Substd. pyrrolidine hydroxamate metalloprotease inhibitors

The invention provides compounds which are potent inhibitors of metalloproteases and which are effective in treating conditions characterized by excess activity of these enzymes. In particular, the present invention relates to compounds having a structure according to the following Formula (I):wherein R1, R2, X, Z, m, and n are defined below.to This invention also includes optical isomers, diastereomers and enantiomers of the formula above, and pharmaceutically-acceptable salts, biohydrolyzable amides, esters, and imides thereof. The compounds of the present invention are useful for the treatment of diseases and conditions which are characterized by unwanted metalloprotease activity. Accordingly, the invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds. The invention still further provides methods of treatment for metalloprotease-related maladies using these compounds or the pharmaceutical compositions containing them.