pentanedioic acid were identified as inhibitors of 11β-hydroxysteroiddehydrogenasetype1 (11β-HSD1) by high-throughput screening. Optimisation to 2-adamantyl amides yielded inhibitors with single digit nanomolar IC50s on the 11β-HSD1 human isoform. The hydroxy adamantyl amide lead compound was selective against 11β-hydroxysteroiddehydrogenasetype 2 (selectivity ratio >1000) and displayed good inhibition