Disclosed herein are acyclic thiol prodrugs, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. The prodrugs and pharmaceutical compositions thereof may be used to treat or prevent medical disorders such as, for example cystinosis, cystinuria, cancer neurodegenerative disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, malaria, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, radiation poisoning, arsenic poisoning, radioprotection, Wilson's disease or rheumatoid arthritis.