Isomers and 42-epimers of rapamycin ester analogs and pharmaceutically
acceptable salts or prodrugs thereof, are immunomodulatory agents and are
useful in the treatment of restenosis and immune and autoimmune diseases.
Also disclosed are cancer-, fungal growth-, restenosis-, post-transplant
tissue rejection- and immune- and autoimmune disease-inhibiting
compositions and a method of inhibiting cancer, fungal growth,
restenosis, post-transplant tissue rejection, and immune and autoimmune
disease in a mammal. One particular preferred application of such isomers
and 42-epimers of rapamycin ester analogs is in medicated devices and
local vascular delivery wherein the stability and lipid solubility and
subsequently diffusion through tissue and cell membranes are essential to
the success of rapamycin containing combination devices.