Peretinoin is an orally available, acyclic retinoid with potential antineoplastic and chemopreventive activities. Peretinoin binds to and activates nuclear retinoic acid receptors (RAR), which in turn recruit coactivator proteins and promote, with other transcriptional complexes, the transcription of target genes. As a result, this agent may modulate the expression of genes involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and apoptosis of both normal and tumor cells. Peretinoin inhibits post-therapeutic recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma via unclear mechanisms. The European Commission granted Orphan Drug designation for Kowa's peretinoin to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Aloxistatin (E64d) is an irreversible and membrane-permeable cysteine protease inhibitor. Aloxistatin was developed for treating muscular dystrophy. Open trials on 73 Duchene’s muscular dystrophy patients were conducted for 3 years at four Japanese national sanatoriums and resulted in some muscle strength improvement but the results were inconclusive and final double-blind studies did not confirm the results. Taisho has discontinued development of aloxistatin for the potential treatment of muscular dystrophy. The  trials completed through Phase 3. In animal models Aloxistatin (100 mg/kg, p.o.) strongly inhibits the cathepsin B&L activities in the skeletal muscle, heart and liver of hamsters. In spinal cord injury (SCI) rats, Aloxistatin provides neuroprotection in SCI lesion and penumbra.Aloxistatin reduces brain amyloid-β and improves memory deficits in Alzheimer's disease animal models by inhibiting cathepsin B activity.

Imexon (INN, trade name Amplimexon) is a substance that is being studied in the treatment of some types of cancer, including pancreatic, lung, breast, prostate, melanoma, and multiple myeloma. Imexon is a thiol-binding small molecule which induces mitochondrial oxidation, a loss of membrane potential and cytochrome C, leading to apoptosis.

Tivantinib (ARQ 197) is the first non-ATP-competitive small molecule that selectively targets the c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase. Exposure to Tivantinib resulted in the inhibition of proliferation of c-Met-expressing cancer cell lines as well as the induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis in cell lines with constitutive c-Met activity. ArQule and its collaborators Daiichi Sankyo and Kyowa Hakko Kirin are developing tivantinib as a potential therapy for many cancers. c-Met is overexpressed in many cancers. Tivantinib currently is in phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer.

LAFLUNIMUS is an immunomodulator with anti-inflammatory activities. It inhibits prostaglandin endoperoxide H synthases 1 and 2 in vitro and in vivo. It also acts as an immunosuppressive agent being an inhibitor of mitochondrial dihydroorotate dehydrogenase and concomitant reducing agent of pyrimidine nucleotide pools.

Omigapil (CGP 3466 or TCH346) is a structurally related analog of R-(-)-deprenyl that exhibits virtually no monoamine oxidase type B inhibiting activity but is neuroprotective in the picomolar concentration range. It binds to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and at subnanomolar concentrations prevent the S-nitrosylation of GAPDH, inhibit GAPDH-Siah binding and prevent the nuclear translocation of GAPDH. Omigapil demonstrated promising potential in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and motoneuron disease in animal models, however, it did not show efficacy in clinical trials. Omigapil is in development for the treatment of congenital muscular dystrophy.

Nikkomycin Z is an antifungal drug that inhibits chitin synthase. It has been reported that it inhibits chitin synthases (Chs) 1 and 3, but not 2, of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Later it was found that nikkomycin Z inhibited all three Chs isozymes of Candida albicans (CaChs). The IC(50) value for CaChs1 is 15 uM, for CaChs2 0.8 uM, and for CaChs3 13 uM. Nikkomycin Z is under development as an orphan product for treatment of coccidioidomycosis. Nikkomycin Z has been used in trials studying the treatment and basic science of Coccidioidomycosis. In February 2006, nikkomycin z was designated as an orphan drug for the treatment of Coccidioidomycosis.

CGP-36742 (3-Aminopropyl-n-butyl-phosphinic acid) is one of the first GABAB receptor antagonists that can penetrate the blood-brain barrier after peripheral administration. Although its affinity for GABA B binding sites labeled with a tritiated agonist is modest, being in the low micromolar range, it displays significant pharmacological activity when administered either orally or parenterally. CGP 36742 was effective in the learned helplessness paradigm in rats, dose-dependently improving the escape failures induced by the inescapable shocks, suggesting that it may have an antidepressant profile. CGP36742 displays pronounced cognition enhancing effects in Rhesus monkeys in active and passive avoidance paradigms, in an eight-arm radial maze and a Morris water maze and in a social learning task. CGP36742 blocks the late inhibitory postsynaptic potential and the paired-pulse inhibition of population spikes recorded from CA1 pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus of rats in vitro and in vivo. CGP36742 significantly enhances the release of glutamate, aspartate, glycine and somatostatin in vivo. Chronic administration of CGP36742 causes an up-regulation of GABA(B) receptors in the frontal cortex of rats. The effects of CGP36742 on cognition were investigated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study undertaken as the first assessment of the efficacy of CGP36742 in 110 patients age 59–85 years with Mild cognitive impairment. The results showed significant improvement in working memory, psychomotor speed and attention with SGS742 as compared with placebo. SGS742 appeared to be safe and well tolerated in this study.

Salirasib or S-trans,trans-Farnesylthiosalicylic acid (FTS) is a salicylic acid derivative with potential antineoplastic activity. It acts as a potent competitive inhibitor of the enzyme prenylated protein methyltransferase (PPMTase), which methylates the carboxyl-terminal S-prenylcysteine in a large number of prenylated proteins including Ras. In such systems, Salirasib inhibits Ras methylation but not Ras farnesylation. Salirasib selectively disrupts the association of chronically active Ras proteins with the plasma membrane. Salirasib competes with Ras for binding to Ras-escort proteins, which possess putative farnesyl-binding domains and interact only with the activated form of Ras proteins, thereby promoting Ras nanoclusterization in the plasma membrane and robust signals. Salirasib was studied in the clinical trials in patients with solid tumors, however its development was discontinued.

Varespladib (LY315920; A-001) is a potent and selective inhibitor of IIa, V, and X isoforms of human non-pancreatic secretory phospholipase A2 with nM IC50. The molecule acts as an anti-inflammatory agent by disrupting the first step of the arachidonic acid pathway of inflammation. Varespladib methyl is being developed by Anthera Pharmaceuticals Inc for the potential treatment of coronary artery disease, acute coronary syndrome and inflammation. Varespladib methyl is a prodrug that is rapidly metabolized to varespladib, and both compounds are able to potently inhibit the enzymes of the human secretory phospholipase groups. Phase II clinical trials of varespladib methyl in patients with coronary artery disease, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and ulcerative colitis revealed that the drug was well tolerated. Varespladib methyl did not demonstrate a good efficacy profile in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and ulcerative colitis; whereas in patients with coronary artery disease, varespladib methyl consistently reduced LDL-cholesterol levels, (elevated LDL-cholesterol levels are a marker of increased cardiovascular risk). Varespladib methyl could represent a novel therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, although the efficacy, safety profile and advantages of this drug compared with existing therapeutic options would need to be established in upcoming phase III trials.