cassette-dosing approach in rats. This enabled us to identify a new lead compound with excellent pharmacokinetic properties, but weaker activity on the biological targets. Directed structural modifications maintained oralbioavailability and restored biological activity, leading to a novel compound almost equipotent to TNF484 in vivo, but with a more than tenfold higher oralbioavailability.
Novel hydroxamic acid derivatives, e.g., of formula (I), wherein R
1
, R
2
, R
3
and R
4
are as defined, are found to be useful as pharmaceuticals, e.g., for the suppression of TNF release and the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, e.g., multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Methods of making the compounds, novel intermediates, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds are provided.