The present invention relates to novel carboxamide compounds of the formula I and their use for the manufacture of a medicament. The carboxamide compounds are prodrugs of inhibitors of calpain (calcium dependant cysteine proteases). The invention therefore also relates to the use of these carboxarnide compounds for treating a disorder associated with an elevated calpain activity.R1 is C1-C10-alkyl, C2-C10-alkenyl, C2-C10-alkynyl, C3-C7-cycloalkyl, C3-C7-cycloalkyl-C1-C4-alkyl, aryl, hetaryl, aryl-C1-C6-alkyl, aryl-C2-C6-alkenyl, hetaryl-C1-C4-alkyl or hetaryl-C2-C6-alkenyl,R2 is C3-C7-cycloalkyl, C3-C7-cycloalkyl-C1-C4-alkyl, aryl, O-aryl, O-CH2-aryl, hetaryl, aryl-C1-C6-alkyl, aryl-C2-C6-alkenyl, hetaryl-C1-C4-alkyl or hetaryl-C2-C6-alkenyl,R3aand R3btogether form a moiety S-AlK-S, O-AlK-S or O-Alk-O, wherein Alk is linear C2-C5-alkandiyl, which may be unsubstituted or substituted with 1, 2, 3 or 4 radicals selected from C1-C4-alkyl or halogenX is a radical of the formulae C(=O)-O-Rx1, C(=O)-NRx2Rx3, C(=O)-N(Rx4)-(C1-C6-alkylene)-NRx2Rx3or C(=O)-N(Rx4)NRx2Rx3,n is 0, 1 or 2,one of the variables Y1, Y2, Y3or Y4is a nitrogen atom, and the remaining variables Y1, Y2, Y3or Y4are CHRy is e.g. OH, SH, halogen, NO2, NH2, CN, CF3, CHF2, CH2F, O-CF3, O-CHF2, O-CH2F, COOH, OCH2COOH, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-alkoxy-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C6-alkylthio etc.W is a radical of the formulae W1 or W2 which is linked via nitrogen:in which * means the linkage to the 6-membered heteroaromatic ring, and # means the linkage to R2, m is 0, 1 or 2, and Rwis e.g. OH, SH, halogen, NO2, NH2, CN, CF3, CHF2, CH2F, O-CF3, O-CHF2, O-CH2F, COOH, OCH2COOH.本發明係關於新穎式I甲醯胺化合物,及其關於藥劑製造之用途。該甲醯胺化合物為鈣蛋白酶(鈣依賴性半胱胺酸蛋白酶)抑制劑之前體藥物。本發明因此亦關於利用此等甲醯胺化合物以治療與高鈣蛋白酶活性有關聯之病症。R1 為C1-C10-烷基、C2-C10-烯基、C2-C10-炔基、C3-C7-環烷基、C3-C7-環烷基-C1-C4-烷基、芳基、雜芳基、芳基-C1-C6-烷基、芳基-C2-C6-烯基、雜芳基-C1-C4-烷基或雜芳基-C2-C6-烯基,R2 為C3-C7-環烷基、C3-C7-環烷基-C1-C4-烷基、芳基、O-芳基、O-CH2-芳基、雜芳基、芳基-C1-C6-烷基、芳基-C2-C6-烯基、雜芳基-C1-C4-烷基或雜芳基-C2-C6-烯基,R3a與R3b一起形成部份基團S-Alk-S、O-
