Pivanex, also known as AN-9, is a histone deacetylase inhibitor analog of butyric acid that causes apoptosis of cancer cells through signaling cellular differentiation. AN-9 exhibited antimetastatic and antiangiogenic activities by reducing vascularization, bFGF expression, and HIF-1a. An important property of the AN-9 as anticancer agents is its ability to inhibit the growth of multidrug-resistant cancer cells including MCF- 7 Dx, HL-60Mx, and MES-SA-DX and to interact in synergy with doxorubicin in killing cancer cells. Combination of AN-9 and radiation significantly increased mortality of glioma cell lines and, in vivo, inhibited tumor growth and prolonged time to failure in mice bearing glioma xenografts, demonstrating their radiosensitizing function. In clinical trials. Pivanex is well tolerated in patients with advanced NSCLC and is indicative of anti-cancer activity.

Lexithromycin is an early semi-synthetic erythromycin, prepared by reaction of the 9-keto moiety to methyl oxime. Lexithromycin has improved absorption in vivo over erythromycin due to increased hydrophopicity and pH stability. Like all erythromycins, lexithromycin shows broad spectrum antibacterial activity and acts by binding to the 30S and 50S ribosomal sub-units, blocking protein synthesis. Formulations containing lexithromycin were tested in clinical trials as treatment for HIV but were discontinued.

Amgen is developing AMG-900, an orally active, small molecule aurora kinase A, B and C inhibitor for the treatment of solid tumours and haematological malignancies. In tumor cells, AMG-900 inhibited autophosphorylation of aurora-A and -B as well as phosphorylation of histone H3 on Ser(10), a proximal substrate of aurora-B. The predominant cellular response of tumor cells to AMG-900 treatment was aborted cell division without a prolonged mitotic arrest, which ultimately resulted in cell death. AMG-900 inhibited the proliferation of 26 tumor cell lines, including cell lines resistant to the antimitotic drug paclitaxel and to other aurora kinase inhibitors (AZD1152, MK-0457, and PHA-739358), at low nanomolar concentrations. Furthermore, AMG-900 was active in an AZD1152-resistant HCT116 variant cell line that harbors an aurora-B mutation (W221L). Oral administration of AMG-900 blocked the phosphorylation of histone H3 in a dose-dependent manner and significantly inhibited the growth of HCT116 tumor xenografts. Importantly, AMG-900 was broadly active in multiple xenograft models, including 3 multidrug-resistant xenograft models, representing 5 tumor types. AMG-900 has entered clinical evaluation in adult patients with advanced cancers and has the potential to treat tumors refractory to anticancer drugs such as the taxanes.

Belnacasan (VX-765), and its active metabolite VRT- 043198, is a novel and irreversible IL-converting enzyme/ caspase-1 inhibitor. VRT-043198 exhibits 100- to 10,000-fold selectivity against other caspase-3, -6 and -9. It exhibited potent inhibition against ICE/caspase-1 and caspase-4 with Ki of 0.8 nM and less than 0.6 nM, respectively. And VRT-043198 also inhibits IL-1β release from both PBMCs and whole blood with IC50 of 0.67 uM and 1.9 uM, respectively. Belnacasan inhibits the release of IL-1, IL-18 and IL-33. Belnacasan has shown to inhibit acute partial seizures in preclinical models and has shown activity in preclinical models of chronic partial epilepsy that do not respond to currently available compounds for epilepsy. In addition, it seems to reduce disease severity and the expression of inflammatory mediators in models of rheumatoid arthritis and skin inflammation. Belnacasan had been in phase II clinical trials by Vertex for the treatment of epilepsy. However, this study has been terminated later.

Lixivaptan is an orally-active, vasopressin 2 receptor antagonist. It is indicated for the treatment of symptomatic hypervolemic and euvolemic hyponatremia, associated with heart failure (HF) and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). Adverse events likely to be result of the pharmacologic action of lixivaptan are: constipation, dry mouth, dizziness, insomnia. Grapefruit juice significantly increased the extent of lixivaptan absorption as compared to lixivaptan administered under fasted conditions but not under fed conditions. Lixivaptan Cmax and AUC∞ increased by 2.4-fold and 3.2-fold, respectively, when lixivaptan was administered with ketoconazole (the same in case of Simvastatin).

FENPIPALONE is an oxazolidinone derivative with central nervous system depressant and antiinflammatory activity in animal models. However, FENPIPALONE did not demonstrate any usefulness for severely ill chronic schizophrenic patients.

Dimesone is a synthetic glucocorticoid with anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activity.

Nifuratrone is a nitrofuran which was used for the control of Salmonella choleraesuis in swine. It was also used for the treatment of gonorrhea.

Gestaclone was developed as a progesterone receptor agonist; however, this compound has never been marketed. Information about the current use of this compound is not available.