A compound of the formula wherein A is phenyl or pyrazolyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three groups independently selected from the group consisting of halo, oxo, cyano, R 6 , OR 6 , C(O)OR 6 , NR 6 R 7 , NHC(O)OR 6 , NHC(O)O-C 1-3 alkyl-OR 7 and NHC(O)O-C 1-3 alkyl-C(O)OH; B is phenyl, pyrrolyl, imidazolyl, triazolyl, pyridinyl, pyridinyl-N-oxide, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl and triazinyl wherein said groups are optionally substituted with one to three groups independently selected from the group consisting of halo, oxido, cyclopropyl and R 6 ; R 1 is aryl, which optionally is substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of chloro, fluoro, iodo, methyl, cyclopropyl, OCF 3 , OCF 2 , CF 3 , CF 2 , and heteroaryl (which is optionally substituted with halo, cyano, cyclopropyl, C(O)OH, methyl, CF 3 or CF 2 ), wherein 'aryl' represents a stable monocyclic or bicyclic carbon ring of up to 12 atoms in each ring, wherein at least one ring is aromatic and wherein 'heteroaryl' represents a stable monocyclic or bicyclic ring system of up to 10 atoms in each ring, wherein at least one ring is aromatic and at least one ring contains from 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N and S; R 2 is hydrogen, cyano, halo, R 6 or OR 6 ; R 3 is hydrogen, cyano, halo, R 6 or OR 6 ; R 4 is C 1-6 alkyl, CO 2 R 6 , COR 6 or CONR 7 R 8 , wherein said alkyl is optionally substituted with one to three halo; each R 6 is independently hydrogen or C 1-6 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three groups independently selected from the group consisting of halo and hydroxy; each R 7 is independently hydrogen or C 1-6 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three groups independently selected from the group consisting of halo and hydroxy; R 8 is hydrogen or C 1-6 alkyl; R a is hydrogen, hydroxy or O(C 1-6 alkyl); or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. B is phenyl, pyrrolyl, imidazolyl, triazolyl, pyridinyl, pyridinyl-N-oxide, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl and triazinyl wherein said groups are optionally substituted with one to three groups independently selected from the group consisting of halo, oxido, cyclopropyl and R 6 ; R 1 is aryl, which optionally is substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of chloro, fluoro, iodo, methyl, cyclopropyl, OCF 3 , OCF 2 , CF 3 , CF 2 , and heteroaryl (which is optionally substituted with halo, cyano, cyclopropyl, C(O)OH, methyl, CF 3 or CF 2 ), wherein 'aryl' represents a stable monocyclic or bicyclic carbon ring of up to 12 atoms in each ring, wherein at least one ring is aromatic and wherein 'heteroaryl' represents a stable monocyclic or bicyclic ring system of up to 10 atoms in each ring, wherein at least one ring is aromatic and at least one ring contains from 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N and S; R 2 is hydrogen, cyano, halo, R 6 or OR 6 ; R 3 is hydrogen, cyano, halo, R 6 or OR 6 ; R 4 is C 1-6 alkyl, CO 2 R 6 , COR 6 or CONR 7 R 8 , wherein said alkyl is optionally substituted with one to three halo; each R 6 is independently hydrogen or C 1-6 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three groups independently selected from the group consisting of halo and hydroxy; each R 7 is independently hydrogen or C 1-6 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three groups independently selected from the group consisting of halo and hydroxy; R 8 is hydrogen or C 1-6 alkyl; R a is hydrogen, hydroxy or O(C 1-6 alkyl); or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. <EOS>