1,2,3',5'-tetrahydro-2'h-spiro[indole-3,1'-pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole]-2,3'-dione compounds as therapeutic agents activating tp53

A method for treating cancer in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound having the following structure

• wherein
• R1 is meta-halo-phenyl that is optionally further substituted by one to two substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —CN, —C1-C6-alkyl, —O—(C1-C6-alkyl), —S—(C1-C6-alkyl), —C(O)O—(C1-C6-alkyl), —NH(C1-C6-alkyl), and —N(C1-C6-alkyl)2,
• R2 and R3 are independently H or halogen;
• R4 is —C1-C6-alkyl;
• R7 is —OCH3;
• Z is C—R1 or N, Y is C—R9 or N, with the proviso that Z is not C—R8 and Y is not C—R9 in the same compound,
• R5, R6, R1, R9 are independently H, halogen, —OCH3, —NH(CH3), or —N(CH3)2.