Novel compounds as receptor modulators with therapeutic utility

Disclosed are 1-(benzyl)azetidine-3-carboxylic acid and 3-benzylamino)cyclobutanecarboxylic acid derivatives as represented by the general formula (I), wherein: R1 is CH; R2 is an aromatic heterocycle, a non-aromatic heterocycle, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl or aryl, each of which is optionally substituted with one or more alkyl groups; R3 is O or S; R4 is optionally substituted aryl; R5 is H, halogen or alkoxy; R6 is H; R7 is H or alkyl; R8 is H; R9 is CH or N; R10 is carboxylic acid; a is 0, 1, 2 or 3; b is 0, 1, 2 or 3; c is 1; d is 0 or 1; e is 0; f is 1; g is 0; L is CH2, CH(alkyl) or O; and with the proviso that when R3 is O or S and b is 0 or 1 then L is not O. Representative compounds of formula I include 1-{ 3-(3-furyl)-4-[(5-phenylpentyl)oxy]benzyl} azetidine-3-carboxylic acid, 1-{ 3-chloro-4-[(5-phenylpentyl)oxy]-5-(2-thienyl)benzyl} azetidine-3-carboxylic acid, 1-{ 4-[(5-phenylpentyl)oxy]-3-(1,3-thiazol-5-yl)benzyl} azetidine-3-carboxylic acid, 1-{ 4-[(5-phenylpentyl)oxy]-3-(1,3-thiazol-4-yl)benzyl} azetidine-3-carboxylic acid, 1-{ 3-cyclopent-1-en-1-yl-4-[(5-phenylpentyl)oxy]benzyl} azetidine-3-carboxylic acid, 1-{ 4-[(5-phenylpentyl)oxy]-3-(2-thienyl)benzyl} azetidine-3-carboxylic acid, 1-{ 4-[(5-phenylpentyl)oxy]-3-(1H-pyrazol-5-yl)benzyl} azetidine-3-carboxylic acid, 1-{ 4-[(5-phenylpentyl)oxy]-3-(1H-pyrazol-4-yl)benzyl} azetidine-3-carboxylic acid, 1-{ 4-[(5-phenylpentyl)oxy]-3-(3-thienyl)benzyl} azetidine-3-carboxylic acid, 1-{ 3-(2-furyl)-4-[(5-phenylpentyl)oxy]benzyl} azetidine-3-carboxylic acid, 1-{ 4-[(5-phenylpentyl)oxy]-3-(1,3-thiazol-2-yl)benzyl} azetidine-3-carboxylic acid, 1-{ 3-(1,3-oxazol-2-yl)-4-[(5-phenylpentyl)oxy]benzyl} azetidine-3-carboxylic acid, 1-{ 4-[(5-phenylpentyl)oxy]-3-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)benzyl} azetidine-3-carboxylic acid and 3-({ 4-[(5-phenylpentyl)oxy]-3-(2-thienyl)benzyl} amino)cyclobutane-carboxylic acid. Further disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition comprising as an active ingredient a therapeutically effective amount of a compound as defined above and a pharmaceutically acceptable adjuvant, diluent or carrier, for the treatment of ocular disease, wet and dry age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, retinal edema, geographic atrophy, glaucomatous optic neuropathy, chorioretinopathy, hypertensive retinopathy, ocular ischemic syndrome, prevention of inflammation-induced fibrosis in the back of the eye, various ocular inflammatory diseases including uveitis, scleritis, k