CVT-6883 (GS 6201) is an A2B adenosine receptor antagonist originated by CV Therapeutics and developed by Gilead Sciences or the treatment of pulmonary diseases. In vitro studies have suggested that the activation of the A2B adenosine receptor may potentially have Proinflammatory and profibrotic effects that could be significant in the development of lung diseases. In adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficient mice, treatment with GS 6201 resulted in significantly less pulmonary inflammation, fibrosis, and alveolar airway enlargement compared with ADA-deficient mice treated with placebo. A range of doses of GS 6201 was well tolerated in healthy volunteers in a phase I multiple ascending dose trial.

SCH-58261 is an antagonist of the Adenosine A2A receptor with a Kd of 2.3 nM. It was initially identified and developed by Schering-Plough as a potential treatment for neurological conditions such as Parkinson's Disease and Depression. However, the compound suffered from poor solubility and is not active when orally dosed. SCH-58261 became the scaffold for the development of Preladenant (SCH 412348), which did progress to Phase III clinical trials before being discontinued. There has also been an investigation of SCH-58261 as a treatment of hypotension in rat models.

CGS -21680 is an adenosine A2 receptor agonist with IC50 of 22 nM, exhibits 140-fold over A1 receptor. In an isolated perfused working rat heart model, CGS -21680 effectively increases coronary flow with an ED25 value of 1.8 nM. CGS-21680 binds adenosine A2 receptor with high affinity (Kd = 15.5 nM). Novartis originated CGS- 21680 in Switzerland and discontinued its development later.

First synthesized in 2004 by the group of Peter G. Schultz, reversine is a 2,6- diamino substituted purine showing a potent inhibition on Aurora B, a protein kinase overexpressed in a variety of solid tumors. Due to its relevance in the cell cycle regulation, Aurora B represents a good target for anti-cancer drug development, so that reversine can be used as a promising lead compound for new potential antitumor agents. Reversine is a potent human A3 adenosine receptor antagonist with Ki of 0.66 μM, and a pan-aurora A/B/C kinase inhibitor with IC50 of 12 nM/13 nM/20 nM, respectively. Reversine also inhibits Mps1. Reversine is effective in inhibiting the growth of thyroid cancer cells by cell cycle arrest or apoptosis, especially with the more aggressive ATC and PDTC. Apoptosis was induced by the mitochondria-independent pathway. Reversine is being under investigation in clinical therapeutics.