New salicylic acid compounds, particularly 5-(heterocyclic)-salicylic acid derivatives and process for their preparation are claimed. The new 5-(heterocyclic)salicylic acid compounds described have anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic and analgesic activity.

Propionic and butyric acids substituted in the 3- or 4-position, respectively, with a fluorinated alkoxy group, said alkoxy group terminated with a highly fluorinated branched chain or cyclic fluoroalkoxy group, their nitrile precursors and their esters, salt, amide, N-substituted amide and acid halide derivatives. These compounds are useful as surface-active agents and as oil and water repellency agents.

The present invention relates generally to substituted biphenyloxy acids (such as 4′-aryl-amido-biphenyl-4(3)-yloxy-acids and 4′-aryl-amidomethyl-biphenyl-4(3)-yloxy-acids) and methods of using them, for example, as PAI-1 inhibitors.

Novel compounds of formula I, with the exception of i) the racemate of (3-amino-2-hydroxypropyl)phosphinic acid; and ii) (2R/S,3R)-(3-amino-2-hydroxybutyl)phosphinic acid, having affinity to one or more GABA.sub.B receptors, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates and stereoisomers, as well as processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing said therapeutically active compounds and the use of said active compounds in therapy. ##STR1##

Polypeptides, in particular the polypeptide of formula I: and analogues thereof which possess inhibitory activity against human leukocyte elastase. The polypeptides may be obtained by expression using plasmidic expression systems in hosts such as E. Coli and yeast, the polypeptide of formula I being also obtainable from psoriatic plaques.

Compounds of formula (I) ##STR00001## are suitable for the production of pharmaceuticals for the prophylaxis and therapy of disorders in the course of which an increased activity of matrix-degrading metalloproteinases is involved.

Novel compounds of formula I, with the exception of i) the racemate of (3-amino-2-hydroxypropyl)phosphinic acid; and ii) (2R/S, 3R)-(3-amino-2-hydroxybutyl)phosphinic acid, having affinity to one or more GABA.sub.B receptors, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates and stereoisomers, as well as processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing said therapeutically active compounds and the use of said active compounds in therapy ##STR1##

A process for polymerizing unsaturated dicarboxylic acids comprises heating the acids in the presence of a catalytic proportion of an unactivated clay and water. The product dimer is distilled to separate unreacted monomer acids. The product dimers of 36, 40 and 44 content are useful as corrosion inhibitors, epoxy resin curing agents, lubricants and intermediates for synthetic polymeric resins and polymeric resin plasticizers.

Aromatic dehydroamino acids are disclosed that are active as LFA-1 arnagonists This activity enables these compounds to prevent inflammation which is a consequence of T cell activation and accordingly reduce or eliminate inflammatory skin disease psoriasis.

5-Arylidene-4-oxo-2-thioxo-3-thiazolidinecarboxylic acids of formula I ##STR1## in which the symbols R.sup.1, R.sup.2, A, A.sup.1 and A.sup.2 have the significance given in the description as medicaments for the treatment of cancer diseases.