Materials and Methods for Treating Hypercholesterolemia

Abstract

The subject invention provides novel HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitors. In a preferred embodiment, the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors of the subject invention can be deactivated to a primary inactive metabolite by hydrolytic enzymes. Compounds of the present invention can be advantageously used to treat patients suffering hypercholesterolemia.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method of inhibiting HMG-COA comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound or salt to a patient in need of such treatment, wherein the compound has the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, 
         where n is 1, 2, or 3; and 
         where R is 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         16 . A method of inhibiting HMG-COA comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound or salt to a patient in need of such treatment, wherein the compound has the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, 
         where n is 0,1, 2, or 3; and 
         where R is 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         17 . A method of lowering cholesterol levels comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound or salt to a patient in need of such treatment, wherein the compound has the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, 
         where n is 1, 2, or 3; and 
         where R is 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the patient is a human. 
     
     
         19 . A method of lowering cholesterol levels comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound or salt to a patient in need of such treatment, wherein the compound has the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, 
         where n is 0, 1, 2, or 3; and 
         where R is 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein the patient is a human. 
     
     
         21 . A method of preventing coronary artery disease by lowering low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, the method comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound or salt to a patient in need of such treatment, wherein the compound has the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, 
         where n is 1, 2, or 3; and where R is 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         22 . A method of preventing coronary artery disease by lowering low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, the method comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound or salt of claim  1  to a patient in need of such treatment, wherein the compound has the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, 
         where n is 0, 1, 2, or 3; and 
         where R is