| abstract |
The invention provides hydroxamic acid-containing compounds which are useful as inhibitors of matrix metalloproteases and which are effective in treating conditions associated with excess activity of these enzymes. In particular, the present invention relates to a compound having a structure according to Formula I <IMAGE> (I) wherein (A)R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are independently selected from various substituents; and (B) where R3 and R4 or R4 and R5 may together comprise a cyclic moiety; or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt, biohydrolyzable amide or biohydrolyzable ester thereof. In other aspects, the invention is directed to pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds of Formula (I), and to methods of treating diseases characterized by matrix metalloprotease activity using these compounds or the pharmaceutical compositions containing them. |