SALICYLIC ACID DERIVATIVES, PHARMACEUTICALLY ACCEPTABLE SALT THEREOF, COMPOSITION THEREOF AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF

1 - 19 . (canceled)

20 . A compound of formula I

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or prodrug thereof,

wherein each of m and n are independently an integer from 0-3;

wherein R 1 is selected from A 1 , A 2 , -(A 1 )-(A 2 ), -(A 2 )-(A 3 ), -(A 3 )-(A 2 ), -(A 3 )-(A 4 ), -(A 5 )-(A 1 )-(A 7 ), -(A 5 )-(A 2 )-(A 8 ), -(A 5 )-(A 3 )-(A 7 ), and -(A 5 )-(A 6 )-L-(A 7 );

wherein A 1 is C 3-6 cycloalkyl, and substituted with 0-3 groups selected from halo, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, cyano, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 polyhaloalkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 haloalkoxy, C 1-6 polyhaloalkoxy, C 1-6 alkylthio, C 1-6 haloalkylthio, C 1-6 polyhaloalkylthio, C 1-6 alkylamino, C 1-6 dialkylamino, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkylthio, CO 2 H, (C═O)R 5 , (C═O)OR 5 , and (C═O)NHR 5 ;

wherein A 2 is C 3-6 cycloalkyl or heterocycloalkyl, substituted with 0-3 groups selected from halo, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, cyano, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 polyhaloalkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 haloalkoxy, C 1-6 polyhaloalkoxy, C 1-6 alkylthio, C 1-6 haloalkylthio, C 1-6 polyhaloalkylthio, C 1-6 alkylamino, C 1-6 dialkylamino, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkoxy (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkylthio, CO 2 H, (C═O)R 6 , (C═O)OR 6 , and (C═O)NHR 6 ;

wherein A 3 is aryl, and substituted with 0-3 groups selected from halo, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, cyano, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 polyhaloalkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 haloalkoxy, C 1-6 polyhaloalkoxy, C 1-6 alkylthio, C 1-6 haloalkylthio, C 1-6 polyhaloalkylthio, C 1-6 alkylamino, C 1-6 dialkylamino, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkylthio, CO 2 H, (C═O)R 7 , (C═O)OR 7 , and (C═O)NHR 7 ;

wherein A 4 is aryl, and substituted with 1-3 groups selected from halo, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, cyano, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 polyhaloalkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 haloalkoxy, C 1-6 polyhaloalkoxy, C 1-6 alkylthio, C 1-6 haloalkylthio, C 1-6 polyhaloalkylthio, C 1-6 alkylamino, C 1-6 dialkylamino, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkylthio, CO 2 H, (C═O)R 8 , (C═O)OR 8 , and (C═O)NHR 8 ;

wherein A 5 is selected from C 3-6 cycloalkyl, C 3-6 heterocycloalkyl, and aryl, and substituted with 0-3 groups selected from halo, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, cyano, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 polyhaloalkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 haloalkoxy, C 1-6 polyhaloalkoxy, C 1-6 alkylthio, C 1-6 haloalkylthio, C 1-6 polyhaloalkylthio, C 1-6 alkylamino, C 1-6 dialkylamino, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkylthio, CO 2 H, (C═O)R 9 , (C═O)OR 9 , and (C═O)NHR 9 ;

wherein A 6 is selected from C 3-6 cycloalkyl, C 3-6 heterocycloalkyl, and aryl, and substituted with 0-3 groups selected from halo, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, cyano, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 polyhaloalkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 haloalkoxy, C 1-6 , polyhaloalkoxy, C 1-6 alkylthio, C 1-6 haloalkylthio, C 1-6 polyhaloalkylthio, C 1-6 alkylamino, C 1-6 dialkylamino, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkylthio, CO 2 H, (C═O)R 10 , (C═O)OR 10 , and (C═O)NHR 10 ;

wherein A 7 is selected from C 3-6 cycloalkyl, C 3-6 heterocycloalkyl, and aryl, and substituted with 0-3 groups selected from halo, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, cyano, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 polyhaloalkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 haloalkoxy, C 1-6 polyhaloalkoxy, C 1-6 alkylthio, C 1-6 haloalkylthio, C 1-6 polyhaloalkylthio, C 1-6 alkylamino, C 1-6 dialkylamino, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkylthio, CO 2 H, (C═O)R 11 , (C═O)OR 11 , and (C═O)NHR 11 ;

wherein A 8 is selected from C 3-6 cycloalkyl, C 3-6 heterocycloalkyl, and aryl, and substituted with 0-3 groups selected from halo, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 polyhaloalkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 haloalkoxy, C 1-6 polyhaloalkoxy, C 1-6 alkylthio, C 1-6 haloalkylthio, C 1-6 polyhaloalkylthio, C 1-6 alkylamino, C 1-6 dialkylamino, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkoxy, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-alkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-haloalkylthio, (C 1-6 )-alkyl-(C 1-6 )-polyhaloalkylthio, CO 2 H, (C═O)RU, (C═O)OR 12 , and (C═O)NHR 12 ;

wherein L is selected from —(C═O)— and —SO 2 —;

wherein each of R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , and R 2 is independently selected from hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl, and C 1-6 polyhaloalkyl; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate, solvate, or polymorph thereof,

wherein R 2 is selected from the group consisting of:

wherein R 3 is selected from the structure represented by formula:

wherein R4 is an aryl substituted with with one or more groups selected from alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkoxy, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aldehyde, amino, carboxylic acid, ester, ether, halide, ketone, azide, nitro, silyl, sulfo-oxo, and thiol.

21 . The compound of claim 20 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or prodrug thereof, wherein m=0 and R 2 is —CH 3 .

22 . The compound of claim 20 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or prodrug thereof, wherein R 1 is selected from -(A 3 )-(A 2 ) and -(A 2 )-(A 3 ).

23 . The compound of claim 22 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or prodrug thereof, wherein n is 1, A 2 is cyclohexyl and A 3 is aryl.

24 . The compound of claim 20 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or prodrug thereof, wherein R 3 is pentafluorobenzene.

25 . A compound having a structure below,

wherein R 4 is

and R 3 is

or

wherein R 4 is

and R 3 is

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or prodrug thereof.

26 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound as defined in claim 20 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or prodrug thereof and an acceptable excipient.

27 . A method for inhibiting STAT3 and/or STAT5 activity, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound as defined in claim 20 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or prodrug thereof, to a patient.

28 . A method for reducing tumor growth with cancer cells harbouring activated STAT3 or STAT5, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound as defined in claim 20 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or prodrug thereof to a patient.

29 . The method of claim 28 , where said cancer cells are from solid or hematological tumors.

30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein said cancer cells are from a cancer selected from the group consisting of breast cancer, brain cancer, liver cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, blood cancer, skin cancer, head cancer, neck cancer, glioblastoma, multiple myeloma, acute myelogenic leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

31 . A method of using the pharmaceutical composition as defined in claim 26 for inhibiting STAT3 and/or STAT5 activity, the method comprising contacting a cell comprising STAT3 and/or STAT5 with the pharmaceutical composition.

32 . The method of using the pharmaceutical composition as defined in claim 31 , for use in reducing tumor growth with cancer cells harbouring activated STAT3 or STAT5.

33 . The method of using the pharmaceutical composition as defined in claim 32 , wherein said cancer cells are from solid or hematological tumors.

34 . The method of using the pharmaceutical composition as defined in claim 33 , wherein said cancer cells are from a cancer is selected from the group consisting of breast cancer, brain cancer, liver cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, blood cancer, skin cancer, head cancer, neck cancer, glioblastoma, multiple myeloma, acute myelogenic leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia.