SUBSTITUTED .ALPHA.-HYDROXY ACID CASPASE INHIBITORS AND THE USE THEREOF

摘要

The present invention is directed to novel substituted .alpha.-hydroxy acid thereof, represented by general Formula (I), where R1-R5, X and Z are define d herein. The present invention also relates to the discovery that compounds having Formula (I) are potent inhibitors of caspases and apoptotic cell deat h. Therefore, the inhibitors of this invention can retard or block cell death i n a variety of clinical conditions in which the loss of cells, tissues or enti re organs occurs.