Calanolide A is a new non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) originally extracted from a tropical tree (Calophyllum lanigerum) in the Malaysian rain forest. Viral life-cycle studies indicate that calanolide A acts early in the infection process, similar to the known HIV reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitor 2', 3'-dideoxycytidine. In enzyme inhibition assays, calanolide A potently and selectively inhibits recombinant HIV type 1 RT but not cellular DNA polymerases or HIV type 2 RT within the concentration range tested. Phase I studies have found that calanolide A is well tolerated. Consequently, it has potential clinical applications in combination with other antiviral drugs to suppress HIV-1 mutants. Nevertheless, the development of calanolide A has been delayed due to its low therapeutic index (range: 16–279), non-ideal antiviral activity, and the complexity of its extraction from plants

Salvinorin A has been reported to be the most potent naturally occurring hallucinogen, with an effective dose in humans in the 200- to the 1,000-μg range when smoked; it has been reported to induce an intense hallucinatory experience in humans, with a typical duration of action being several minutes to an hour or so. Salvinorin A is a highly selective agonist of the kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) with few off-target effects. It is a potent and selective dilator of the cerebral vasculature, exhibits rapid penetration through the blood-brain barrier, has potent anti-inflammatory properties, and has the ability to preserve neurovascular unit integrity. As such, salvinorin A is an ideal compound for the prevention and treatment of cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Presatovir is a novel inhibitor of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) fusion F protein patented by Gilead Sciences, Inc. as an antiviral agent. Upon oral administration of GS-5806, this agent specifically binds to F protein on the viral surface, which inhibits RSV F protein-mediated fusion with the host cell membrane and prevents viral entry. This blocks RSV replication, reduces viral load, and decreases the severity of the disease. Presatovir exhibited potent antiviral activity against 75 RSV clinical isolates from both A and B subgroups in vitro. In vivo, presatovir demonstrated efficient penetration into the lung and epithelial lining fluid in Sprague‐Dawley rats and in dogs and cattle. Presatovir demonstrated dose‐dependent antiviral activity in both the upper respiratory tract and the lungs in a nonclinical study of RSV‐infected cotton rats as well as in a clinical study of healthy adults experimentally infected with RSV.

Licochalcone A (LicA) is a flavonoid isolated from the famous Chinese medicinal herb Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch and has a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities such as anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-cancer. However, its pharmacological mechanism is not well defined. The anti-Inflammatory effects of LicA on IL-1β-Stimulated human osteoarthritis chondrocytes was reached by activating Nrf2 signaling pathway. LicA showed anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects in breast cancer cells through regulating Sp1 and apoptosis-related proteins in a dose- and a time-dependent manner. In addition, the chemotherapeutic potential of LicA for treatment of human cervical cancer was achieved by inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling.

Abbott Laboratories was developing the selective dopamine D3 receptor antagonist, ABT-925 (formerly A 437203), for the treatment of schizophrenia. ABT-925 is a selective dopamine D₃ receptor antagonist with an approximately 100-fold higher in vitro affinity for dopamine D₃ versus D₂ receptors. ABT 925 was undergoing phase II clinical development for the treatment of schizophrenia. However, development was discontinued in December 2007.

Decoglurant is a negative allosteric modulator of the mGlu2 and mGlu receptors developed by Roche. Decoglurant was investigated in a phase 2 clinical trials in patients with major depressive disorder. Negative results were reported and the development was discontinued in 2015.