Substituted indole acid derivatives as inhibitors of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1)

A compound of formula (I):

• 13
• wherein:
• X is a chemical bond, —CH2— or —C(O)—;
• R1 is selected from C1-C8 alkyl, preferably C1-C6 alkyl, (—CH2)n-C3-C6 cycloalkyl, wherein n is an integer of from 0 to 3, pyridinyl, —CH2— pyridinyl, phenyl or benzyl, the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl and benzyl groups being optionally substituted by, from 1 to 3 groups selected from, halogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, preferably —CF3, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, preferably —O—CF3, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2;
• R2 is selected from H, C1-C6 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3—C6 cycloalkyl, or C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, preferably —CF3, —CH2OH or CH2OAc;
• R3 is selected from H, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, preferably—CF3, C1-C6 alkoxy, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2— C.3-C6 cycloalkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkenyl, —CH2— C3-C6 cycloalkenyl, —NH2, or —NO2;
• R4 is selected from C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2— C.3-C6 cycloalkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkenyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkenyl, phenyl, benzyl, benzyloxy, pyridinyl, or —CH2— pyridinyl, with the rings of these groups being optionally substituted by from 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, preferably —CF3, —O— C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, preferably —O—CF3, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2 or (CO)C1-C6 alkyl;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof.