Patent ID: 7446222

Claim:
A compound of formula (I): wherein: A is an optionally substituted aryl, or an optionally substituted 5- or 6-membered heterocyclyl ring, or an optionally substituted bicyclic heterocyclyl group; B is a phenyl or pyridyl ring; Z is O, S, SO, or SO 2 ; R 1 is CO 2 R 4 , CN, CONR 5 R 6 , CH 2 CO 2 R 4 , optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted SO 2 alkyl, SO 2 NR 5 R 6 , NR 5 CONR 5 R 6 , COalkyl, 2H-tetrazol-5-yl-methyl, optionally substituted bicyclic heterocycle or optionally substituted heterocyclyl; R 2a and R 2b independently are hydrogen, halogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkoxy, CN, SO 2 alkyl, SR 5 , NO 2 , optionally substituted aryl, CONR 5 R 6 or optionally substituted heteroaryl; R x is optionally substituted CQ a Q b -heterocyclyl optionally substituted CQ a Q b -bicyclic heterocyclyl or optionally substituted CQ a Q b -aryl; R 4 is hydrogen or an optionally substituted alkyl; R 5 is hydrogen or an optionally substituted alkyl; R 6 is hydrogen or optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted SO 2 aryl, optionally substituted SO 2 alkyl, optionally substituted SO 2 heteroaryl, CN, optionally substituted CQ a Q b aryl, optionally substituted CQ a Q b heteroaryl or COR 7 ; R 7 is hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl or optionally substituted aryl; R 8 and R 9 independently are hydrogen, chloro, fluoro, CF 3 , C 1-3 alkoxy or C 1-3 alkyl; Q a and Q b are independently selected from hydrogen and CH 3 ; wherein when A is a 6-membered ring the R 1 substituent and phenyl ring are attached to carbon atoms 1,2-, 1,3- or 1,4-relative to each other, and when A is a five-membered ring or bicyclic heterocyclyl group the R 1 substituent and phenyl ring are attached to substitutable carbon atoms 1,2- or 1,3-relative to each other; and provided that the corn pound is not 2-benzyloxy[1,1′;2′,1″]terphenyl-4″-carboxylic acid; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.