William Harvey Research Conference on PDE inhibitors: drugs with an expanding range of therapeutic uses.

Presentations at the William Harvey Research Conference on PDE Inhibitors described the molecular biology, biochemical regulation. pharmacology, and therapeutic utility of inhibitors of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs). Most of the talks focused on PDE4 and PDE5. two members of the 11-member PDE family that have attracted much interest over the last several years. These enzymes have been shown to be targets for drugs with wide-ranging clinical utility, including treatment of inflammation, depression, and male erectile dysfunction. The continued investigation of PDEs and the development of potent and selective inhibitors should provide even more therapeutic agents in years to come.