Vitamin D analogues

Abstract

The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I) in which formula X is hydrogen or hydroxy; R1 and R2 which may be the same or different, stand for hydrogen or C1-C5 hydrocarbyl; or R1 and R2, taken together with the carbon atom bearing the group X, can form a C3C8 carbocyclic ring; Q is methylene, ethylene, tri- or tetra-methylene and may optionally be substituted with an oxy group, —OR3, in which R3 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl; Y is either a single bond or C1-C2 hydrocarbylene; and one or more carbons with in R1, R2, and/or Y may optionally be substituted with one or more fluorine atoms, or with a hydroxyl group. The compounds show anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating effects as well as strong activity in inducing differentiation and inhibiting undesirable proliferation of certain cells.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.