Exeporfinium (XF-73), a dicationic porphyrin derivative, is an antibacterial drug. Exeporfinium acts via a bacterial cell-surface mechanism that affects membrane permeability and integrity, leading to release of intracellular components and bacterial cell death, without lysis. Exeporfinium represents a broad-spectrum Gram-positive antibacterial drug. It also has activity against a number of Gram-negative bacteria. Exeporfinium has been granted Fast Track designation by the US FDA for the prevention of post-surgical staphylococcal infections such as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

CP-609754 is a farnesyltransferase inhibitor, originally developed by OSI Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer for the treatment of patients with Ras-positive cancer. CP-609754 demonstrated in vivo antitumor activity against 3T3 H-ras (61L) tumors. The compound was investigated in phase 1 clinical trials in patients with advanced malignant tumors, and dose 640 mg twice per day was established as a recommended for phase 2 clinical trials. The clinical trials, however, were not conducted because of disappointing results of other farnesyl transferase inhibitors, and in 2006 the drug was licensed to Link Medicine for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Under the codename LNK-754, the compound was investigated in mouse models of Parkinson's disease and two models of Alzheimer's disease, where positive results were demonstrated. Two phase 1 clinical trials of LNK-754 in healthy volunteers and patients with mild Alzheimer's disease were conducted in 2009, but no further development of the drug was reported.

Edogesterone (PH-218) is steroid with progestational and antiandrogenic properties.

AZD-8835 is a potent inhibitor of PI3Kα and PI3Kδ with selectivity versus PI3Kβ, PI3Kγ, and other kinases that preferentially inhibited growth in cells with mutant PIK3CA status, such as in estrogen receptor-positive (ER(+)) breast cancer cell lines BT474, MCF7, and T47D (sub-umol/L GI50s). Consistent with this, AZD-8835 demonstrated antitumor efficacy in corresponding breast cancer xenograft models when dosed continuously. AZD-8835 is a selective, oral inhibitor of PI3K isoforms α and δ with the following activity in enzymatic assays: PI3K α – IC50 = 6nM (equipotent vs wt and E545K / H1047R mutants); PI3K δ – IC50 = 6nM; PI3K γ – IC50 = 90nM; PI3K β – IC50 = 431nM. Inhibition of signalling in cells (pAKT endpoint): PI3K α – IC50 = 57nM; PI3K δ – IC50 = 49nM; PI3K β – IC50 = 3.6uM; PI3K γ - IC50 = 532nM. AZD-8835 is in phase I clinical studies by AstraZeneca for the treatment of advanced solid tumors and ER+ and HER-2 negative breast cancer.

HKI-357 is a potent, dual irreversible inhibitor of ErbB2 (HER2) and EGFR. HKI-357 suppresses ligand-induced EGFR autophosphorylation and cell proliferation in NCI-H1975 cells containing L858R and T790M mutations.

Sepantronium bromide (YM155) is a selective survivin suppressant that exhibits potent antitumor activities by inducing apoptosis and autophagy in various types of cancer. Sepantronium bromide inhibited the growth of various human cancer cell lines in vitro with GI50 values in the low nM range. Sepantronium bromide blocked the growth of 119 human cancer cell lines, with the greatest inhibition in lines derived from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, hormone-refractory prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, sarcoma, non-small-cell lung cancer, breast cancer, leukemia, and melanoma, with an average GI50 of 15 nM. Sepantronium bromide inhibited the growth of tumor cell lines regardless of their p53 status and demonstrated significant antitumor activity in 5 mice xenograft models. It also caused tumor regressions in vivo, possibly by its effects in reducing intratumoral survivin expression levels and increasing apoptosis. Sepantronium Bromide had been in phase II clinical trials by Astellas for the treatment of prostate cancer, melanoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, breast cancer, diffuse large B cell lymphoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and other solid tumors. This compound had also been in clinical trials by National Cancer Institute (NCI) for the treatment of solid tumors (phase I) and advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (phase II). However, all these researches about this compound for all indications were discontinued.

CUDC-101 is a multi-targeted agent designed to inhibit epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), human epidermal growth factor receptor Type 2 (Her2) and histone deacetylase (HDAC). This drug synergistically blocked key regulators of EGFR/HER2 signaling pathways, also attenuating multiple compensatory pathways, such as AKT, HER3, and MET, which enable cancer cells to escape the effects of conventional EGFR/HER2 inhibitors. Thus, a single compound may offer greater therapeutic benefits, which is verified in clinical trial phase I for the treatment patients with advanced head and neck, gastric, breast, liver, and non-small cell lung cancer tumors. In April 2013, CURIS, INC determined that they would discontinue enrolling patients in phase 1 expansion trial of the intravenous formulation of CUDC-101, and that the future development of CUDC-101 would be dependent on our ability to successfully develop an oral formulation of CUDC-101. However, the efforts to develop an effective oral formulation with improved bioavailability have not resulted in significant improvements when compared to the intravenous formulation of CUDC-101. As a result, at this time CURIS no longer plan to make material investments in this program.

CHF-5074 is a small molecule with a unique microglial modulating mechanism of action capable of selectively reducing pro-inflammatory activities of microglial cells while increasing their ability to remove neurotoxic amyloid beta (“Aβ”) aggregates in the brain by phagocytosis. CHF-5074 reduces Aβ42 and Aβ40 secretion, with an IC50 of 3.6 and 18.4 μM, respectively. Microglia are small cells that migrate through the brain to remove waste products, such as amyloid aggregates that cause inflammation and irreversible damage to nerve cells. Chronic dysfunction of microglia is increasingly believed to play an important role at the very beginnings of Alzheimer’s disease. The results from Chiesi’s human clinical studies corroborate the large body of data from published preclinical studies. In Alzheimer’s disease transgenic mouse models, CHF-5074 was shown to reduce neuroinflammation, inhibit brain amyloid β plaque deposits, reduce tau pathology, and reverse associated memory deficits. These findings indicate CHF-5074 acts simultaneously on several important therapeutic targets, and this neuroprotective multi-target approach may translate into preventing the memory loss that is the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.

Roniciclib (BAY1000394) is a pan-cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor that has been developed for treatment in small cell lung carcinoma and solid tumors. Roniciclib targets certain key proteins that are essential for the survival of cancer cells, resulting in decreased tumor growth. Phase I studies to evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of roniciclib have been completed successfully. In phase II studies, roniciclib was found to be well tolerated and showed promising efficacy when combined with chemotherapy in small cell lung carcinoma patients. However, due to an observed safety signal (treatment-emergent adverse events) in one phase II study, other clinical trials have been discontinued and further development of roniciclib was terminated.