Embodiments of the present invention are directed to the administration of bryostatins and bryostatins and retinoids for the treatment of disease responsive to increases in alpha secretase activity. Inventions of the present application are directed to the treatment of neuro-degenerative diseases such as Hutchinson Disease, Parkinsons disease, Downs syndrome and Alzheimers disease and virus latency diseases such as HIV and Herpes, cancers such as prostate, melanomas, lymphomas and renal cancers, esophageal and opthalmic diseases such as glaucoma.
