Disclosed are compounds which are inhibitors of metalloproteases and which are effective in treating conditions characterized by excess activity of these enzymes. In particular, the compounds have a structure according to the following Formula (I): ##STR1## where X, W, Z, A, G, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.5' and k have the meanings described in the specification. This invention also includes optical isomers, diastereomers and enantiomers of the formula above, and pharmaceutically-acceptable salts, biohydrolyzable amides, esters, and imides thereof Also described are pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds, and methods of treating or preventing metalloprotease-related maladies using the compounds or the pharmaceutical compositions.

São divulgados os compostos que são inibidores dos metalloproteases e que são eficazes nas circunstâncias de tratamento caracterizadas pela atividade adicional destes enzymes. No detalhe, os compostos têm uma estrutura de acordo com a seguinte fórmula (i): ## do ## STR1 onde X, W, Z, A, G, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.5 ' e k têm os meanings descritos na especificação. Esta invenção inclui também isomers, diastereomers e enantiomers óticos da fórmula acima, e os sais pharmaceutically-acceptable, os amidos biohydrolyzable, os esters, e os imides disso descritos também são composições pharmaceutical que compreendem estes compostos, e métodos de tratar ou de impedir maladies metalloprotease-relacionados usando os compostos ou as composições pharmaceutical.