Histone deacetylase inhibitor NVP-LAQ824 has significant activity against myeloid leukemia cells in vitro and in vivo

NVP-LAQ824 is a novel potent hydroxamic acid-derived histone deacetylase inhibitor that induces apoptosis in nanomolar concentrations in myeloid leukemia cell lines and patient samples. Here we show the activity of NVP-LAQ824 in acute myeloid leukemia cells and BCR/ABL-expressing cells of mouse and human origin, both sensitive and resistant to imatinib mesylate ( Gleevec, STI-571). Whereas imatinib inhibited overall cellular tyrosine phosphorylation in Ba/F3.p210 cells, NVP-LAQ824 did not inhibit tyrosine phosphorylation, and did not affect BCR/ABL or ABL protein expression. Neither compound was able to inhibit cellular tyrosine phosphorylation in the imatinib-resistant Ba/F3.p210-T315I cell line. These data taken together suggest that BCR/ABL kinase activity is not a direct target of NVP-LAQ824. Synergy between NVP-LAQ824 and imatinib was demonstrated against BCR/ABL-expressing K562 myeloid leukemia cell lines. In addition, we show that NVP-LAQ824 was well tolerated in vivo in a pre-clinical murine leukemia model, with antileukemia activity resulting in significant prolongation of the survival of mice when treated with NVP-LAQ824 compared to control mice. Taken together, these findings provide the framework for NVP-LAQ824 as a novel therapeutic in myeloid malignancies.