Inhibitors of IMPDH enzyme

1. A compound of formula (A):

wherein:

each of R 1 and R 2 is independently selected from hydrogen, —CF 3 ; —(C 1 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkyl; —(C 2 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl; —(C 1 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkyl-R 7 ; -[(C 2 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl]-R 7 or —R 7 ; and wherein at least one of R 1 or R 2 is —(C 1 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkyl-R 7 ; -[(C 2 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl]-R 7 or —R 7 ;

wherein up to 4 hydrogen atoms in any of said alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl are optionally and independently replaced by R 3 ; and

wherein one or both of R 1 or R 2 are optionally esterified to form a prodrug; or

each R 3 is independently selected from halo, CN, —OR 4 , or —N(R 5 ) 2 ;

R 4 is selected from hydrogen, —(C 1 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkyl, —(C 2 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl, -[(C 1 –C 6 ) -straight or branched alkyl]-R 7 , -[(C 2 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl]-R 7 , —C(O)-[(C 1 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkyl], —C(O)-[-(C 2 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl], —C(O)-[(C 1 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkyl]-N(R 8 ) 2 , —C(O)-[(C 2 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl]-N(R 8 ) 2 , —P(O)(OR 8 ) 2 , —P(O)(OR 8 )(R 8 ), —C(O)—R 7 , —S(O) 2 N(R 5 ) 2 , -[(C 1 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkyl]-CN, or -[(C 2 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl]-CN;

each R 5 is independently selected from hydrogen, —(C 1 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkyl, (C 2 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl, -[(C 1 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkyl]-R 7 , -[(C 2 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl]-R 7 , -[(C 1 –C 6 )-straight alkyl]-CN, -[(C 2 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl]-CN, -[(C 1 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkyl]-OR 4 , -[(C 2 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl]-OR 4 , —C(O)—(C 1 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkyl, —C(O)-[((C 2 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl], —C(O)—R 7 , —C(O)O—R 7 , —C(O)O—(C 1 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkyl, —C(O)O-[(C 2 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl], —S(O) 2 —(C 1 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkyl, or —S(O) 2 —R 7 ;

each R 7 is a monocyclic or bicyclic ring system wherein in said ring system:

i. each ring comprises 3 to 7 ring atoms;

ii. any CH 2 is optionally replaced with C(O);

each R 8 is independently selected from hydrogen or -[C 1 –C 4 ]-straight or branched alkyl;

wherein in any ring system in said compound up to 3 hydrogen atoms bound to the ring atoms are optionally and independently replaced with halo, hydroxy, nitro, cyano, amino, (C 1 –C 4 )-straight or branched alkyl; O—(C 1 –C 4 )-straight or branched alkyl, (C 2–C 4 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl, or O—(C 2 –C 6 )-straight or branched alkenyl or alkynyl; and

wherein any ring system is optionally benzofused;

R 9 is selected from (R)-methyl, (S)-methyl, (R)-ethyl, (S)-ethyl, (R)-hydrocymethyl or (S)-hydroxymethyl;

R 10 is —C═N; and

R 11 is selected from halo, —O—(C 1 –C 3 ) straight alkyl, or —O—(C 2 –C 3 ) straight alkenyl or alkynyl.

2. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 9 is (S)-methyl.

3. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 11 is selected from O-methyl, O-ethyl or O-isopropyl.

4. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein one of R 1 or R 2 is selected from hydrogen, ethyl or phenyl; and the other of R 1 or R 2 is selected from —CH 2 OH, —CH 2 CN, —CH 2 CH 2 CN or CH 2 N(CH 2 CH 3 ) 2 .

5. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to claim 1 in an amount effective to inhibit IMPDH and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, adjuvant or vehicle.

6. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 5 , comprising a compound in an amount effective to inhibit IMPDH and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, adjuvant or vehicle, wherein said compound is selected from:

7. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 5 , wherein said compound is:

8. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 5 , further comprising an additional agent selected from an immunosuppressant, an anti-cancer agent, an anti-viral agent, an anti-inflammatory agent, an antifungal agent, an antibiotic, or an anti-vascular hyperproliferation agent.

9. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 8 , wherein said additional agent is an immunosuppressant agent selected from cyclosporin A, FK506, rapamycin, leflunomide, deoxyspergualin, prednisone, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, OKT3, ATAG, interferon, or mizoribine.

10. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 8 , wherein said anti-cancer agent is selected from cis-platin, actinomycin D, doxorubicin, vincristine, vinblastine, etoposide, amsacrine, mitoxantrone, tenipaside, taxol, colchicine, cyclosporin A, phenothiazines, interferon or thioxantheres.

11. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 8 , wherein said anti-viral agent is selected from Cytovene, Ganciclovir, trisodium phosphonoformate, Ribavirin, d4T, ddT, AZT, and acyclovir.

12. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 8 , wherein said anti-vascular hyperproliferation agent is selected from HMG Co-A reductase inhibitors such as lovastatin, thromboxane A2 synthetase inhibitors, eicosapentanoic acid, ciprostene, trapidil, ACE inhibitors, low molecular weight heparin, mycophenolic acid, rapamycin or 5-(3′-pyridinylmethyl)benzofuran-2-carboxylate.

13. A method of treating an IMPDH-mediated disease or condition in a mammal comprising the step of administrating to said mammal a pharmaceutical composition according to claim 5 or claim 7 .

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said IMPDH-mediated disease or condition is selected from transplant rejection, graft versus host disease, or an autoimmune disease.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said mammal is administered an additional immunosuppressant in a separate dosage form or as part of said composition, wherein said immunosuppressant is selected from cyclosporin A, FK506, rapamycin, leflunomide, deoxyspergualin, prednisone, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, OKT3, ATAG, interferon, or mizoribine.

16. A method for inhibiting viral replication in a mammal comprising the step of administering to said mammal a pharmaceutical composition according to claim 5 or claim 7 .

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein said mammal is suffering from a viral infection caused by a virus selected from orthomyxovirus, paramyxovirus, herpesvirus, retrovirus, flavivirus, pestivirus, hepatotrophic virus, bunyavirus, Hantaan virus, Caraparu virus, human papilloma virus, encephalitis virus, arena virus, reovirus, vesicular stomatitis virus, rhinovirus, enterovirus, Lassa fever virus, togavirus, poxvirus, adenovirus, rubiola, or rubella.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein said mammal is administered an additional anti-viral agent in a separate dosage form or as part of said pharmaceutical composition.

19. A method for inhibiting vascular cellular hyperproliferation in a mammal comprising the step of administering to said mammal a pharmaceutical composition according to claim 5 or claim 7 .

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein said method is useful in treating restenosis, stenosis, artherosclerosis or other hyperproliferative vascular disease.

21. The method according to claim 19 , wherein said mammal is administered an additional anti-vascular hyperproliferative agent in a separate dosage form or as part of said pharmaceutical composition.

22. A method for inhibiting tumors and cancer in a mammal, wherein said tumors and cancer are mediated by IMPDH, comprising the step of administering to said mammal a pharmaceutical composition according to claim 5 or claim 7 .

23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein said method is useful to treat lymphoma, leukemia and other forms of cancer.

24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein said mammal is administered an additional anti-tumor or anti-cancer agent in a separate dosage form or as part of said pharmaceutical composition.

25. A method for inhibiting inflammation or an inflammatory disease in a mammal comprising the step of administering to said mammal a pharmaceutical composition according to claim 5 or claim 7 .

26. The method according to claim 25 , wherein said method is useful for treating osteoarthritis, acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, asthma or adult respiratory distress syndrome.

27. The method according to claim 26 , wherein said mammal is administered an additional anti-inflammatory agent in a separate dosage form or as part of said pharmaceutical composition.

28. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein:

at least one of R 1 or R 2 is selected from hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, t-butyl, n-pentyl, phenyl, —CH 2 OCH 3 , —CH 2 CN, —CH 2 OCH 2 CH 2 CN, —CH 2 C(CH 3 ) 2 CH 2 CH 2 CN, —CH 2 C(CH 2 CH 3 ) 2 CH 2 CH 2 CN, —CH 2 CH 2 CN, —CH 2 N(CH 2 CH 2 CN) 2 , —CH 2 N(CH 3 )CH 2 CH 2 CN, —CH(NH 2 )CH 2 CN, —CH 2 Cl, —CH 2 OH, —CH 2 CH 2 OH, —CH 2 CH 2 OH, —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 OH, —CH 2 CH 2 OC(O)CH 3 , —CH 2 CH 2 OC(O)CH 2 NH 2 , —CH 2 CH 2 NHCH 3 , —CH 2 CH 2 N(CH 3 ) 2 , —CH 2 N(CH 2 CH 3 ) 2 , —CH 2 CH 2 N(CH 2 CH 3 ) 2 , —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 N(CH 3 ) 2 , —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 N − (CH 3 ) 3 , —CH 2 OCH 2 CH(CH 3 ) 2 , —CH 2 CH 2 N(CH 3 )C(O)OC(CH 3 ) 3 , —CH 2 N(CH 2 CH 2 CN)CH 2 CH(CH 3 ) 2 , —CH(CH 2 CN)N(CH 3 ) 2 , —CH 2 CH(CH 2 CN)NHC(O)OC(CH 3 ) 3 ,