Substituted imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine compounds and compositions thereof

1. A compound of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, or N-oxide thereof:

wherein:

Y is selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, —NH 2 , —NH—C 1-4 -alkyl, —NH-halo-C 1-4 -alkyl, or —C 1-4 -alkoxy;

Z is selected from hydrogen, halogen, hydroxyl, cyano, C 1-4 -alkyl, halo-C 1-4 -alkyl, C 1-4 -alkoxy, halo-C 1-4 -alkoxy, —CONH 2 , —SO 2 NH 2 , —NH 2 , —NHC 1-4 -alkyl, or —NHhalo-C 1-4 -alkyl;

R 1 is a phenyl ring, or a 5 or 6-membered heteroaryl ring, either ring being optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen, cyano, C 1-4 -alkyl, halo-C 1-4 -alkyl, cyano-C 1-4 -alkyl, —OR 5 , —NR 6 C(O)OR 5 , —NR 6 C(O)R 5 , —NR 6 C(O)NR 4A R 4B , —C(O)NR 4A R 4B , —C(O)R 5 , —C(O)OR 5 , and —NR 6 S(O) 2 R 5 ; wherein

R 4A , R 4B R 5 and R 6 are each independently selected from hydrogen, C 1-4 -alkyl or halo-C 1-4 -alkyl, or

R 4A and R 4B together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form a 3-7 membered cyclic amino group, optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from: halogen, hydroxyl, cyano, C 1-4 -alkyl, halo-C 1-4 -alkyl, C 1-4 -alkoxy, halo-C 1-4 -alkoxy, —CONH 2 , —SO 2 NH 2 , —NH 2 , —NHC 1-4 -alkyl, —NHhalo-C 1-4 -alkyl;

X is —N═;

W is a phenyl ring or a 5 or 6-membered heteroaryl ring, either ring being optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen, cyano, C 1-4 -alkyl, halo-C 1-4 -alkyl, cyano-C 1-4 -alkyl, —OR 5 , —NR 7A R 7B , —NR 6 C(O)OR 5 , —NR 6 C(O)R 5 , —NR 6 C(O)NR 7A R 7B , —C(O)NR 7A R 7B , —C(O)R 5 , —C(O)OR 5 , —SO 2 R 5 , —SO 2 NR 7A R 7B and —NR 6 S(O) 2 R 5 ;

R 7A and R 7B are independently hydrogen, C 1-4 -alkyl or halo-C 1-4 -alkyl,

V is selected from a bond, —O—, —N(R 6 )—, —(C═O)—, —CONR 6 —, —NR 6 C(O)—, or —C 1-4 -alkylene-, wherein the C 1-4 -alkylene group is optionally substituted by halogen, and wherein any one of the carbon atoms of the C 1-4 -alkylene group may be replaced by —O— or —N(R 6 )—;

R 3 is hydrogen or a 3-7 membered heterocyclic ring, or a cycloalkyl ring selected from cyclopropyl, cyclopentyl and cyclohexyl, or a 5 or 6-membered heteroaryl ring, any one of the rings being optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen, oxo, hydroxyl, cyano, C 1-4 -alkyl, halo-C 1-4 -alkyl, cyano-C 1-4 -alkyl, —OR 5 , NR 4A R 4B , NR 6 C(O)OR 5 , —NR 6 C(O)R 5 , —NR 6 C(O)NR 4A R 4B , —C(O)NR 4A R 4B , —C(O)R 5 , —C(O)OR 5 , —SO 2 R 5 , —SO 2 NR 4A R 4B and —NR 6 S(O) 2 R 5 .

2. The compound according to claim 1 wherein Y is hydrogen.

3. The compound according to claim 1 wherein Z is hydrogen.

4. The compound according to claim 1 wherein R 1 is phenyl or 6-membered heteroaryl, optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen, C 1-4 -alkyl or halo-C 1-4 -alkyl.

5. The compound according to claim 1 wherein R 1 is phenyl or pyridyl, optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from F, Cl or CH 3 .

6. The compound according to claim 1 wherein W is a phenyl ring optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen, cyano, C 1-4 -alkyl, halo-C 1-4 -alkyl, cyano-C 1-4 -alkyl, —OR 5 , —NR 7A R 7B , NR 6 C(O)OR 5 , —NR 6 C(O)R 5 , —NR 6 C(O)NR 7A R 7B , —C(O)NR 7A R 7B , —C(O)R 5 , —C(O)OR 5 , —SO 2 R 5 , —SO 2 NR 7A R 7B and —NR 6 S(O) 2 R 5 .

7. The compound according to claim 1 wherein W is a 6-membered heterocyclic ring selected from pyridine, pyridazine, pyrazine, or pyrimidine optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen, cyano, C 1-4 -alkyl, halo-C 1-4 -alkyl, cyano-C 1-4 -alkyl, —OR 5 , —NR 7A R 7B , NR 6 C(O)OR 5 , —NR 6 C(O)R 5 , —NR 6 C(O)NR 7A R 7B , —C(O)NR 7A R 7B , —C(O)R 5 , —C(O)OR 5 , —SO 2 R 5 , —SO 2 NR 7A R 7B and —NR 6 S(O) 2 R 5 .

8. The compound according to claim 1 wherein W is a 5-membered ring selected from oxazole, thiazole or imidazole optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen, cyano, C 1-4 -alkyl, halo-C 1-4 -alkyl, cyano-C 1-4 -alkyl, —OR 5 , —NR 7A R 7B , NR 6 C(O)OR 5 , —NR 6 C(O)R 5 , —NR 6 C(O)NR 7A R 7B , —C(O)NR 7A R 7B , —C(O)R 5 , —C(O)OR 5 , —SO 2 R 5 , —SO 2 NR 7A R 7B and —NR 6 S(O) 2 R 5 .

9. The compound according to claim 1 wherein W is substituted with one or more substituents selected from fluoro, chloro, cyano, CH 3 or CF 3 .

10. The compound according to claim 1 wherein V is —CH 2 —, —(CH 2 ) 2 —, or —N(R 6 )CH 2 —, or —CH 2 —N(R 6 ) —.

11. The compound according to claim 1 wherein R 3 is cyclopropyl, cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen, oxo, hydroxyl, cyano, C 1-4 -alkyl, halo-C 1-4 -alkyl, cyano-C 1-4 -alkyl, —OR 5 , —NR 4A R 4B , NR 6 C(O)OR 5 , —NR 6 C(O)R 5 , —NR 6 C(O)NR 4A R 4B , —C(O)NR 4A R 4B , —C(O)R 5 , —C(O)OR 5 , —SO 2 R 5 , —SO 2 NR 4A R 4B and —NR 6 S(O) 2 R 5 .

12. The compound according to claim 1 wherein R 3 is formed from —NR 4A R 4B wherein R 4A and R 4B , together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached join together to form a 4-7 membered heterocyclic ring optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen, oxo, hydroxyl, cyano, C 1-4 -alkyl, halo-C 1-4 -alkyl, cyano-C 1-4 -alkyl, —OR 5 , —NR 4A R 4B , NR 6 C(O)OR 5 , —NR 6 C(O)R 5 , —NR 6 C(O)NR 4A R 4B , —C(O)NR 4A R 4B , —C(O)R 5 , —C (O)OR 5 , —SO 2 R 5 , —SO 2 NR 4A R 4B and —NR 6 S(O) 2 R 5 .

13. The compound according to claim 1 wherein R 3 is selected from

wherein R 8 is selected from hydrogen, CH 3 , —CONH 2 , —NHCONH 2 , —S(O) 2 CH 3 , and —COCH 3 .

14. The compound according to claim 1 wherein X is —N═, and V is a direct bond.

15. The compound according to claim 1 selected from:

4-({5-[3-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridin-2-yl]pyridin-2-yl}methyl)morpholine;

4-{5-[3-(4-Fluorophenyl)-3H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridin-2-yl]pyrimidin-2-yl}piperazin-2-one;

4-{5-[3-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridin-2-yl]pyrimidin-2-yl}piperazin-2-one;

5-[3-(4-Fluorophenyl)-3H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridin-2-yl]-N-(oxan-4-yl)pyrimidin-2-amine;

4-{5-[3-(4-Fluorophenyl)-3H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridin-2-yl]pyrimidin-2-yl}morpholine;

4-{5-[3-(2-Fluoro-4-methylphenyl)-3H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridin-2-yl] pyrimidin-2-yl}morpholine;

N-(1-{5-[3-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridin-2-yl]pyridin-2-yl}piperidin-4-yl)acetamide;

1-(4-{5-[3-(4-Fluorophenyl)-3H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridin-2-yl]pyridin-2-yl}piperazin-1-yl)ethan-1-one;

1-{5-[3-(4-Fluorophenyl)-3H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridin-2-yl]pyridin-2-yl}-4-methanesulfonylpiperazine;

(1-{5-[3-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridin-2-yl]pyridin-2-yl}piperidin-4-yl)urea;

4-{5-[3-(4-Fluorophenyl)-3H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridin-2-yl]pyridin-2-yl}piperazine-1-carboxamide;

and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

16. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to claim 1 together with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers and/or excipients.