The hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway is a pathway which regulates patterning, growth and cell migration during embryonic development, but in adulthood is limited to tissue maintenance and repair. Mutational inactivation of the inhibitory pathway components leads to constitutive ligand-independent activation of the Hh signaling pathway, results in cancers such as basal cell carcinoma and medulloblastoma. Ligand-dependent activation of Hh signaling is involved in prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer and some blood cancers. Therefore, inhibition of the aberrant Hh signaling represents a promising approach toward novel anticancer therapy. The present invention provides novel molecules of formula I that inhibit hedgehog pathway signaling and provides therapeutic applications for the treatment of malignancies (basal cell carcinoma, medulloblastoma, glioblastoma, non-small cell lung cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, blood cancers, mesenchymal cancers, etc.), prevention of tumor regrowth, sensitization of radio-chemo therapies, and other diseases (inflammation, fibrosis and immune disorders) related to hedgehog signaling.