Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of the formula (I): including pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, hydrates, geometrical isomers, tautomers, optical isomers, and N-oxides thereof, said compounds being useful as inhibitors of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD). The invention further relates to the use of compounds of the formula (I) for treatment of medical conditions in which the modulation of SCD activity is beneficial, such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, hypertension, neurological diseases, immune disorders, cancer, essential fatty acid deficiency, acne, psoriasis, rosacea or other skin conditions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to complexes of the FOXC2 protein with other proteins, in particular complexes of FOXC2 with proteins designated p621, NOLP, HSC71, FTP3, CLH1, and Kinase A Anchor Protein 84/149 (AKAP). The protein complexes can be used in methods of identifying agents useful for the treatment of medical conditions that can be treated by modulated FOXC2 activity, such as obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, diet-induced insulin resistance, and/or type 2 diabetes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to complexes of the FOXC2 protein with other proteins, in particular complexes of FOXC2 with proteins designated p621, NOLP, HSC71, FTP3, CLH1, and Kinase A Anchor Protein 84/149 (AKAP). The protein complexes can be used in methods of identifying agents useful for the treatment of medical conditions that can be treated by modulated FOXC2 activity, such as obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, diet-induced insulin resistance, and/or type 2 diabetes.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a novel Afx response element comprising the nucleotide sequence AACATGTT, said nucleotide sequence having a DNA binding site for the human fork head transkription factor Afx. The invention also relates to the use of the Afx response element in the screening for genes as diabetes drug targets and in the bioinformatic analysis of the human genome, said genes in turn being useful in other screening methods for compounds modifying the insulin receptor signaling pathway. A further aspect of the invention is a vector construct comprising the novel nucleotide sequence, a host cell transformed with said vector construct as well as the fusion protein expressed by said host cell.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a novel Afx response element comprising the nucleotide sequence AACATGTT, said nucleotide sequence having a DNA binding site for the human fork head transkription factor Afx. The invention also relates to the use of the Afx response element in the screening for genes as diabetes drug targets and in the bioinformatic analysis of the human genome, said genes in turn being useful in other screening methods for compounds modifying the insulin receptor signaling pathway. A further aspect of the invention is a vector construct comprising the novel nucleotide sequence, a host cell transformed with said vector construct as well as the fusion protein expressed by said host cell.