A medicinal agent for the prevention and/or treatment of diseases caused by EP.sub.4 receptor activation is disclosed. A compound having antagonistic activity against the EP.sub.4 receptor is contained as an active ingredient in the medicinal agent. The compound represented by the following general formula (I) as defined in the specification, a salt, an N-oxide, or a solvate thereof, or a prodrug of these is useful as a medicinal component having antagonistic activity against the EP.sub.4 receptor for the prevention and/or treatment of diseases caused by EP.sub.4 receptor activation.

##STR00001##

A medicinal agent for the prevention and/or treatment of diseases caused by EP.sub.4 receptor activation. A compound having antagonistic activity against the EP.sub.4 receptor is contained as an active ingredient in the medicinal agent. The compound represented by the following general formula (I) as defined in the specification, a salt, an N-oxide, or a solvate thereof, or a prodrug of these is useful as a medicinal component having antagonistic activity against the EP.sub.4 receptor for the prevention and/or treatment of diseases caused by EP.sub.4 receptor activation. ##STR00001##

A medicinal agent for the prevention and/or treatment of diseases caused by EP.sub.4 receptor activation. A compound having antagonistic activity against the EP.sub.4 receptor is contained as an active ingredient in the medicinal agent. The compound represented by the following general formula (I) as defined in the specification, a salt, an N-oxide, or a solvate thereof, or a prodrug of these is useful as a medicinal component having antagonistic activity against the EP.sub.4 receptor for the prevention and/or treatment of diseases caused by EP.sub.4 receptor activation. ##STR00001##

The present invention provides compositions comprising compounds having formulas (I), (II) or

##STR00001## and additionally provides methods for the use thereof in the treatment of various disorders including neurological disorders, cancer, diabetes, and obesity, wherein R1-R7, X, A, and Q in (I), R1-R15 in (II) and R1-R15 in (III) are as defined herein. In certain embodiments, methods for the treatment of various disorders including pain and cancer comprise topically, locally or systemically (e.g., IV, IP or orally) administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formulas (I), (II) or (III).

The present invention provides compositions comprising compounds having formulas (I), (II) or

##STR00001## and additionally provides methods for the use thereof in the treatment of various disorders including neurological disorders, cancer, diabetes, and obesity, wherein R1-R7, X, A, and Q in (I), R1-R15 in (II) and R1-R15 in (III) are as defined herein. In certain embodiments, methods for the treatment of various disorders including pain and cancer comprise topically, locally or systemically (e.g., IV, IP or orally) administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formulas (I), (II) or (III).

The invention provides compounds effective as sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulators for treatment of cardiopulmonary diseases, such as hypertension (including malignant hypertension), angina, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, angina pectoris, dysrhythmias, cardiomyothopy (including hypertropic cardiomyothopy), heart failure, cardiac arrest, bronchitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, croup, emphysema, pleurisy, pulmonary fibrosis, pneumonia, pulmonary embolus, pulmonary hypertension, mesothelioma, ventricular conduction abnormalities, complete heart block, adult respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis syndrome, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, scleroderma, systemic sclerosis, retroperitoneal fibrosis, prevention of keloid formation, or cirrhosis.

The invention provides compounds effective as sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulators for treatment of cardiopulmonary diseases, such as hypertension (including malignant hypertension), angina, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, angina pectoris, dysrhythmias, cardiomyothopy (including hypertropic cardiomyothopy), heart failure, cardiac arrest, bronchitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, croup, emphysema, pleurisy, pulmonary fibrosis, pneumonia, pulmonary embolus, pulmonary hypertension, mesothelioma, ventricular conduction abnormalities, complete heart block, adult respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis syndrome, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, scleroderma, systemic sclerosis, retroperitoneal fibrosis, prevention of keloid formation, or cirrhosis.

The invention provides compounds effective as sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulators for treatment of cardiopulmonary diseases, such as hypertension (including malignant hypertension), angina, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, angina pectoris, dysrhythmias, cardiomyothopy (including hypertropic cardiomyothopy), heart failure, cardiac arrest, bronchitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, croup, emphysema, pleurisy, pulmonary fibrosis, pneumonia, pulmonary embolus, pulmonary hypertension, mesothelioma, ventricular conduction abnormalities, complete heart block, adult respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis syndrome, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, scleroderma, systemic sclerosis, retroperitoneal fibrosis, prevention of keloid formation, or cirrhosis.

The invention provides compounds effective as sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulators for treatment of cardiopulmonary diseases, such as hypertension (including malignant hypertension), angina, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, angina pectoris, dysrhythmias, cardiomyothopy (including hypertropic cardiomyothopy), heart failure, cardiac arrest, bronchitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, croup, emphysema, pleurisy, pulmonary fibrosis, pneumonia, pulmonary embolus, pulmonary hypertension, mesothelioma, ventricular conduction abnormalities, complete heart block, adult respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis syndrome, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, scleroderma, systemic sclerosis, retroperitoneal fibrosis, prevention of keloid formation, or cirrhosis.

There is disclosed a process for the production of brivaracetam by converting an intermediate of the formula:

##STR00001##

to an intermediate of the formula:

##STR00002##

and then to brivaracetam; wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkali, alkaline earth metal, alkyl, and a mixture thereof.