The present invention pertains to certain ketones and reduced ketones and
derivatives thereof which, inter alia, inhibit osteoclast survival,
formation, and/or activity; and/or inhibit bone resorption, and more
particularly to compounds of the formulae: (1) (2) wherein: Ar.sup.1 is
independently a biphenyl, phenanthryl, fluorenyl, or carbazolyl, and is
optionally substituted; R.sup.alk is independently a C.sub.2-10alkylene
group, and is optionally substituted; --OR.sup.O, if present, is
independently --OH or --OR.sup.K; --OR.sup.K, if present, is
independently selected from: --O--R.sup.K1; --O--C(.dbd.O)R.sup.K2;
--O--C(.dbd.O)OR.sup.K3; --O--S(.dbd.O)2OR.sup.K4; Q is independently
--OH or --OR.sup.OT; wherein: --OR.sup.OT, if present, is independently
selected from: --O--R.sup.E1; --O--C(.dbd.O)--R.sup.E2;
--O--C(.dbd.O)--O--R.sup.E3; --O--C(.dbd.O)--O--SO.sub.3R.sup.E4;
--O--C(.dbd.O)--O--(CH.sub.2).sub.n--COOR.sup.E5;
--O--C(.dbd.O)--(CH.sub.2).sub.n--NR.sup.N1R.sup.N2;
--O--C(.dbd.O)--(CH.sub.2).sub.n--NH--C(.dbd.O)R.sup.E6;
--O--C(.dbd.O)--(CH.sub.2).sub.n--C(.dbd.O)--NR.sup.N3R.sup.N4;
--O--P(.dbd.O)(OR.sup.E7)(OR.sup.E8); --O--R.sup.PA; R.sup.PA, if
present, is an organic group which incorporates a phosphonic acid group;
with the proviso that if --OR.sup.OT is --O--R.sup.E1, then R.sup.E1 is
not a phenyl group substituted with a sulfonyl group; and
pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, amides, esters, ethers,
chemically protected forms, or prodrugs thereof. The present invention
also pertains to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds,
and the use of such compounds and compositions, both in vitro and in
vivo, to inhibit osteoclast survival, formation, and/or activity, and to
inhibit conditions mediated by osteoclasts and/or characterised by bone
resorption, in the treatment of bone disorders such as osteoporosis,
rheumatoid arthritis, cancer associated bone disease, Paget's disease,
aseptic loosening of prosthetic implants, and the like; and/or in the
treatment of conditions associated with inflammation or activation of the
immune system. ##STR00001##
