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.

Among the naturally occurring trichothecenes in food and feed, T-2 toxin is a cytotoxic fungal secondary metabolite produced by various species of Fusarium. Following ingestion, T-2 toxin causes acute and chronic toxicity and induces apoptosis in the immune system and fetal tissues. T-2 toxin is usually metabolized and eliminated after ingestion, yielding more than 20 metabolites. Consequently, there is a possibility of human consumption of animal products contaminated with T-2 toxin and its metabolites. The molecular mechanism of inhibition of protein synthesis may be the high affinity of T-2 toxin for the 60S ribosomal subunit.

Aldeyra’s lead product candidate, reproxalap (formerly ADX 102 or NS-2), is a small molecule RASP (Reactive Aldehyde Species) inhibitor in Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of dry eye disease, allergic conjunctivitis, noninfectious anterior uveitis, and Sjögren-Larsson syndrome. NS-2 has been tested in a variety of in vitro and preclinical models, and has demonstrated the ability to trap free aldehydes, diminish inflammation, reduce healing time, protect key cellular constituents from aldehyde damage, and lower the potential for scarring or fibrosis. NS-2 has been tested in a variety of toxicity studies in animals and appears to be generally safe and well tolerated. NS-2 has an orphan drug status for the treatment of Sjogren-Larsson syndrome.

Annamycin is a highly lipophilic form of the anthracycline doxorubicin with the ability to bypass multidrug resistance mechanisms of cellular drug resistance. Annamycin belongs to the anthracycline class of drugs, and has a pleiotropic mechanism of action where it targets topoisomerase II, causing strand breaks in DNA. Annamycin forms complexes with DNA by intercalation between base pairs, and it inhibits topoisomerase II activity by stabilizing the DNA-topoisomerase II complex, preventing the religation portion of the ligation-religation reaction that topoisomerase II catalyzes. The agent is being evaluated in separate phase 1 and phase 2 trials in the United States and Europe. Studies in animal models showed the agent to be noncardiotoxic. Trials that included patients with leukemia showed the agent was associated with fewer dose-limiting toxicities than typically experienced with doxorubicin. The FDA granted fast track designation to Annamycin for treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia.

Fiboflapon sodium (GSK2190915) is a high affinity 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein inhibitor being developed for the treatment of asthma. The compound was originally developed by Amira Pharmaceuticals. Fiboflapon sodium (GSK2190915) exhibits excellent preclinical toxicology and pharmacokinetics in rat and dog. GSK2190915 also demonstrated an extended pharmacodynamic effect in a rodent bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) model. Oral administration of Fiboflapon sodium (GSK2190915) (1 mg/kg) resulted in sustained inhibition of ex vivo ionophore-challenged whole blood LTB4 biosynthesis with >90% inhibition for up to 12 h and an EC50 of approximately 7 nM. When rat lungs were challenged in vivo with calcium-ionophore, Fiboflapon sodium inhibited LTB4 and cysteinyl leukotriene (CysLT) production with ED50s of 0.12 mg/kg and 0.37 mg/kg, respectively. Fiboflapon sodium is in Phase-II for Asthma (Adjunctive treatment) in Poland, Ukraine, Bulgaria, USA, United Kingdom and Canada (PO).

Defoslimod is an analog of lipopolysaccharide endotoxin-derived lipid A obtained from E. coli, developed as an immunomodulatory adjuvant and an immunotherapeutic agent for the treatment of cancer. Defoslimod acts as an agonist of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2/4. In a phase 1 clinical study in patients with solid tumors, conducted in 2007, defoslimod was administered as an intravenous infusion. The therapy was well tolerated at biologically active concentrations, with 3 patients of 17 exhibited disease stabilization with a mean duration of 4 months. No further development of the drug was reported.