Belinostat: a new broad acting antineoplastic histone deacetylase inhibitor

Belinostat is a potent hydroxamate-type histone deacetylase inhibitor with a broad antineoplastic activity in a spectrum of preclinical tumor models and with demonstrated clinical efficacy in the still very early clinical trial program. Belinostat has been relatively well tolerated following both i.v. (from 30-min daily infusion to 48-h continuous infusion) and oral administration, and, since no or only minor bone marrow toxicity has been encountered, it has combined well with other antineoplastic agents in full doses. The clinical trial program needs to be advanced further before the final position of belinostat in the therapeutic anticancer armamentarium can be determined.