Somatostatin receptor subtype 4 (SSTR4) agonists

1. A method for the treatment of pain which comprises administering to a host suffering from pain a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of Formula I to treat the pain, wherein Formula I is represented by:

or a salt thereof, wherein:

A is selected from the group consisting of H and C 1-6 -alkyl;

R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, C 1-6 -alkyl and C 3-6 -cycloalkyl, wherein at least one of R 1 or R 2 is C 1-6 -alkyl or C 3-6 -cycloalkyl, and the C 1-6 -alkyl or the C 3-6 -cycloalkyl is optionally substituted with halogens or MeO—;

W is a mono- or bicyclic heteroaryl, each of which is optionally substituted with one or more R 3 , and wherein the heteroaryl comprises up to 4 heteroatoms and one or two 5- or 6-membered ring(s);

R 3 is independently selected from the group consisting of C 1-6 -alkyl, C 1-6 -alkyl-O—, halogen, HO—, and NC—; and

Y is selected from the group consisting of a bond, —CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 —, and —CH 2 O—.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein A is H; and R 1 and R 2 are C 1-6 alkyl.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein W is selected from the group consisting of

wherein each of these ring systems are optionally substituted with one or more R 3 .

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein Y is —CH 2 O—; and W is

optionally substituted with one R 3 .

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein Y is a bond; and W is

optionally substituted with one R 3 .

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pain is neuropathic pain.

12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pain is neuropathic pain.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pain is neuropathic pain.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the pain is neuropathic pain.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the neuropathic pain is post-stroke pain, pain due to central nervous system injury, or pain due to multiple sclerosis.

16. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pain is low back pain.

17. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pain is low back pain.

18. The method of claim 9 , wherein the pain is low back pain.

19. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pain is chronic back pain.

20. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pain is chronic back pain.

21. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pain is fibromyalgia.

22. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pain is fibromyalgia.

23. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pain is caused by irritable bowel or diabetic neuropathy.

24. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pain is caused by irritable bowel or diabetic neuropathy.

25. The method of claim 6 , wherein pain is trigeminal neuralgia, complex regional pain syndrome Type I, or complex regional pain syndrome Type II.

26. The method of claim 7 , wherein pain is trigeminal neuralgia, complex regional pain syndrome Type I, or complex regional pain syndrome Type II.

27. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pain is caused by osteoarthritis.

28. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pain is tumour pain.

29. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pain is chronic pain.

30. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pain is chronic pain.

31. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pain is inflammatory pain.

32. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pain is inflammatory pain.

33. The method of claim 12 , wherein the host is a human being.

34. The method of claim 16 , wherein the host is a human being.

35. The method of claim 21 , wherein the host is a human being.

36. The method of claim 23 , wherein the host is a human being.

37. The method of claim 25 , wherein the host is a human being.

38. The method of claim 30 , wherein the host is a human being.