Non-steroidal polycyclic ring sulphamate derivatives, comprising two or more rings wherein at least two of the rings mimic the A and B rings of oestrone, the preparation and their use as oestrone sulphatase inhibitors

In particular the present invention relates to a non-steroidal sulphamate compound. Over the past two decades, considerable interest has been in the development of inhibitors of the aromatase pathway which converts the androgen precursor androstenedione to oestrone. However, there is evidence that oestrone sulphatase (E1-STS) pathway, i.e. the hydrolysis of oestrone sulphate to oestrone (E1S to E1), as opposed to the aromatase pathway, is the major source of oestrogen in breast tumours. The compound is suitable for use as an inhibitor of oestrone sulphatase. The compound has a polycyclic ring structure comprising two or more rings wherein at least two of the rings mimic the A and B rings of oestrone. Preferably the compound has general formula (A), wherein R1-R6 are independently selected from H, halo, hydroxy, sulphamate, alkyl and substituted variants or salts thereof; by wherein at least one of R1-R6 is a sulphamate group; and wherein the polycyclic ring structure is not tetrahydro-naphthol. Or preferably the compound of general formula (B), wherein R1-R6 are independently selected from H, halo, hydroxy, sulphamate, alkyl and substituted variants or salts thereof; but wherein at least one of R1-R6 is a sulphamate group; and wherein two or more of R1-R6 are linked together to form an additional cyclic structure.