Sulfoximine and suldodiimine matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of the formula ##STR80## wherein:

• R.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of lower-alkyl, hydroxy lower-alkyl, amino lower-alkyl, carbamoyl lower-alkyl, lower-alkyl carbonyl, lower-alkyoxyalkyl, aralkyl and heteroaralkyl;
• X is NH or O;
• R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower-alkyl and aralkyl;
• R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower-alkyl, amino lower-alkyl, guanyl lower-alkyl, aralkyl and heteroaralkyl;
• and
• R.sup.4 is selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl, aralkyl and --CH(R.sup.5)--C(O)NH.sub.2,
• wherein R.sup.5 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower-alkyl, amino lower-alkyl, guanyl lower-alkyl, imidazoylalkyl, hydroxymethyl, 1-hydroxyethyl, mercapto lower-alkyl, and methylthio lower-alkyl;
• or
• a pharmaceutically acceptable ester, ether or salt thereof and pharmaceutically acceptable excipients useful for modulating physiological functions or treating diseases and disease conditions associated with matrix metalloproteinase modulation.