Benzodiazepine bromodomain inhibitor

1. A method for treating cancer, wherein the cancer is selected from hematological, epithelial including lung, breast and colon carcinomas, mesenchymal, hepatic, renal and neurological tumours, in a subject in need thereof which comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula (Ic) or a pharmaceutical acceptable salt thereof

where

R 1 is C 1-3 alkyl;

R 2 is —NR 2a R 2a′ or —OR 2b ;

wherein one of R 2a or R 2a′ is H, and R 2b or the other of R 2a or R 2a′ is selected from C 1-6 alkyl, haloC 1-6 alkyl, R 2c R 2′c N—C 1-6 alkyl, carbocyclyl, carbocyclylC 1-4 alkyl, heterocyclyl and heterocyclylC 1-4 alkyl,

wherein any of the carbocyclyl or heterocyclyl groups are optionally substituted by one or more groups selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, haloC 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, haloC 1-6 alkoxy, carbonyl, —CO-carbocyclyl, azido, nitro and cyano,

wherein the —CO-carbocyclyl group may be further optionally substituted by one or more groups selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, haloC 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, haloC 1-6 alkoxy, azido, nitro and cyano;

or two adjacent groups on any of the carbocyclyl or heterocyclyl groups together with the interconnecting atoms form a 5- or 6-membered ring which ring may contain 1 or 2 heteroatoms independently selected from O, S and N;

or R 2a and R 2a′ together with the N-atom to which they are attached form a 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring which may optionally contain 1 or 2 heteroatoms independently selected from O, S and N; wherein the 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring may be further optionally substituted by C 1-6 alkyl;

R 2c and R 2′c are independently H and C 1-6 alkyl;

each R 3 is independently selected from H, hydroxy, halo, C 1-6 alkyl, halo C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, halo C 1-6 alkoxy, nitro, cyano, CF 3 , —OCF 3 and —COOR 5 ;

R 4 is hydroxy, halo, C 1-6 alkyl, halo C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, halo C 1-6 alkoxy, nitro, cyano, CF 3 , —OCF 3 ; —COOR 5 or −OS(O) 2 C 1-4 alkyl;

R 5 is C 1-3 alkyl; and

n is an integer 1 to 5.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which R 4 represents hydroxyl or C 1-6 alkoxy.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said compound or a pharmaceutical acceptable salt thereof is a compound of formula (Ib)

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and wherein:

R 1 , R 2 and R 3 and n are as defined in claim 1 .

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein R 1 is methyl.

5. A method according to claim 1 in which n is 1.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein R 3 is 3-fluoro, 4-chloro, 4-fluoro, 4-methoxy or 4-CF 3 .

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the compound of formula 1(c) is the S-enantiomer.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said compound of formula (Ic) is 2-[(4S)-6-(4-Chlorophenyl)-1-methyl-8-(methyloxy)-4H-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a][1,4]benzodiazepin-4-yl]-N-ethylacetamide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein said subject is a human subject.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein said subject is a human subject.