The invention relates to (i) 6-membered heteroaryl substituted fatty acid cystamine conjugates, compositions thereof, methods of treating diseases involving dysregulation of autophagy, such as cystic fibrosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a neurodegenerative disease, inflammatory disease, liver disease, muscle disease, infection and immune disease with this compound, or (ii) a method of treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, mitochondrial diseases, Leigh Syndrome, Diabetes Mellitus and Deafness (DAD), Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy, Neuropathy-ataxia-retinis pigmentosa and ptosis (NARP), myoneurogenic gastrointestinal encephalopathy (MNGlE), myoclonic epilepsy with ragged red fibers (MERRF), or mitochondrial myopathy-encephalomy-opathy-lactic acidosis stroke like symptoms (MELAS), comprising administering to a patient the fatty acid cysteamine conjugate, (4Z, 7Z. 10Z, 13Z, 16Z, 19Z)—N-(2-mercaptoethyl) docosa-4,7,10,13,16,19-hexaenamide or (5Z, 8Z, 11Z, 14Z, 17Z)—N-(2-mercaptoethyl) icosa-5,8,11,14,17-pentaenamide.