Dihydropyrimidines (DHPMs) are a class of nitrogen-containing heterocycles that have attracted considerable interest due to their great significance in organic and medicinal chemistry. In recent years, many biologically active molecules featuring DHPM moiety have been synthesized and biologically evaluated, some of which have served as potential leads for critical unmet pathological conditions such as the antimitotic Monastrol and the antiviral GLS4, which entered clinical trials a few years ago. This review discusses briefly the recent advances in DHPM-based bioactive compounds, their biological activities, and their mechanisms of action, which could provide references for future developments of more potent and selective leads.