A compound of formula, or a salt thereof: wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently hydrogen or methyl with the proviso that at least one of R 1 and R 2 is methyl; R 3 is C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, or-CHR 5 (CH 2) a R 6; R 4 is attached at the 5 or 6 position of the benzimidazole and represents R 5 is hydrogen, C 1-3 alkyl, C 1-3 alkoxy, or -(CH 2) d OR 9; R 6 is hydrogen, C 1-3 alkyl, C 1-3 alkoxy, -(CH 2) e OR 10, hydroxyl, -NR 11 R 12, halo, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl, wherein said C 1-3 alkyl, C 1-3 alkoxy, -(CH 2) e OR 10, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl may be optionally substituted with one or two substituents independently selected from the group consisting of C 1-3 alkyl, C 1-3 alkoxy, halo, -CH 2 OH, -COOH, and -COCH 3; R 7 is hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, -(CH 2) g cycloalkyl, -(CH 2) h heterocycloalkyl, or -CR 13 R 14 R 15; R 8 is hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, or -CHR 16 R 17 wherein said C 1-6 alkyl is optionally substituted with C 1-3 alkoxy, and wherein R 16 is hydrogen or C 1-3 alkyl and R 17 is cycloalkyl or heterocycloalkyl; R 9, R 10, R 11, R 12, R 14, R 15, and R 18 are each independently hydrogen or C 1-3 alkyl; R 13 is hydrogen, hydroxyl, -CH 2 OR 18, halo, -COOH, -CONH 2, 1 H -imidazol-4-yl, -SH, -SeH, C 1-3 alkyl, C 1-3 alkoxy, phenyl, or 4-hydroxyphenyl wherein said C 1-3 alkyl or C 1-3 alkoxy may be optionally substituted with halo, hydroxyl, -NHC(=NH 2)NH 2, -NH 2, -COOH, -CONH 2, or -SCH 3; a is 0, 1, 2 or 3; b is 0 or 1; c is 1, 2 or 3 with the proviso that when b is 1, c is 2 or 3; d and e are each independently 1 or 2; and g and h are each independently 0, 1 or 2. R 1 and R 2 are each independently hydrogen or methyl with the proviso that at least one of R 1 and R 2 is methyl; R 3 is C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, or-CHR 5 (CH 2) a R 6; R 4 is attached at the 5 or 6 position of the benzimidazole and represents R 5 is hydrogen, C 1-3 alkyl, C 1-3 alkoxy, or -(CH 2) d OR 9; R 6 is hydrogen, C 1-3 alkyl, C 1-3 alkoxy, -(CH 2) e OR 10, hydroxyl, -NR 11 R 12, halo, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl, wherein said C 1-3 alkyl, C 1-3 alkoxy, -(CH 2) e OR 10, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl may be optionally substituted with one or two substituents independently selected from the group consisting of C 1-3 alkyl, C 1-3 alkoxy, halo, -CH 2 OH, -COOH, and -COCH 3; R 7 is hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, -(CH 2) g cycloalkyl, -(CH 2) h heterocycloalkyl, or -CR 13 R 14 R 15; R 8 is hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, or -CHR 16 R 17 wherein said C 1-6 alkyl is optionally substituted with C 1-3 alkoxy, and wherein R 16 is hydrogen or C 1-3 alkyl and R 17 is cycloalkyl or heterocycloalkyl; R 9, R 10, R 11, R 12, R 14, R 15, and R 18 are each independently hydrogen or C 1-3 alkyl; R 13 is hydrogen, hydroxyl, -CH 2 OR 18, halo, -COOH, -CONH 2, 1 H -imidazol-4-yl, -SH, -SeH, C 1-3 alkyl, C 1-3 alkoxy, phenyl, or 4-hydroxyphenyl wherein said C 1-3 alkyl or C 1-3 alkoxy may be optionally substituted with halo, hydroxyl, -NHC(=NH 2)NH 2, -NH 2, -COOH, -CONH 2, or -SCH 3; a is 0, 1, 2 or 3; b is 0 or 1; c is 1, 2 or 3 with the proviso that when b is 1, c is 2 or 3; d and e are each independently 1 or 2; and g and h are each independently 0, 1 or 2.