Medicinal chemistry approaches to the inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase IV.

: Inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-4) have emerged as an important new class of therapeutic agents for type two diabetes. Various medicinal chemistry approaches have been applied to this area and have resulted in the identification of numerous late-stage development compounds. The discoveries of several of the most advanced DPP-4 inhibitors are reviewed.