Provided is a compound having an mPGES-1 inhibitory activity and useful for the prophylaxis or treatment of pain, rheumatism, osteoarthritis, fever, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, arteriosclerosis, glaucoma, ocular hypertension, ischemic retinal disease, systemic scleroderma and cancer including colorectal cancer.

A compound represented by the formula [I] or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof:

##STR00001##

wherein each symbol is as defined in the SPECIFICATION.

Indazole compounds for treating various diseases and pathologies are disclosed. More particularly, the present invention concerns the use of an indazole compound or analogs thereof, in the treatment of disorders characterized by the activation of Wnt pathway signaling (e.g., cancer, abnormal cellular proliferation, angiogenesis, Alzheimer's disease, lung disease and osteoarthritis), the modulation of cellular events mediated by Wnt pathway signaling, as well as genetic diseases and neurological conditions/disorders/diseases due to mutations or dysregulation of the Wnt pathway and/or of one or more of Wnt signaling components. Also provided are methods for treating Wnt-related disease states.

The present invention relates to Tri-Specific Binding Molecules, which are multi-chain polypeptide molecules that possess three Binding Domains and are thus capable of mediating coordinated binding to three epitopes. The Tri-Specific Binding Molecule is preferably characterized in possessing binding domains that permit it to immunospecifically bind to: (1) an epitope of a first Cancer Antigen, (2) an epitope of a second Cancer Antigen, and (3) an epitope of a molecule that is expressed on the surface of an immune system effector cell, and are thus capable of localizing an immune system effector cell to a cell that expresses a Cancer Antigen, so as to thereby facilitate the killing of such cancer cell.

The invention features soluble fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (sFGFR3) polypeptides. The invention also features methods of using sFGFR3 polypeptides to treat skeletal growth regardation disorders, such as achondroplasia.

The invention features soluble fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (sFGFR3) polypeptides. The invention also features methods of using sFGFR3 polypeptides to treat skeletal growth regardation disorders, such as achondroplasia.

Disclosed are methods of purifying the compound (22E)-(24R)-2-methylene-22-dehydro-1α,24,25-trihydroxy-19-nor-vitamin D.sub.3 to obtain the compound in crystalline form. The methods typically include the steps of dissolving (22E)-(24R)-2-methylene-22-dehydro-1α,24,25-trihydroxy-19-nor-vitamin D.sub.3 in a solvent comprising ethyl acetate and hexane to form a solution, allowing crystals of (22E)-(24R)-2-methylene-22-dehydro-1α,24,25-trihydroxy-19-nor-vitamin D.sub.3 to form and precipitate from the solution, and recovering the crystals of (22E)-(24R)-2-methylene-22-dehydro-1α,24,25-trihydroxy-19-nor-vitamin D.sub.3 from the solution.

(Objective) An objective of the present invention is to provide therapeutic agents that, in association with stimulation of PDGFRα-positive cells such as bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, promote their mobilization into blood and accumulation in a damaged tissue, and induce tissue regeneration in a living body.

(Means for solution) Multiple peptides were synthesized, and the migration-promoting activity of each peptide was evaluated. As a result, the present inventors successfully identified multiple peptides that have migration-promoting activity on a PDGFRα-positive bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell line (MSC-1). Further, the present inventors confirmed that the identified peptides also have migration-promoting activity on skin fibroblasts, which are PDGFRα-positive cells.

The present invention provides: a freeze-dried composition which comprises (a) a monovalent metal alginate and (b) a salt selected from a monovalent metal salt and an ammonium salt; and a method of producing a freeze-dried monovalent metal alginate composition which comprises the steps of freezing an aqueous solution formed by dissolving at least the component (a) and the component (b), performing first drying, and then performing second drying as desired to reduce a water content to 3% by mass or less. This is a freeze-dried monovalent metal alginate composition with suppressed viscosity decrease with the lapse of time.

Bone mineral content, 25(OH) vitamin D3, or 1,25(OH).sub.2 vitamin D3 in a companion animal can be improved by adjusting the diet of the animal to increase the amount of a compound which positively or negatively modulates the bone mineral content, 25(OH) vitamin D3, or 1,25(OH).sub.2 vitamin D3 or adjusting the diet of the animal to decrease the amount of a compound which positively or negatively modulates the bone mineral content, 25(OH) vitamin D3, or 1,25(OH).sub.2 vitamin D3.

Bone mineral content, 25(OH) vitamin D3, or 1,25(OH).sub.2 vitamin D3 in a companion animal can be improved by adjusting the diet of the animal to increase the amount of a compound which positively or negatively modulates the bone mineral content, 25(OH) vitamin D3, or 1,25(OH).sub.2 vitamin D3 or adjusting the diet of the animal to decrease the amount of a compound which positively or negatively modulates the bone mineral content, 25(OH) vitamin D3, or 1,25(OH).sub.2 vitamin D3.