COMPOUNDS FOR THE TREATMENT OF METABOLIC DISORDERS

1 . A method for treating a mammalian subject with a condition selected from the group consisting of insulin resistance syndrome, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease, cachexia, obesity, atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis comprising administering to the subject an amount of a biologically active agent effective to treat the condition, wherein the agent is a compound of the formula:

wherein

n is 1 or 2;

t is 0 or 1;

m is 0 and r is 1, or m is 1 and r is 0;

A is phenyl, unsubstituted or substituted by 1 or 2 groups selected from: halo, alkyl having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, perfluoromethyl, alkoxy having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, and perfluoromethoxy; or

cycloalkyl having from 3 to 6 ring carbon atoms wherein the cycloalkyl is unsubstituted or one or two ring carbons are mono-substituted by methyl or ethyl; or

a 5 or 6 membered heteroaromatic ring having 1 or 2 ring heteroatoms selected from N, S and O and the heteroaromatic ring is covalently bound to the remainder of the compound of formula II by a ring carbon;

Z is

R 1 is hydrogen or alkyl having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms;

R 4 is hydrogen; —NHCOOC(CH 3 ) 3 ; —NHCH 3 ; or —NHCH 2 CH 3 ;

or when R 1 is hydrogen, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the compound.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the agent is administered orally.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a human.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the agent is administered in an amount from one milligram to four hundred milligrams per day.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition is insulin resistance syndrome or Type II Diabetes.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition is Type 1 Diabetes.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment reduces a symptom of diabetes or the chances of developing a symptom of diabetes, wherein the symptom is selected from the group consisting of: atherosclerosis, obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease, nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy, foot ulceration and cataracts, associated with diabetes.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein A is cycloalkyl having from 3 to 6 ring carbon atoms wherein the cycloalkyl is unsubstituted or one or both of the ring carbons adjacent to the remainder of the compound of formula II are mono-substituted by methyl or ethyl.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein A is phenyl, unsubstituted or substituted by 1 or 2 groups selected from: fluoro, alkyl having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, perfluoromethyl, alkoxy having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, and perfluoromethoxy.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the agent is a compound of the formula:

wherein

m is 0 or 1;

r is 0 or 1;

Z is

R 1 is hydrogen or alkyl having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms;

R 4 is hydrogen; —NHCOOC(CH 3 ) 3 ; —NHCH 3 ; or —NHCH 2 CH 3 ;

R 3 is hydrogen or halo;

or when R 1 is hydrogen, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the compound.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein R 1 is hydrogen or ethyl.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the compound is 3-[(4-(2-fluorobenzyloxy)phenyl)-methylthio]propionic acid.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the compound is 3-[(4-(2,6-difluorobenzyloxy)phenyl)-methylthio]propionic acid.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the compound is 3-(2-(4-(2,6-difluorobenzyloxy)phenyl)-2-oxoethyl)thio-1H-1,2,4-triazole.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the compound is (2RS)2-(N-Boc)-3-[2-(4-(2,6-difluorobenzyloxy)phenyl)-2-oxoethyl]thiopropionic acid.