic levels 2.5to 3.5 times the levels of untreated cells. 9cUAB30 inhibits telomerase and induces apoptosis in HL60 cells.

Deferitrin is a desferrithiocin-derived hexadentate iron chelator, developed by Genzyme Corp. for the treatment of severe iron overload in people who require repeated erythrocyte transfusion for the management of chronic anemia such as beta-thalassemia major. Development of the drug was halted after phase 1/2 clinical trial due to nephrotoxicity.