Patent ID: 8835502

Claim:
A method of treating or delaying the onset of Friedreich's ataxia in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal a histone deacetylase inhibitor in an amount effective to inhibit a histone deacetylase in the mammal, wherein the histone deacetylase inhibitor is a compound of formula I: wherein: n is 2 to about 10; R l is aryl or heteroaryl; R 2 is aryl or heteroaryl; R a and R b are each independently H, alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, or a nitrogen protecting group; wherein any alkyl, aryl or heteroaryl is unsubstituted or is substituted with 1 to 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, amino, nitro, cyano, halo, alkyl, trifluoromethyl, alkoxy, aryl, and NR c R d or any combination thereof; wherein R c and R d are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, or C(═O)OR e wherein R e is H or alkyl; or a salt thereof.