PF-4191834 is a noniron chelating, non-redox inhibitor of the 5-lipoxygenase enzyme (5-LOX) that is being developed as an oral anti-inflammatory therapy for the treatment of asthma. Enzyme assay results demonstrate that PF-4191834 has an improved potency compared with its predecessor CJ-13610 and of zileuton. It was able to reduce pain and inflammation in an adjuvant-induced arthritis model in rats. PF-4191834 offers the potential to test the hypothesis that chronic inhibition of the 5-LOX enzyme will provide maximal efficacy for this target in inflammatory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pain, and perhaps lupus. PF-4191834 had been in phase II clinical trial for the treatment of pain. Development was terminated in March 2011.

Tirasemtiv is a fast skeletal troponin activator and is a candidate amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (AML) therapeutic. It is a small molecule that enhances the signals between motor neurons and neuromuscular junctions. Tirasemtiv increases muscle strength by amplifying the response of muscle when neuromuscular input is diminished secondary to a neuromuscular disease. Tirasemtiv selectively binds to the fast skeletal troponin complex, thus slowing down the rate of calcium release from troponin C and sensitizing muscle to calcium. As a consequence, the force-calcium relationship of muscle fibers shifts leftwards as does the force-frequency relationship of a nerve-muscle pair.

GlaxoSmithKline is developing Camicinal (GSK 962040), an oral motilin receptor agonist for the treatment of gastroparesis. Camicinal is being evaluated in phase II for diabetic gastroparesis and gastroparesis. Camicinal is well tolerated in multiple trials with no serious drug-related adverse events or changes in ECG chemistry when given as a single oral dose of up to 125 mg. Although larger studies are soon to be reported, current evidence shows that adverse events occurred evenly between the placebo and treatment groups, and was generally mild. Camicinal has been previously shown to increase gastric emptying in volunteers after repeat dosing over 14 days with no tolerance effect in patients with gastroparesis and type 1 diabetes. Camicinal meets the criteria of an ideal motilin agonist. The compound activates long-lasting cholinergic contractility at low doses in the antrum with greater efficacy than current therapeutic options.

Lucerastat inhibits glycolipid biosynthesis. Lucerastat is an orally bioavailable inhibitor of glucosylceramide synthase. Lucerastat is being developed by the biopharmaceutical company Idorsia for the treatment of Fabry disease.

FLORILGLUTAMIC ACID F-18 is a radioactive L-glutamate derivative and a tumor-specific positron emission tomography (PET) tracer. Orphan designation (EU/3/16/1632) was granted by the European Commission to Piramal Imaging GmbH, Germany, for FLORILGLUTAMIC ACID F-18 for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Currently, it is in phase II trial as a PET tracer in early lung cancer in patients with lung nodules.

Gemcitabine elaidate is an ester of anticancer drug gemcitabine and elaidic fatty acid. The motivation to make an ester was to facilitate gemcitabine uptake and prolong retention in the cell. The drug is converted to parent compound gemcitabine both inside and outside the cell. Gemcitabine elaidate was developed by Clavis Pharma for treatment of solid tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer, but its development was discontinued after product missed the primary endpoint in the Phase II LEAP trial to treat metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Quisinostat is an orally bioavailable potent histone deacetylase inhibitor, specifically selected due to its sustained inhibition of HDAC1 in solid tumor tissues and prolonged period of half-elimination from tissues. Phase 2 clinical trials are ongoing in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Quisinostat is active in the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory Sézary syndrome. The most common drug-related adverse events reported in this trial were: nausea, diarrhea, asthenia. Grade 3 adverse events were also reported: hypertension, lethargy and pruritus.

Iofolastat I-123 is a radiolabeled iodobenzylamine derivative developed by Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, Inc as molecular imaging pharmaceuticals for prostate cancer. Iofolastat I123 selectively binds prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), which allows imaging of PSMA-expressing prostate cancer cells. In Phase I clinical trial Iofolastat I-123 localized to lesions in bone and soft tissue that correlated with radiologic evidence of metastatic prostate cancer. Minimal uptake of one of Iofolastat I-123 as seen in the prostate gland of healthy volunteers, suggesting the possibility of visualizing disease in that organ.