A new series of rigid 2-aryl-4-(4′-hydroxyphenyl)-5H-indeno[1,2-b]pyridines were synthesized. Compound 16 inhibited most strongly both topo I and topo IIα and cell proliferation. The mode of action of compound 16 was determined to be DNA non-intercalative topo catalytic inhibitor. Molecular docking study suggested that compound 16 inhibited both topo I and topo IIα.