Substituted pyridazines as stearoyl-CoA desaturase inhibitors

A method of inhibiting human stearoyl-CoA desaturase (hSCD) activity comprising contacting a source of hSCD with a compound of formula (Ia):

• wherein:
• x and y are each 1;
• G is —C(R4)═C(R4)—;
• L and M are both —N═;
• W is —N(R1)C(O)—;
• R1 is hydrogen;
• R2 is selected from the group consisting of C7-C12alkyl, C2-C12alkenyl, C7-C12hydroxyalkyl, C2-C12hydroxyalkenyl, C2-C12alkoxyalkyl, C3-C12cycloalkyl, C4-C12cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, C13-C19aralkyl, C3-C12heterocyclyl, C3-C12heterocyclylalkyl, C1-C12heteroaryl, and C3-C12heteroarylalkyl;
• R3 is selected from the group consisting of C3-C12heterocyclyl, C1-C12heteroaryl and aryl optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, halo, haloalkyl, haloalkenyl, cyano, aryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, —R15—OR14, —R15—OC(O)—R14, —R15—C(O)R14, —R15—C(O)OR14, —R15—C(O)N(R14)2, —R15—N(R14)C(O)R16, —R15—N(R14)(S(O)tR16) (where t is 1 or 2), —R15—S(O)tOR16 (where t is 1 or 2), —R15—S(O)tR16 (where t is 0, 1 or 2), and —R15—S(O)tN(R14)2 (where t is 1 or 2) where each R14 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl or heteroarylalkyl;
• each R15 is independently a direct bond or a straight or branched alkylene or alkenylene chain;
• and each R16 is alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl or heteroarylalkyl, and where each of the above optional substituents is unsubstituted;
• each R4 is hydrogen;
• and
• R5R5a, R6, R6a, R7, R7a, R8 and R8a are each hydrogen;
• provided that R2 is not C5-C10pyrazinylalkyl, pyridinonyl, pyrrolidinonyl, methylimidazolyl or phenyl substituted with amino;
• as a stereoisomer, enantiomer or tautomer thereof;
• or as a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.