Indolylmaleimide derivatives

A method for preventing or treating disorders or diseases mediated by lymphocytes and or PKC in a subject in need of such treatment, which method comprises administering to said subject an effective amount of a compound of formula I:

• wherein
• Ra is H;
• C1-4alkyl;
• or C1-4alkyl substituted by OH, NH2, NHC1-4alkyl or N(C1-4alkyl)2;
• Rb is H or C1-4alkyl;
• R is a radical of formula (b) or (c),
• wherein
• each of R4 and R7 is OH;
• SH;
• NR16R17 wherein each of R16 and R17, independently, is H or C1-4alkyl or a radical of formula α
• —X—Rc—Y (α)
• wherein X is a direct bond, O, S or NR18 wherein R18 is H or C1-4alkyl,
• Rc is C1-4alkylene or C1-4alkylene wherein one CH2 is replaced by CRxRy wherein one of Rx and Ry is H and the other is CH3 each of Rx and Ry is CH3 or Rx and Ry form together —CH2—CH2—, and
• Y is bound to the terminal carbon atom and is selected from OH and —NR19R20 wherein each of R19 and R20 independently is H,
• C3-6cycloalkyl, C3-6cycloalkyl-C1-4alkyl, aryl-C1-4alkyl or C, 4alkyl optionally substituted on the terminal carbon atom by OH;
• each of R5and R6, independently, is H, halogen, C1-4alkyl, CF3, OH, SH, NH2, C1-4alkoxy, C1-4alkylthio, NHC1-4alkyl, N(C1-4alkyl)2 or CN;
• and
• ring A is optionally substituted,
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.