(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (10) International Publication Number (43) International Publication Date W O 2017/007634 A l 12 January 2017 (12.01.2017) P O P C T (51) International Patent Classification: (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every A01N 57/00 (2006.01) kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BN, BR, BW, BY, (21) International Application Number: BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, PCT/US20 16/039744 DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, (22) International Filing Date: HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IR, IS, JP, KE, KG, KN, KP, KR, 28 June 2016 (28.06.2016) KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, (25) Filing Language: English PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW, SA, SC, (26) Publication Language: English SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW. (30) Priority Data: 62/189,069 6 July 2015 (06.07.2015) (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, (71) Applicant: THE BOARD O F REGENTS O F THE UNI¬ GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, VERSITY O F TEXAS SYSTEM [US/US]; 201 West 7th TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, Street, Austin, TX 75022 (US). TJ, TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, (72) Inventors: DEBRABANDER, Jef; 4100 Post Oak Road, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, Flower Mound, TX 75022 (US). PARADA, Luis; 425 SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, Fifth Avenue, Apartment 5 1 B, New York, NY 10016 GW, KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). (US). Published: (74) Agent: LUBIT, Beverly, W.; CHIESA SHAHINIAN & GIANTOMASI PC, One Boland Drive, West Orange, NJ — with international search report (Art. 21(3)) 07052 (US). [Continued on next page] (54) Title: BENZAMIDE OR BENZAMINE COMPOUNDS USEFUL AS ANTICANCER AGENTS FOR THE TREATMENT OF HUMAN CANCERS (57) Abstract: The described invention provides small molecule an ti-cancer compounds for treating tumors that respond to cholesterol bio - synthesis inhibition. The compounds selectively inhibit the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway in tumor-derived cancer cells, but do not affect active mutant) normally dividing cells. (aberrant p sp aii n o o w o 2017/007634 Al II 11 II I 1 I 1 II II II llllll Hill II I II before the expiration of the time limit for amending the claims and to be republished in the event of receipt of amendments (Rule 48.2(h)) BENZAMIDE OR BENZAMINE COMPOUNDS USEFUL AS ANTICANCER AGENTS FOR THE TREATMENT OF HUMAN CANCERS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.: 62/189,069 filed on July 6, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The described invention relates to small molecule anti-cancer therapeutics. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Gliomas [0003] Glial cells, the most abundant cell type in the central nervous system, are cells that surround neurons and provide support for and insulation between them. Unlike neurons, glial cells do not conduct electrical impulses. There are two major classes of glial cells in the central nervous system: astrocytes and oligodendrocytes (Kandel ER, et al., Principles of Neural Science, 4th Ed. McGraw-Hill New York (2000), Ch. 2, pp. 20-21). [0004] Glial cells in the vertebrate nervous system are divided into two major classes: microglia and macroglia. Microglia are phagocytes that are mobilized after infection, injury or disease, which arise from macrophages outside the nervous system. Three types of macroglial cells predominate in the vertebrate nervous system: oligodendrocytes, Schwann cells, and astrocytes. Astrocytes, the most numerous of glial cells in the central nervous system characterized by their star-like shape and the broad end-feet on their processes, are thought to play a nutritive role, and help form an impermeable lining in the brains capillaries and venules - the blood brain barrier- that prevents toxic substances in the blood from entering the brain. Oligodendrocytes, small cells with relatively few processes, and Schwann cells produce the myelin used to insulate nerve cell axons. [0005] The term "glioma" encompasses all tumors thought to originate in the glial cell linage. (Veliz, I. et al., "Advances and challenges in the molecular biology and treatment of glioblastoma - is there any hope for the future?" Ann. Trans. Med. 3(1): 7. Doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2305-5939.2014. 10.06. The location of the tumor depends on the type of cells from which it originates. [0006] Malignant gliomas exhibit properties that resemble astrocytes or oligodendrocytes, hence the designation as astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas. These tumors are graded on a scale from I to IV, based on how normal or abnormal the cells look. Of numerous grading systems in use, the most common is the World Health Organization (WHO) grading system for glioma (Louis DN, et al., Acta Neuropathol, 2007, 114(2):97-109). Grade I tumors are slow-growing, nonmalignant, and associated with long-term survival. Grade II tumors are relatively slow-growing but sometimes recur as higher grade tumors. They can be nonmalignant or malignant. Grade III tumors are malignant and often recur as higher grade tumors. Grade IV tumors reproduce rapidly and are very aggressive malignant tumors. [0007] Low grade astrocytomas usually are localized and grow slowly. High grade astrocytomas grow at a rapid pace and are infiltrative. Astrocytomas can appear in various parts of the brain and nervous system, including the cerebellum, the cerebrum, the central areas of the brain, the brainstem, and the spinal cord. [0008] Pilocytic Astrocytoma (also called Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytoma), are grade I astrocytomas, which typically stay in the area where they started and do not spread. They are considered the "most benign" (noncancerous) of all the astrocytomas. Two other, less well known grade I astrocytomas are cerebellar astrocytoma and desmoplastic infantile astrocytoma. [0009] Diffuse Astrocytoma (also called Low-Grade or Astrocytoma Grade II) (e.g., Fibrillary, Gemistocytic, Protoplasmic Astrocytoma) tend to invade surrounding tissue and grow at a relatively slow pace. [0010] An anaplastic astrocytoma is a grade III tumor. These rare tumors require more aggressive treatment than benign pilocytic astrocytoma. [0011] Astrocytoma Grade IV (also called Glioblastoma, previously named "Glioblastoma Multiforme," "Grade IV Glioblastoma," and "GBM"). There are two types of astrocytoma grade IV—primary, or de novo, and secondary. Primary tumors are very aggressive and the most common form of astrocytoma grade IV. The secondary tumors are those which originate as a lower-grade tumor and evolve into a grade IV tumor. [0012] Subependymal Giant Cell Astrocytoma—Subependymal giant cell astrocytomas are ventricular tumors associated with tuberous sclerosis. [0013] Oligodendrogliomas can be found anywhere within the cerebral hemisphere of the brain, although the frontal and temporal lobes are the most common locations. Sometimes oligodendrogliomas are mixed with other cell types. These tumors may be graded using an "A to D" system, which is based on microscopic features of the individual tumor cells. The grade indicates how quickly the tumor cells reproduce and how aggressive the tumor is. About 4% of primary brain tumors are oligodendrogliomas, representing about 10-15% of the gliomas. Only 6% of these tumors are found in infants and children. Most oligodendrogliomas occur in adults ages 50-60, and are found in men more often than women. [0014] Mixed glioma (or oligoastrocytoma) usually contain a high proportion of more than one type of cell, most often astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Occasionally, ependymal cells are also found. The behavior of a mixed glioma appears to depend on the grade of the tumor. It is less clear whether their behavior is based on that of the most abundant cell type. [0015] Ependymal cells line the ventricles of the brain and the center of the spinal cord. These tumors are divided into four major types: subependymomas (grade I), typically slow growing tumors; myxopapillary ependymomas (grade I), typically slow growing tumors; Ependymomas (grade II), the most common of the ependymal tumors, which can be further divided into the following subtypes, including cellular ependymomas, papillary ependymomas, clear cell ependymomas, and tancytic ependymomas; and anaplastic ependymomas (grade III), typically faster growing tumors. The various types of ependymomas appear in different locations within the brain and spinal column. Subependymomas usually appear near a ventricle. Myxopapillary ependymomas tend to occur in the lower part of the spinal column. Ependymomas are usually located along, within, or next to the ventricular system. Anaplastic ependymomas are most commonly found in the brain in adults and in the lower back part of the skull (posterior fossa) in children. They are rarely found in the spinal cord. Ependymomas are relatively rare tumors in adults, accounting for 2-3% of primary brain tumors. However, they are the sixth most common brain tumor in children. About 30% of pediatric ependymomas are diagnosed in children younger than 3 years of age. [0016] Optic gliomas may involve any part of the optic pathway, and they have the potential to spread along these pathways. Most of these tumors occur in children under the age of 10.