Patent ID: 8030295

Claim:
A method of treating a subject suffering from a biological disorder, comprising administering an effective amount of a compound or a composition comprising an effective amount of the compound and a pharmaceutical carrier to the subject, wherein the biological disorder is selected from renal osteodystrophy, secondary hyperparathyroidism, psoriasis, type I diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, hypercalcemia, asthma or eczema, or a cancer selected from leukemia, colon cancer, breast cancer, or prostate cancer, and the compound has the formula 1, wherein, X 1 , X 2 , and X 3 are independently selected from H or hydroxy protecting groups; and R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from straight branched chain alkyl groups having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; or R 1 and R 2 join together to form a group of formula 2 where the wavy line indicates the point of attachment to the carbon at the 2 position of the vitamin D compound, and R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from H or straight or branched chain alkyl groups having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms.