Therapeutic uses of beta-3 adrenergic receptor agonist derivatives in particular to modulate apoptosis

1. A method of reducing the risk of pre-term labor in a pregnant female patient having increased uterine apoptosis comprising:

(a) determining that said pregnant female patient has increased uterine apoptosis, said risk of pre-term labor in the pregnant female patient being increased as a result of said increased uterine apoptosis; and

(b) administering to said pregnant female patient having increased uterine apoptosis a therapeutically effective amount of a beta-3 adrenergic receptor agonist compound of formula (I):

wherein:

A is a group of formula (a) or (b):

where:

R represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, an —S(O)z(C 1 —C)alkyl group, an —NHSO 2 (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group, an —SO 2 NH(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group, an —NHSO 2 phenyl-(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group or an —NHSO 2 phenyl group, said phenyl possibly being substituted with a halogen atom, with a (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group or with a (C 1 -C 4 )alkoxy group;

R 1 represents a hydrogen atom or a (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group, a —CO(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group, a phenyl-(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group or a —CO-phenyl group, said phenyl possibly being substituted with a halogen atom or with a (C 1 -C 4 )alkoxy group;

R 2 is a hydrogen atom, an —SO 2 (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group, an —SO 2 phenyl-(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group or an —SO 2 phenyl group;

X completes a ring of 5 to 8 atoms, said ring being saturated or unsaturated, possibly being substituted with one or two (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl groups and bearing one or two carbonyl groups;

n, m and z are, independently, 0, 1 or 2;

R 3 represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, a (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl group, a (C 1 -C 4 )alkoxy group, a —COO(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group, a —CO(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group, an —NHSO 2 (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group, an —NHSO 2 phenyl-(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group, —NO 2 , —CN, —CONR 4 R 5 , —COOH, or a 4,5-dihydro-1,3-oxazol-2-yl or 4,4-dimethyl-4,5-dihydro-1,3-oxazol-2-yl group; and

R 4 and R 5 represent, independently, a hydrogen atom, a phenyl, a (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group or a phenyl-(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group; or R 4 and R 5 with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, may form a ring of 5 to 7 atoms;

or a stereoisomer or mixture of stereoisomers of said beta-3 adrenergic receptor agonist compound;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said beta-3 adrenergic receptor agonist compound or of said stereoisomer or mixture of stereoisomers thereof.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the patient having increased risk of preterm labor has chorioamnionitis.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the patient having increased risk of preterm labor has intrauterine growth restriction or preeclampsia.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the patient having an increased risk of preterm labor has premature rupture of fetal membrane.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein n and m are each zero.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 is a hydrogen atom.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein R is chosen from an —NHSO 2 (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group, an —NHSO 2 phenyl-(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl group or an —NHSO 2 phenyl group.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein R 3 is —COO(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl or —CO(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl or CONR 4 R 5 .

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein R 3 is in position 4 of the benzene.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein z is 2.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein X is methylene, ethylene or propylene.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein X is a carbonyl, a —CO—CO-group, a —CO—C((C 1 -C 4 )alkyl) 2 -CO-group, a methylene mono-substituted or disubstituted with (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl or a —COCH 2 — group.