Fumaric acid amides of the general formula (I) ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1 represents OR.sup.3 or a D- or L-amino acid radical --NH--CHR.sup.4--COOH bonded via an amide bond, wherein R.sup.3 is hydrogen, a straight-chained or branched, optionally substituted C.sub.1-24 alkyl radical, a phenyl radical or C.sub.6-10 aralkyl radical and R.sup.4 is a side chain of a natural or synthetic amino acid and R.sup.2 represents a D- or L-amino acid radical --NH--CHR.sup.5--COOH bonded via an amide bond or a peptide radical comprising 2 to 100 amino acids bonded via an amide bond, wherein R.sup.5 is a side chain of a natural or synthetic amino acid, are used for preparing a drug (1) for the therapy of an autoimmune disease; (2) for use in transplantation medicine; (3) for the therapy of mitochondrial diseases; or (4) for the therapy of NF-kappaB mediated diseases.