Inhibitors of farnesyl protein transferase

A compound which inhibits farnesylprotein transferase of the formula:

• ##STR7## wherein:
• X, Y and Z are independently H.sub.2 or O, provided that at least one of these is H.sub.2 ;
• R.sup.1 is H, an alkyl group, an acyl group, an alkylsulfonyl group or arylsulfonyl group, wherein alkyl and acyl groups comprise straight chain or branched chain hydrocarbons of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or in the alternative, R.sup.1 NH may be absent;
• R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are the side chains of naturally occurring amino acids, or in the alternative may be substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic, aromatic or heteroaromatic groups, wherein the aliphatic substitutents may be substituted with an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring;
• R.sup.5 is H or a straight or branched chain aliphatic group, which may be substituted with an aromatic or heteroaromatic group;
• or the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.