Researchers from Southern Medical University have divulged the discovery and preclinical characterization of novel PDE4 inhibitors for the treatment of hepatic sepsis. Synthesis and optimization of a series of 7-alkoxybenzofurans led to the identification of compound [I] as the lead PDE4 inhibitor, with PDE4B and PDE4D IC50 values of 10.0 and 15.2 nM, respectively.