Folitixorin, a thymidylate synthase inhibitor is a substrate used by the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) to generate 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. Folitixorin was studied in clinical trials for the treatment of breast cancer, metastatic colorectal cancer and for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer. Folitixorin had been granted orphan drug status for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in both the U.S. and EU. However, further development of this drug was discontinued.

AT-9283 was being developed by Astex Pharmaceuticals as a treatment for cancer and myelofibrosis. AT-9283 is an inhibitor of mitosis (cell division) and is the second most progressed drug candidate in the Astex portfolio of novel molecularly targeted cancer drugs. All of Astex’s current products have been discovered internally using its proprietary drug discovery approach. AT9283 is a potent inhibitor of the Aurora A and B kinases and has been shown to arrest tumour growth in a range of tumour models. Aurora kinases play a key role in mitotic checkpoint control in cell division. Both Aurora A and B are over-expressed in many human tumours and are believed to be excellent targets for anti-cancer therapy.

Alitame [l-α-aspartyl-N-(2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-3-thioethanyl)-d-alaninamide] is an amino acid-based sweetener developed by Pfizer Central Research from l-aspartic acid, d-alanine, and 2,2,4,4-tetraethylthioethanyl amine. A terminal amide group instead of the methyl ester constituent of aspartame was used to improve the hydrolytic stability. The incorporation of d-alanine as a second amino acid in place of l-phenylalanine has resulted in optimum sweetness. The increased steric and lipophilic bulk on a small ring with a sulfur derivative has provided a very sweet product and good taste qualities. Alitame is noncariogenic. From an oral intake, 7–22% is unabsorbed and excreted in the feces. The remainder is hydrolyzed to aspartic acid and alanine amide. The aspartic acid is normally metabolized, and the alanine amide is excreted in the urine as a sulfoxide isomer, sulfone, or conjugated with glucuronic acid. U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved alitame for use as per acceptable daily intake (ADI) value.

Evofosfamide, also formerly known as TH-302, is an investigational hypoxia-activated prodrug and is used to target cancerous cells under hypoxic conditions, which is a feature possessed by multiple solid tumors including glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer. Within regions of tumor hypoxia, evofosfamide releases bromo isophosphoramide mustard (Br-IPM), a potent DNA alkylating agent that kills tumor cells by forming DNA crosslinks. Once activated in hypoxic tissues, Br-IPM can also diffuse into surrounding oxygenated regions of the tumor and kill cells there via a “bystander effect”. Because of its preferential activation in the targeted hypoxic regions of solid tumors, evofosfamide may be less likely to produce broad systemic toxicity seen with untargeted cytotoxic chemotherapies.

Talaglumetad (also known as LY-544344) is a bicyclohexane derivative patented by Eli Lilly and Company as modulators of metabotropic glutamate receptor. Talaglumetad acts as a prodrug of Eglumegad, a selective agonist of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR2/3) and metabolized to release active compound by both human jejunal homogenates and rat liver homogenates. In experiments on mice, Talaglumetad was found to be as effective as diazepam for treating anxiety symptoms in several standard tests, but without producing any of the negative side effects of diazepam such as sedation and memory impairment.

Nemifitide is a peptide analog of melanocyte-inhibiting factor (MIF) that has been reported to relieve depressive symptoms in a very short period. Tetragenex (formerly Innapharma) was developing nemifitide with potential in the treatment of depression. Clinical data obtained from two pilot clinical studies, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-design, in-patient and outpatient, suggested that nemifitide may have the following advantages over current therapies: rapid onset of action (3–5 d), short period of administration (5–10 doses over a 1–2 wk period), and a relatively long duration of treatment effect (3–6 months). The mechanism of action of nemifitide was investigated by evaluating its in-vitro receptor binding and in-vivo localization in the rat brain as well as its interactions with psychoprobes indicative of specific neurotransmitter pathways in acute studies in rats. The results of these studies indicate that nemifitide readily crosses the blood–brain barrier and is localized mainly in the amygdala, hippocampus and frontal cortex of the rat brain. Its in-vitro binding to several receptors including 5-HT-2A, as well as its significant interaction with d-fenfluramine in the rat, suggest the participation of the serotonergic pathway in its mode of action in a different way than that observed with SSRI antidepressants.

Droxinavir is hydroxyethylurea human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease inhibitor. Position 88 of HIV-1 protease gene plays a key role in the interaction between droxinavir and the protease molecule. A mutation in this position, located outside the active site, confers resistance to the hydroxyethylurea inhibitor droxinavir. The V82A and N88S substitutions conferred droxinavir resistance on HIV-1 recombinant variants. Positions 82 and 88 are reported to be variable in natural populations isolated from patients who have not been treated with protease inhibitors. Droxinavir had been in preclinical phase for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. However, this study was discontinued.