A compound of the formula (I-A) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, halogen, cyano, trifluoromethyl, lower alkoxy, -C -NH-lower alkyl, -C -NH-lower alkoxy, oxo and NO 2; R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkyl substituted by -OR 4 and -NR 4 R 5; R 4 and R 5 are selected from hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkyl substituted with OH or lower alkoxy; or R 4 and R 5 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form morpholinyl; Q is a group R 2 may be the same or different lower alkenyl, lower alkynyl, methyl sulfonyl, sulfonamide, hydrogen, lower alkyl, halogen, cyano, trifluoromethyl, lower alkoxy, NO 2, sulfonyl urea, amide, ester, carbamoyl, carbamate, urea, -NR 4 R 5; and lower alkyl substituted with -OR 4 or -NR 4 R 5; the group -X-Y- is selected from -OCH 2 -, -CH 2 O-, -NHCO-, -CONH-, -O-, -OCH 2 CH 2 -, -CH 2 OCH 2, -CH 2 CH 2 O-, -CF=CH-, -CH=CF-, -NH-, -NHCH 2 -, -CH 2 NH-, -SCH 2 -, -NHSO 2, -SO 2 NH-, -CH 2 S-, -SOCH 2 -, -CH 2 SO-, -SO 2 CH 2 -, -CH 2 SO 2 -, -S-, -CH=CH- and lower alkylene; W is -O- or -NH-; n is 1 or 2; Ring A is selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl and heterocycle; and Ring B is selected from the group consisting of aryl, and heteroaryl, or Q is hydrogen, and R 1 is -O-CH 3 or -C -NH-CH 3; R 3 is ethyl, which is unsubstituted or once substituted with -OH; W is -O- or -NH-; and Ring B is phenyl or pyridinyl wherein the term "lower alkyl" denotes a straight-chain or branched, saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; the term "lower alkoxy" means a group -O-lower alkyl, wherein "lower alkyl" has the meaning given above; the term "lower alkenyl" refers to a straight-chain or branched hydrocarbon residue comprising an olefinic double bond and up to 7 carbon atoms; the term "lower alkynyl" refers to a straight-chain or branched hydrocarbon residue comprising a triple bond and up to 7 carbon atoms; or a compound of the following formula: or or or or or or or or or R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, halogen, cyano, trifluoromethyl, lower alkoxy, -C -NH-lower alkyl, -C -NH-lower alkoxy, oxo and NO 2; R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkyl substituted by -OR 4 and -NR 4 R 5; R 4 and R 5 are selected from hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkyl substituted with OH or lower alkoxy; or R 4 and R 5 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form morpholinyl; R 4 and R 5 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form morpholinyl; Q is a group R 2 may be the same or different lower alkenyl, lower alkynyl, methyl sulfonyl, sulfonamide, hydrogen, lower alkyl, halogen, cyano, trifluoromethyl, lower alkoxy, NO 2, sulfonyl urea, amide, ester, carbamoyl, carbamate, urea, -NR 4 R 5; and lower alkyl substituted with -OR 4 or -NR 4 R 5; -NR 4 R 5; and lower alkyl substituted with -OR 4 or -NR 4 R 5; the group -X-Y- is selected from -OCH 2 -, -CH 2 O-, -NHCO-, -CONH-, -O-, -OCH 2 CH 2 -, -CH 2 OCH 2, -CH 2 CH 2 O-, -CF=CH-, -CH=CF-, -NH-, -NHCH 2 -, -CH 2 NH-, -SCH 2 -, -NHSO 2, -SO 2 NH-, -CH 2 S-, -SOCH 2 -, -CH 2 SO-, -SO 2 CH 2 -, -CH 2 SO 2 -, -S-, -CH=CH- and lower alkylene; W is -O- or -NH-; n is 1 or 2; Ring A is selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl and heterocycle; and Ring B is selected from the group consisting of aryl, and heteroaryl, or Q is hydrogen, and R 1 is -O-CH 3 or -C -NH-CH 3; R 3 is ethyl, which is unsubstituted or once substituted with -OH; W is -O- or -NH-; and Ring B is phenyl or pyridinyl Q is hydrogen, and R 1 is -O-CH 3 or -C -NH-CH 3; R 3 is ethyl, which is unsubstituted or once substituted with -OH; W is -O- or -NH-; and Ring B is phenyl or pyridinyl wherein the term "lower alkyl" denotes a straight-chain or branched, saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; the term "lower alkoxy" means a group -O-lower alkyl, wherein "lower alkyl" has the meaning given above; the term "lower alkenyl" refers to a straight-chain or branched hydrocarbon residue comprising an olefinic double bond and up to 7 carbon atoms; the term "lower alkynyl" refers to a straight-chain or branched hydrocarbon residue comprising a triple bond and up to 7 carbon atoms; or