7-DISUBSTITUTED-PHENYL TETRACYCLINE DERIVATIVES

7-Disubstituted-phenyl tetracycline compounds are disclosed herein. Also disclosed is a method for treatment or prevention of spinal muscular atrophy using the 7-disubstituted-phenyl tetracycline compounds. This invention also relates to a method for treating or preventing a subject having spinal muscular atrophy. The method includes administering to the subject an effective amount of a tetracycline compound of formula (1), such that the spinal muscular atrophy is treated or prevented. Advantageously, the tetracycline compounds used in this method of the invention have one or more of the following characteristics: 1) potency in modulating mRNA splicing, 2) potency in modulating SMN protein levels, 3) central nervous system (CNS) and/pr brain penetration, 4) decreased phototoxic properties and 5) decreased antibacterial properties.