N

1. A compound of formula (Ia):

wherein:

R 1 , R 4 and R 5 are each hydrogen;

R 2 is a heteroaryl selected from the group consisting of benzoxazolyl, isoquinolinyl, pyrimidinyl, 2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxinyl, 4,5-dihydro-1H-benzo[b]azepin-2(3H)-onyl, 6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5H-pyrido[3,2-d]azepinyl, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,6-naphthyridinyl, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinolinyl, 1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridinyl, benzo[b]thiophenyl, 7′,8′-dihydro-5′H-spiro[[1,3]dioxolane-2,6′-quinoline]-3′-yl, 4b,5,6,7,7a,8-hexahydropentaleno[2,1-b]pyridinyl, and 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrocyclohepta[b]pyridinyl, each optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of oxo, thioxo, cyano, nitro, halo, haloalkyl, alkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkenyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkenyl, —R 9 —OR 8 , —R 9 —O—R 10 —OR 8 , —R 9 —O—R 10 —O—R 10 —OR 8 , —R 9 —O—R 10 —CN, —R 9 —O—R 10 —C(O)OR 8 , —R 9 —O—R 10 —C(O)N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 9 —O—R 10 —S(O) p R 8 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), —R 9 —O—R 10 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 9 —O—R 10 —C(NR 11 )N(R 11 )H, —R 9 —OC(O)—R 8 , —R 9 —C(O)R 8 , —R 9 —C(O)OR 8 , —R 9 —C(O)N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 9 —C(O)—R 10 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 9 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 9 —N(R 6 )—R 10 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 9 —N(R 6 )C(O)OR 8 , —R 9 —N(R 6 )C(O)—R 10 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 9 —N(R 6 )C(O)R 8 , —R 9 —N(R 6 )S(O) t R 8 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 9 —S(O) t OR 8 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 9 —S(O) p R 8 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), and —R 9 —S(O) t N(R 6 )R 7 (where t is 1 or 2);

or R 2 is pyridin substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, haloalkyl, halo, cyano, nitro optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkenyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkenyl, —R 9 —OR 8 , —R 9 —O—R 10 —OR 8 , —R 9 —O—R 10 —O—R 10 —OR 8 , —R 9 —O—R 10 —CN, R 9 —O—R 10 —C(O)OR 8 , —R 9 —O—R 10 —C(O)N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 9 —O—R 10 —S(O) p R 8 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), —R 9 —O—R 10 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 9 —O—R 10 —C(NR 11 )N(R 11 )H, —R 9 —OC(O)—R 8 , —R 9 —C(O)R 8 , —R 9 —C(O)OR 8 , —R 9 —C(O)N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 9 —C(O)—R 10 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 9 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 9 —N(R 6 )—R 10 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 9 —N(R 6 )C(O)OR 8 , —R 9 —N(R 6 )C(O)—R 10 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 9 —N(R 6 )C(O)R 8 , —R 9 —N(R 6 )S(O) t R 8 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 9 —S(O) t OR 8 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 9 —S(O) p R 8 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), and —R 9 —S(O) t N(R 6 )R 7 (where t is 1 or 2);

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of pyrimidinyl, isoquinolinyl, quinazolinyl, phenanthridinyl, thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidinyl, thieno[3,2-d]pyridazinyl, 6,7-dihydro-5H-cyclopenta[4,5]thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidinyl, and furo[3,2-c]pyridinyl, each optionally substituted by one or more substitutents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, halo, haloalkyl, haloalkenyl, oxo, thioxo, cyano, nitro, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, —R 13 —OR 12 , —R 13 —OC(O)—R 12 , —R 13 —O—R 14 —N(R 12 ) 2 , —R 13 —N(R 12 ) 2 , —R 13 —C(O)R 12 , —R 13 —C(O)OR 12 , —R 13 —C(O)N(R 12 ) 2 , —R 13 —C(O)N(R 12 )—R 14 —N(R 12 )R 13 , —R 13 —C(O)N(R 12 )—R 14 —OR 12 , —R 13 —N(R 12 ) C(O)OR 12 , —R 13 —N(R 12 )C(O)R 12 , —R 13 —N(R 12 )S(O) t R 12 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 13 —S(O) t OR 12 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 13 —S(O) p R 12 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), and —R 13 —S(O) t N(R 12 ) 2 (where t is 1 or 2);

each R 6 and R 7 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, —R 10 —OR 8 , —R 10 —CN, R 10 NO 2 , —R 10 —N(R 8 ) 2 , R 10 —C(O)OR 8 and —R 10 —C(O)N(R 8 ) 2 , or any R 6 and R 7 , together with the common nitrogen to which they are both attached, form an optionally substituted N-heteroaryl or an optionally substituted N-heterocyclyl;

each R 8 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, haloalkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, and optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl;

each R 9 is independently selected from the group consisting of a direct bond and an optionally substituted straight or branched alkylene chain;

each R 10 is independently an optionally substituted straight or branched alkylene chain;

each R 11 is hydrogen, alkyl, cyano, nitro or —OR 8 ;

each R 12 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl and optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, or two R 12's , together with the common nitrogen to which they are both attached, may optionally form an optionally substituted N-heterocyclyl or an optionally substituted N-heteroaryl;

each R 13 is independently selected from the group consisting of a direct bond and an optionally substituted straight or branched alkylene chain; and

each R 14 is independently an optionally substituted straight or branched alkylene chain;

as an isolated stereoisomer or mixture thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

2. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient and a compound of claim 1 , as an isolated stereoisomer or mixture thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

3. A method of inhibiting Axl activity in a cell, wherein the method comprises contacting the cell with an Axl activity inhibiting amount of a compound of claim 1 , as an isolated stereoisomer or mixture thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.