Hydroxamic acids and acyl hydroxamines as naaladase inhibitors

1. A compound of formula I

or a pharmaceutically acceptable equivalent of said compound, wherein:

X is —(CO)NHOH;

Y is a divalent linking group having from 1 to 9 carbon atom(s);

Z is —CR 1 R 2 —, —NR 1 —, —O— or —S—;

A 1 , A 2 , A 3 , A 4 and A 5 are independently hydrogen, C 1 -C 9 alkyl, C 2 -C 9 alkenyl, C 2 -C 9 alkynyl, aryl, carbocycle, C 1 -C 9 alkoxy, C 2 -C 9 alkenyloxy, phenoxy, benzyloxy, hydroxy, halo, nitro, cyano, isocyano, —COOR 3 , —COR 3 , —NR 3 R 4 , —SR 3 , —SOR 3 , —SO 2 R 3 , —SO 2 (OR 3 ), —(CO)NR 3 R 4 , —(CO)NR 3 (CH 2 ) n COOH, —NR 3 (CO)R 4 or —(CH 2 ) n COOH, or any adjacent two of A 1 , A 2 , A 3 and A 4 form with the benzene ring a fused ring that is saturated or unsaturated, aromatic or non-aromatic, and carbocyclic wherein at least one of A 1 , A 2 , A 3 , A 4 and A 5 is a —COOH group or contains a —COOH group;

n is 1-3;

R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are independently hydrogen, C 1 -C 9 alkyl, C 2 -C 9 alkenyl, C 2 -C 9 alkynyl, aryl, or carbocycle; and

said alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, carbocycle, alkoxy, alkenyloxy, phenoxy, benzyloxy, and fused ring are independently unsubstituted or substituted with one or more substituent(s).

2. A compound according to claim 1 , wherein:

Y is —(CR 5 R 6 ) p —W—(CR 7 R 8 ) q —;

W is —CR 9 R 10 —;

p and q are independently 0-4;

R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 and R 10 are independently hydrogen, C 1 -C 9 alkyl, C 2 -C 9 alkenyl, C 2 -C 9 alkynyl, aryl, carbocycle, halo, hydroxy, sulfhydryl, nitro, amino, cyano, isocyano, thiocyano, isothiocyano, formamido, thioformamido, C 1 -C 9 alkoxy, C 2 -C 9 alkenoxy, phenoxy or benzyloxy, wherein said alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, carbocycle, alkoxy, alkenyloxy, phenoxy and benzyloxy are independently unsubstituted or substituted with one or more substituent(s); and

A 1 , A 2 and A 3 are each hydrogen.

3. A compound according to claim 2 , wherein:

Y is —(CR 5 R 6 ) p —W—(CR 7 R 8 ) q —;

W is —CR 9 R 10 —;

p is 0-4; and

q is 0.

4. A compound according to claim 3 , wherein:

R 5 , R 6 , R 9 and R 10 are each hydrogen;

A 4 and A 5 are independently hydrogen, —COOR 3 , C 1 -C 9 alkyl, or phenyl.

5. A compound according to claim 4 , wherein the compound is in the form of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt.

6. A compound according to claim 4 , wherein the compound is an enantiomer or part of an enantiomer-enriched mixture.

7. A compound according to claim 4 , wherein the compound is:

8. A method for inhibiting NAALADase enzyme activity, treating a glutamate abnormality, effecting a neuronal activity, treating a prostate disease, treating cancer, inhibiting angiogenesis or effecting a TGF-β activity, comprising administering to a mammal in need of such inhibition, treatment or effect, an effective amount of a compound of claim 1 .

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said method is for treating a glutamate abnormality selected from the group consisting of a compulsive disorder, stroke, demyelinating disease, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, anxiety, anxiety disorder, memory impairment and glaucoma.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein said method is for effecting a neuronal activity selected from the group consisting of stimulation of damaged neurons, promotion of neuronal regeneration, prevention of neurodegeneration and treatment of a neurological disorder.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the neuronal activity is treatment of a neurological disorder and said neurological disorder is pain, diabetic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy caused by physical injury or disease state, traumatic brain injury, physical damage to spinal cord, stroke associated with brain damage, a demyelinating disease or a neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein said method is for treating cancer.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein said method is for inhibiting angiogenesis.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein said method is for treating a TGF-β abnormality selected from the group consisting of neurodegenerative disorder, extra-cellular matrix formation disorder, cell-growth related disease, infectious disease, immune related disease, epithelial tissue scarring, collagen vascular disease, fibroproliferative disorder, connective tissue disorder, inflammation, inflammatory disease, respiratory distress syndrome, infertility, and diabetes.

15. A method for detecting a disease, disorder or condition where NAALADase levels are altered, comprising:

(i) contacting a sample of bodily tissue or fluid with an effective amount of a compound of claim 1 , wherein said compound binds to any NAALADase in said sample; and

(ii) measuring the amount of any NAALADase bound to said sample, wherein the amount of NAALADase is diagnostic for said disease, disorder or condition.

16. A method for detecting a disease, disorder or condition where NAALADase levels are altered in a mammal, comprising:

(i) labeling a compound of claim 1 with an effective amount of an imaging reagent;

(ii) administering to said mammal an effective amount of the labeled compound;

(iii) allowing said labeled compound to localize and bind to NAALADase present in said mammal; and

(iv) measuring the amount of NAALADase bound to said labeled compound, wherein the amount of NAALADase is diagnostic for said disease, disorder or condition.

17. A diagnostic kit for detecting a disease, disorder or condition where NAALADase levels are altered, comprising a compound of claim 1 labeled with a marker.

18. A pharmaceutical composition comprising:

(i) an effective amount of a compound of claim 1 ; and

(ii) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.