Patent ID: 8022203

Claim:
A compound of formula (I): wherein: A is a divalent group selected from the group consisting of wherein the symbols indicate α or β single bonds which connect the A group to the androstane skeleton at position 5 or 8; B is oxygen or NR 4 , wherein R 4 is H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, or formyl when A is R 3 is H or C 1 -C 6 alkyl group; X is oxygen, sulphur or NOR 5 ; R 5 is H or C 1 -C 6 alkyl group; R 1 is H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl group or C 2 -C 6 acyl group when the bond in position 17 of the androstane skeleton is a single bond; or R 1 is not present when the bond in position 17 is a double bond; R 2 is DNR 6 R 7 or the group wherein D or Z is linked to the oxygen atom; D is a C 2 -C 6 linear or branched alkylene or a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkylene, optionally containing a phenyl ring; R 6 and R 7 are the same or different and are H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, phenyl-C 1 -C 4 alkyl or C(═NR 9 )NHR 10 ; or R 6 and R 7 , taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are linked, form an unsubstituted or substituted saturated or unsaturated mono heterocyclic 4-, 5- or 6- membered ring, optionally containing another heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulphur and nitrogen; or R 6 and R 7 are optionally substituted with one or more hydroxy, methoxy, or ethoxy groups; or one of R 6 and R 7 is C(═NR 9 )NHR 10 and the other is H; R 8 is H, C 1 -C 6 linear or branched alkyl, optionally substituted with one or more hydroxy, methoxy, ethoxy, or C(═NR 9 )NHR 10 ; R 9 and R 10 are the same or different and are H, C 1 -C 6 linear or branched alkyl group; or R 9 and R 10 , taken together with the nitrogen atoms and the guanidinic carbon atom, form an unsubstituted or substituted saturated or unsaturated mono heterocyclic 5- or 6-membered ring optionally containing another heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulphur and nitrogen; Z is a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkylene or a single bond; Y is CH 2 , oxygen, sulphur or NR 11 ; R 11 is H, or C 1 -C 6 , alkyl group; n is 0, 1, 2 or 3; m is 0, 1, 2 or 3; the symbol in position 17 is, independently, a single or double bond, and when it is a single exocyclic bond in position 17, it is an α or β single bond.