Metalloproteinase inhibitors, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their pharmaceutical uses

Abstract

The invention relates to compounds of the formula I ##STR1## in which Q is a divalent radical having four ring atoms which together with C* and N form a six-membered ring, each of these four ring atoms being unsubstituted or substituted by a suitable substituent and at least one being a heteroatom selected from O, N and S, with the remainder being carbon atoms; and Ar is an aryl or heteroaryl group. The invention further relates to pharmaceutically acceptable prodrugs and pharmaceutically acceptable salts of these compounds. The invention also relates to methods of inhibiting the activity of metalloproteinases, especially MMPs or TNF-.alpha., by administering a compound of the formula I or a salt or prodrug thereof. The invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising an effective amount of these compounds, salts, and prodrugs.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.