Naaladase inhibitors for treating retinal disorders and glaucoma

1. A method for treating retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration or glaucoma comprising administering to a mammal in need of such treatment an effective amount of a compound of formula X

or an enantiomer or a pharmaceutically acceptable equivalent of said compound, wherein:

X 3 is —(CR 36 R 37 ) n SH, —O(CR 36 R 37 ) 2 SH, —S(CR 36 R 37 ) 2 SH or —NR(CR 36 R 37 ) 2 SH;

n is 1-3; and

R, R 36 , R 37 , A 6 , A 7 , A 8 and A 9 are independently hydrogen, C 1 -C 9 alkyl, C 2 -C 9 alkenyl, C 2 -C 9 alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocycle, heterocycle, halo, hydroxy, sulfhydryl, nitro, amino, cyano, isocyano, thiocyano, isothiocyano, formamido, thioformamido, sulfo, sulfino, C 1 -C 9 alkylsulfonyl, C 1 -C 9 alkoxy, C 2 -C 9 alkenoxy, phenoxy and benzyloxy, wherein said alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocycle, heterocycle, alkoxy, alkenoxy, phenoxy and benzyloxy are independently unsubstituted or substituted with one or more substituent(s).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound of formula X is selected from the group consisting of:

3-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

3-(mercaptomethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-(mercaptomethyl)-benzoic acid;

5-hydroxy-2-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

5-[(4-carboxyphenyl)methoxy]-2-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-(2-mercaptoethyl)-5-(phenylmethoxy)-benzoic acid;

2-(carboxymethoxy)-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

5-[(3-carboxyphenyl)methoxy]-2-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-(2-mercaptoethyl)-6-(phenylmethoxy)-benzoic acid;

2-[(2-carboxyphenyl)methoxy]-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-[(4-carboxyphenyl)methoxy]-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

3-(2-mercaptoethyl)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-2,3′-dicarboxylic acid;

2-(3,3-dimethylbutoxy)-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-(2-mercaptoethyl)-6-(2-phenylethoxy)-benzoic acid;

2-[(2-chlorophenyl)methoxy]-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-[[3-carboxy-5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)phenyl]methoxy]-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-(2-mercaptoethyl)-6-phenoxy-benzoic acid;

2-(2-mercaptoethyl)-6-phenylamino-benzoic acid;

2-(2-mercaptoethyl)-6-(phenylthio)-benzoic acid;

5′-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-3-(2-mercaptoethyl)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-2,3′-dicarboxylic acid;

3-(2-mercaptoethyl)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-2,4′-dicarboxylic acid;

2-[(4-carboxy-2-methoxyphenyl)methoxy]-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-[(4-carboxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methoxy]-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-[(2-bromo-4-carboxyphenyl)methoxy]-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-[(3-bromo-4-carboxyphenyl)methoxy]-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-[(4-chlorophenyl)methoxy]-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-(biphenyl-2-ylmethoxy)-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-[(3-bromo-5-carboxyphenyl)methoxy]-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-[(2-bromo-5-carboxyphenyl)methoxy]-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-(2-mercaptoethyl)-6-[(4-methoxyphenyl)methoxy]-benzoic acid;

2-(2-mercaptoethyl)-6-[(4-methylphenyl)methoxy]-benzoic acid;

2-[(4-bromo-3-carboxyphenyl)methoxy]-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

2-[(2-carboxy-5-methoxyphenyl)methoxy]-6-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzoic acid;

5-(mercaptomethyl)-2-(2-phenylethoxy)-benzoic acid;

2-bromo-5-(mercaptomethyl)-benzoic acid;

4-(mercaptomethyl)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-2,3′-dicarboxylic acid;

5-(mercaptomethyl)-2-(phenylmethoxy)-benzoic acid; and

4-bromo-3-(mercaptomethyl)-benzoic acid; and

enantiomers and pharmaceutically acceptable equivalents.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is for treating retinopathy.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the retinopathy is diabetic retinopathy.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is for treating age-related macular degeneration.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is for treating glaucoma.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the method is for treating retinopathy.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the retinopathy is diabetic retinopathy.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the method is for treating age-related macular degeneration.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the method is for treating glaucoma.