Use of azapaullones for preventing and treating pancreatic autoimmune disorders

1. A compound of formula (Ib) or (Ic)

wherein R1 and R2 are independently H, —C 1 -C 6 alkyl, optionally substituted, or —CO—C 1 -C 6 alkyl, optionally substituted, wherein the substituents are independently one or more of halo, CN, OH, O—C 1 -C 6 alkyl; COOH, COO—C 1 -C 6 alkyl, —CONH 2 , —CONH(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —CON(C 1 -C 6 alkyl) 2 , aryl, heteroaryl that is benzofuranyl, furyl, thienyl, benzothienyl, thiazol, imidazolyl, oxazolyl, oxadiazolyl, thiadiazolyl, benzothiazolyl, triazolyl, tetrazolyl, isoxazolyl, isothiazolyl, pyrrolyl, pyranyl, tetrahydropyranyl, pyrazolyl, pyridyl, pyrimidinyl, quinolinyl, isoquinolynyl, purinyl, carbazolyl, benzoxazolyl, benzamidazolyl, indolyl, isoindolyl, pyrazinyl, diazinyl, tetrazinyl or tetrazolyl, or polyoxyethylenyl or combinations thereof;

each R3 and R4 is independently C 1 -C 6 alkyl, —C 2 -C 6 alkenyl; —C 2 -C 6 alkynyl; —C 3 -C 10 cycloalkyl, —C 3 -C 10 heterocyclyl, that is mono- or polycyclic saturated or unsaturated heterocyclyl groups with 1 to 4 hetero atoms selected from N, S and O, with the remainder of the ring atoms being carbon atoms and having a total number of ring atoms of 3 to 10, aryl with 6 to 10 carbon atoms, heteroaryl that is benzofuranyl, furyl, thienyl, benzothienyl, thiazol, imidazolyl, oxazolyl, oxadiazolyl, thiadiazolyl, benzothiazolyl, triazolyl, tetrazolyl, isoxazolyl, isothiazolyl, pyrrolyl, pyranyl, tetrahydropyranyl, pyrazolyl, pyridyl, pyrimidinyl, quinolinyl, isoquinolynyl, purinyl, carbazolyl, benzoxazolyl, benzamidazolyl, indolyl, isoindolyl, pyrazinyl, diazinyl, tetrazinyl or tetrazolyl, each optionally substituted; halo, —NO 2 , —CN, —OR1; —COOR1 or —NR1R2; wherein R1 and R2 are as defined above; and

wherein alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl is optionally substituted with one or more of halo, —NO 2 , —CN, —OR1, COOR1, —OCOR1, —NR1R2, NR1COR2, —NR1OCOR2, —NR1CONR1R2, —SR1, SOR1, —SO 2 R1, —SONR1R2, —SO 2 NR1R2 or —NR1SO 2 NR1NR2; or combinations thereof, wherein R1 and R2 are as defined above;

wherein cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl, aryl or heteroaryl is optionally substituted with one or more of C 1 -C 6 alkyl, halo, —NO 2 , —CN, —OR1, COOR1, —OCOR1, —NR1R2, NR1COR2, —NR1OCOR2, —NR1CONR1R2, —SR1, SOR1, —SO 2 R1, —SONR1R2, SO 2 NR1R2 or —NR1SO 2 NR1NR2; or combinations thereof, wherein R1 and R2 are as defined above;

n =0-3.

2. The compound of claim 1 , wherein R1 is H or C 1 -C 2 alkyl optionally substituted.

3. The compound of claim 1 , wherein R2 is H or C 1 -C 2 alkyl optionally substituted.

4. The compound of claim 1 , wherein R4 is selected from R′ or OR1′, wherein R1′ is H or C 1 -C 4 -alkyl optionally halogenated; COOR1″, wherein R1″ is selected from H, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl or aryl; CN or halo.

5. The compound of claim 1 , wherein R4 is CN.

6. A pharmaceutical composition comprising as an active agent a compound of claim 1 ,and pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, diluents or adjuvants.