Emixustat (formerly ACU-4429) is a nonretinoid compound with a unique mode of action in the retinal pigment epithelium, where it modulates the biosynthesis of visual chromophore through its effect on retinal pigment epithelium protein 65 (RPE65). Emixustat modulates the visual cycle by inhibiting a critical enzyme of this pathway RPE65. Acucela Inc., a Kubota Pharmaceutical company, is developing emixustat for the treatment of Stargardt disease and proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

17α-ethynyl-5α-androstane-3α, 17β-diol (HE3235, Apoptone) is an orally bioavailable synthetic analogue of 3β-androstanediol, that is active in rodent models of prostate and breast cancer. HE3235 is a second generation antitumor agent that causes apoptosis. It is an androgen receptor antagonist. HE3235 inhibits the BCL2 gene which translates proteins that prevent apoptosis and stimulates the expression proteins that induce apoptosis. HE3235 also downregulates the gene that codes for the multi-drug resistant protein ABCG2 (BCRP1 – Breast Cancer Resistance Protein1). Apoptone was in Phase I/II trials to treat hormone-refractory prostate cancer. However, the development has been discontinued.

Ambit Biosciences was developing AC-430, a potent inhibitor of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. AC-430 is a racemic mixture (50/50) of two enantiomers, AC410 and AC409. In preclinical studies, AC-430 has exhibited potency against JAK2 and V617F mutated JAK2 in cell-based models that is at least equivalent to, and in most cases superior to, competing JAK2 inhibitors. In preclinical oncology and autoimmune models, AC-430 is well tolerated and has significant efficacy at oral doses as low as 10 mg/kg/day.

Esoxybutynin is (S)-enantiomer of oxybutynin. Esoxybutynin exerts antimuscarinic properties. Racemic oxybutynin is used clinically to treat urinary incontinence. Sepracor was developing (S)-oxybutynin, a single-isomer version of Alza's Ditropan (racemic oxybutynin), a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, as a potential treatment for urinary incontinence.

Chlorogenic acid is the ester of caffeic acid and (-)-quinic acid. Chlorogenic acid is a naturally occurring plant metabolite and can be found with the related compounds cryptochlorgenic acid and neochlorogenic acid in the leaves of Hibiscus sabdariffa, coffee, potato, eggplant, peaches, and prunes. Chlorogenic acid has been investigated as a dietary supplement to improve glucose intolerant hypoglycemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It has also been identified as a potential anticancer agent by reducing the expression of HIF-1a and Sphingosine Kinase-1. Chlorogenic acid was also identified as a neuraminidase blocker effective against influenza A virus (H1N1 and H3N2).

Pentopril (CGS 13945) is a member of a series of l-glutarylindoline-2(S)-carboxylic acid derivatives. Pentopril was evaluated as an inhibitor of a cell-free preparation of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) isolated from rabbit lung. Intravenous administration of incremental doses of pentopril to anesthetized normotensive rats produced a dose-related inhibition of angiotensin I (AI) pressor responses. The onset of inhibition of the A1 pressor response was rapid, and substantial inhibition occurred at 5 min after administration of the ACE inhibitors. Pentopril hydrolyzed in vivo to the biologically active free-acid form of CGS 13934. It was well tolerated in normal volunteers and hypertensive patients. Pentopril was developed for the treatment of both hypertension and congestive heart failure. Pentopril produced little clinical improvement and no biochemical improvement in a patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Locicortolone is an anti-inflammatory and antiallergic synthetic glucocorticoid. It has high glucocorticoid cytoplasmic receptor binding affinity in vitro (more than four times higher than dexamethasone) but comparable to dexamethasone relative TAT (tyrosine aminotransferase induction) activity. It has six times lower binding affinity to mineralocorticoid receptor in comparison to dexamethasone.