The invention provides compounds of formula (I), their pharmaceutically acceptable salts and prodrugs thereof for use in preventing, inhibiting or treating a disease caused by a mutation in the gene coding for hydroxymethylbilane synthase, in particular for preventing, inhibiting or treating acute intermittent porphyria: (I) wherein: A is selected from N and CR.sup.10 (wherein R.sup.10 is H, —NO.sub.2, C.sub.1-6 haloalkyl or —C(O)R.sup.17 in which R.sup.17 is H or C.sub.1-6 alkyl); Z is selected from N and CR.sup.9 (wherein R.sup.9 is H, halogen (e.g. F, Cl, Br or I) or —OR.sup.16 in which R.sup.16 is H, C.sub.1-6 haloalkyl, or optionally substituted C.sub.1-6 alkyl); L is selected from —CH.sub.2—, —C(O)—, —CH(OH)—, —C(O)—NR′—, and —NR′—C(O)— (wherein R′ is H or C.sub.1-3 alkyl, e.g. —CH.sub.3); R.sup.1 is H; R.sup.2 is selected from H, halogen (e.g. F, Cl, Br or I), —NR.sup.11R.sup.12 (wherein R.sup.11 and R.sup.12 are independently selected from H and C.sub.1-6 alkyl or, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, form a 5- or 6-membered saturated ring), and —OR13 (wherein R.sup.13 is H or C.sub.1-6 alkyl); R.sup.3 is selected from H, —CH.sup.2OH and —C(O)R.sup.14 (wherein R.sup.14 is H or C.sub.1-6 alkyl); R.sup.4 is selected from H, halogen (e.g. F, Cl, Br or I) and —OR.sup.15 (where R.sup.15 is H or C.sub.1-6 alkyl); R.sup.5 is selected from H and C.sub.1-6 alkyl; R.sup.6 is selected from H, —NO.sub.2 and halogen (e.g. F, Cl, Br or I); R.sup.7 is H; and R.sup.8 is selected from H, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, and halogen (e.g. F, Cl, Br or I); or wherein: R.sup.7 and R.sup.8 together with the intervening ring carbon atoms form an unsaturated ring, preferably an aryl ring.

##STR00001##

Disclosed are compounds of Formulas (I), (II), (III), (IV), and (V): ##STR00001##
and/or a salt thereof, wherein R.sub.1 is —OH or —OP(O)(OH).sub.2, and X.sub.1, X.sub.2, X.sub.3, R.sub.2, R.sub.2a, R.sub.a, R.sub.b, and R.sub.c are defined herein. Also disclosed are methods of using such compounds as selective agonists for G protein-coupled receptor S1P.sub.1, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds. These compounds are useful in treating, preventing, or slowing the progression of diseases or disorders in a variety of therapeutic areas, such as autoimmune diseases and vascular disease.

Disclosed are compounds of Formulas (I), (II), (III), (IV), and (V): ##STR00001##
and/or a salt thereof, wherein R.sub.1 is —OH or —OP(O)(OH).sub.2, and X.sub.1, X.sub.2, X.sub.3, R.sub.2, R.sub.2a, R.sub.a, R.sub.b, and R.sub.c are defined herein. Also disclosed are methods of using such compounds as selective agonists for G protein-coupled receptor S1P.sub.1, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds. These compounds are useful in treating, preventing, or slowing the progression of diseases or disorders in a variety of therapeutic areas, such as autoimmune diseases and vascular disease.

A solid form formulation comprising chromium (sucrosomial chromium®) or copper (sucrosomial copper®) or a vitamin (sucrosomial vitamin®) and related composition, process for the preparation and method for treatment of a chromium deficiency and/or a change in the carbohydrate metabolism and/or a change in the muscle energy metabolism are described.

A solid form formulation comprising chromium (sucrosomial chromium®) or copper (sucrosomial copper®) or a vitamin (sucrosomial vitamin®) and related composition, process for the preparation and method for treatment of a chromium deficiency and/or a change in the carbohydrate metabolism and/or a change in the muscle energy metabolism are described.

A dosage form contains a biologically active ingredient for treating or preventing a disease in the animal or human body, where the treatment or prevention requires release of 50% or more of the biologically active ingredient in the small intestine within the pH range from 3 to 5.5. The dosage form contains: a) a core, containing the biologically active ingredient; b) an intermediate coating layer (ICL) onto or above the core, containing an alkaline agent; and c) an enteric coating layer (ECL) onto or above the intermediate coating layer, containing an enteric polymer. The relation of the alkaline agent to the enteric polymer is 5 to 95% when calculated by the formula:

[00001]$\frac{\mathrm{quantity}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{alkaline}\mathrm{agent}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{grams}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{the}ICL\times 100}{\begin{array}{c}(\mathrm{quantity}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{alkaline}\mathrm{agent}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{grams}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{the}ICL+\\ \mathrm{quantity}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{enteric}\mathrm{polymer}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{grams}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{the}ECL)\end{array}}.$

A dosage form contains a biologically active ingredient for treating or preventing a disease in the animal or human body, where the treatment or prevention requires release of 50% or more of the biologically active ingredient in the small intestine within the pH range from 3 to 5.5. The dosage form contains: a) a core, containing the biologically active ingredient; b) an intermediate coating layer (ICL) onto or above the core, containing an alkaline agent; and c) an enteric coating layer (ECL) onto or above the intermediate coating layer, containing an enteric polymer. The relation of the alkaline agent to the enteric polymer is 5 to 95% when calculated by the formula:

[00001]$\frac{\mathrm{quantity}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{alkaline}\mathrm{agent}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{grams}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{the}ICL\times 100}{\begin{array}{c}(\mathrm{quantity}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{alkaline}\mathrm{agent}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{grams}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{the}ICL+\\ \mathrm{quantity}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{enteric}\mathrm{polymer}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{grams}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{the}ECL)\end{array}}.$

The invention provides methods and compositions involving the compounds N′-(3,5-dimethylbenzoyl)picolinohydrazide; N′-(pyridin-2-yl)picolinohydrazide or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof for inhibiting the function of histone demethylases in vivo and in vitro, as well as methods for treating cancer comprising the administration of such compositions.

The invention provides methods and compositions involving the compounds N′-(3,5-dimethylbenzoyl)picolinohydrazide; N′-(pyridin-2-yl)picolinohydrazide or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof for inhibiting the function of histone demethylases in vivo and in vitro, as well as methods for treating cancer comprising the administration of such compositions.

A composition containing a compound represented by General Formula (I) below (see the definition in the specification for the symbols in the formula) or a salt thereof has an excellent CaSR agonistic effect and provides a pharmaceutical agent, a CaSR agonistic agent, a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for a disease that can be ameliorated through CaSR activation as well as seasonings and an agent for imparting kokumi. ##STR00001##