Compounds and compositions for the treatment of cancer

1. A method for treating cancer, wherein said method comprises administering to a subject in need of such treatment, a compound represented by Formula IC, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof:

wherein

n is 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6;

R is —C(O)—, —OC(O)—, —CH(OH)—, NH, NC 1 -C 3 alkyl, O, S, or CH 2 ;

A is (CH 2 ) m ,C(O)OH, W(CH 2 ) m C(O)OH, or YCH(C(O)OH)(CH 2 ) p CH 3 when B is H;

B is (CH 2 ) m C(O)OH, W(CH 2 ) m C(O)OH or YCH(C(O)OH)(CH 2 ) p CH 3 when A is H; or

A and B are covalently bonded to form a 5-, 6-, or 7-membered cycloalkyl substituted with a C(O)OH group;

W is O, S, or NH;

Y is O, S, NH or CH 2 ;

m is 0, 1, or 2; and

p is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable salt is a base addition salt.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the base addition salt comprises a metal counterion selected from sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and lithium.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the metal counterion is sodium.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is any one of the following Compounds:

Structure

Compound XVII

Compound XX

Compound XXI

Compound XXII

Compound XXIII

Compound XXIV

Compound XXV

Compound XXVI

Compound XXVII

Compound XXIX

Compound XXX

Compound XXXI

Compound XXXII

Compound XXXIV

Compound XXXV

Compound XXXVI

Compound XXXVII

Compound XXXVIII

Compound XXXIX

Compound XL

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the compound is Compound or XX.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the compound is Compound XVII.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said subject is a human patient.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cancer is bladder cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, kidney cancer, melanoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, leukemia, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer or uterine cancer.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cancer is breast cancer, colorectal cancer, leukemia cancer, melanoma cancer or pancreatic cancer.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is used in combination with an anticancer agent.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said anticancer agent is decarbazine, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, cyclophosphamide, busulfex, busulfan, vinblastine, vincristine, bleomycin, etoposide, topotecan, irinotecan, taxotere, taxol, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, gemcitabine, cisplatin, carboplatin or chlorambucil.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said compound exhibits one or more of the following biological activities in said subject: stimulating and/or enhancing IL-12 production under inflammatory conditions; stimulating the antitumor cytolytic activity of lymphocytes and/or NK cells; inducing regression of established tumors and/or of primary solid tumors; inhibiting TGF-induced CTGF production; and/or inhibiting CTGF-mediated activities.

14. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

15. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 14 , wherein said composition further comprises an anticancer agent.

16. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 15 , wherein said anticancer agent is decarbazine, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, cyclophosphamide, busulfex, busulfan, vinblastine, vincristine, bleomycin, etoposide, topotecan, irinotecan, taxotere, taxol, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, gemcitabine, cisplatin, carboplatin or chlorambucil.

17. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 14 , which induces regression of established tumors and/or of primary solid tumors.

18. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 14 , which inhibits tumor cell migration and establishment of metastasis.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein said compound inhibits tumor cell migration and establishment of metastasis.