<i>N</i>‑Sulfonyl-aminobiaryls as Antitubulin Agents and Inhibitors of Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription 3 (STAT3) Signaling

A series of N-sulfonyl-aminobiaryl derivatives have been examined as novel antitubulin agents. Compound 21 [N-(4′-cyano-3′-fluoro-biphenyl-2-yl)-4-methoxy-benzenesulfonamide] exhibits remarkable antiproliferative activity against four cancer cell lines (pancreatic AsPC-1, lung A549, liver Hep3B, and prostate PC-3) with a mean GI50 value of 57.5 nM. Additional assays reveal that 21 inhibits not only tubulin polymerization but also the phosphorylation of STAT3 inhibition with an IC50 value of 0.2 μM. Four additional compounds (8, 10, 19, and 35) are also able to inhibit this phosphorylation. This study describes novel N-sulfonyl-aminobiaryl (biaryl-benzenesulfonamides) as potent anticancer agents targeting both STAT3 and tubulin.