Methods and compositions for selective and targeted cancer therapy

A method for selectively treating cancer or killing a cancer cell, comprising administering a prodrug of formula (IV), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, to a patient in need thereof, wherein said prodrug is activated by a cytochrome P450 enzyme, and the activated drug inhibits SCD1:

• wherein:
• R1a is attached to any one or more of C4, C5, C6 and C7 position, and at each occurrence is selected from:
• hydrogen;
• halo;
• hydroxyl;
• C1-6 alkoxyl optionally substituted with 1 or more hydroxyl, cyano and/or halo;
• C1-6 carbonyl;
• C1-6 alkoxycarbonyl;
• cyano;
• nitro;
• amine;
• —(O(CH2)1-3)n—CCH wherein n is an integer selected from 1-5;
• and RA;
• m is an integer selected from 0-4;
• and
• Y1 is selected from:
• azide;
• —C(O)Ra, —CH(OH)Ra, —CH(NH2)Ra, —NHRa, —C(O)NH(CH2)0-6Ra and —C(O)N(Rb)(Rc), each optionally substituted with 1 or more RA;
• wherein RA is selected from C1-6 (e.g., C1-3) alkyl, C2-6 (e.g., C2-3) alkenyl and C2-6 (e.g., C2-3) alkynyl, each optionally substituted with 1 or more halo, hydroxyl, C1-6 (e.g., C1-3) alkoxyl, C1-6 (e.g., C1-3) carbonyl, C1-6 (e.g., C1-3) alkoxycarbonyl, cyano, nitro, and/or amine;
• wherein Ra is, at each occurrence, independently selected from C3-12 cycloalkyl, C2-6 heterocyclyl, C6-12 aryl and C4-12 heteroaryl, each optionally substituted with 1 or more halo, hydroxyl, C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 (e.g., C1-3) alkoxyl, C1-6 (e.g., C1-3) alkoxycarbonyl, cyano, nitro and/or amine;
• wherein Rb and Rc are each independently selected from Ra and RA;
• or Rb and Rc together with the nitrogen they are attached to form a C2-6 heterocyclyl or C4-12 heteroaryl ring.