Imidazolopyrazine compounds useful for the treatment of degenerative and inflammatory diseases

A compound according to formula III:

• wherein
• R1 is H, or substituted or unsubstituted alkyl;
• R2 is H, lower alkyl, lower cycloalkyl and lower alkyl-lower cycloalkyl, optionally substituted with one or more of F and Cl;
• R8 is selected from substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted pyrazine, substituted or unsubstituted pyrrole, substituted or unsubstituted pyrazole and substituted or unsubstituted imidazole;
• and
• R9 is selected from substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or prodrug thereof;
• and stereoisomers, isotopic variants and tautomers thereof.