Vorinostat
/api/v1/drug/vorinostatMechanism of action
Sourced from openFDAVorinostat inhibits the enzymatic activity of histone deacetylases HDAC1, HDAC2 and HDAC3 (Class I) and HDAC6 (Class II) at nanomolar concentrations (IC 50 <86 nM). These enzymes catalyze the removal of acetyl groups from the lysine residues of proteins, including histones and transcription factors.
Indications
Sourced from openFDA- ZOLINZA ® is indicated for the treatment of cutaneous manifestations in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma who have progressive, persistent or recurrent disease on or following two systemic therapies. ZOLINZA is a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor indicated for the treatment of cutaneous manifestations in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) who have progressive, persistent or recurrent disease on or following two systemic therapies.ICD-10: C85.90
Contraindications
Sourced from openFDA- None.contraindicated
Dosage & administration
Sourced from openFDA400 mg orally once daily with food. ( 2.1 ) If patient is intolerant to therapy, reduce the dose to 300 mg orally once daily with food. If necessary, reduce the dose further to 300 mg once daily with food for 5 consecutive days each week. ( 2.2 , 5 ) Reduce dose in patients with mild or moderate hepatic impairment. ( 2.2 ) 2.1 Dosing Information The recommended dose is 400 mg orally once daily with food. Treatment may be continued as long as there is no evidence of progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity. ZOLINZA capsules should not be opened or crushed [see How Supplied/Storage and Handling (16) ] . 2.2 Dose Modifications For Toxicity If a patient is intolerant to therapy, the dose may be reduced to 300 mg orally once daily with food. The dose may be further reduced to 300 mg once daily with food for 5 consecutive days each week, as necessary. Hepatic Impairment Reduce the starting dose to 300 mg orally once daily with food in patients with mild to moderate hepatic impairment (bilirubin 1 to 3 × ULN or AST greater than ULN). There is insufficient evidence to recommend a starting dose for patients with severe hepatic impairment (bilirubin greater than 3 × ULN) [see Use in Specific Populations (8.6) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] .
Warnings & precautions
Sourced from openFDAThromboembolism: Monitor for pertinent signs and symptoms of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis. ( 5.1 ) Myelosuppression: Thrombocytopenia and anemia may require dose modification or discontinuation. Monitor blood counts every 2 weeks during the first 2 months of therapy and monthly thereafter. ( 2.2 , 5.2 , 6 ) Gastrointestinal Toxicity: Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea; patients may require antiemetics, antidiarrheals, and fluid and electrolyte replacement to prevent dehydration. ( 5.3 , 6 ) Hyperglycemia: Monitor blood glucose every 2 weeks during the first 2 months of therapy and monthly thereafter. ( 5.4 ) Clinical Chemistry Abnormalities: Measure and correct abnormal electrolytes, creatinine, magnesium and calcium at baseline. Monitor every 2 weeks during the first 2 months of therapy and at least monthly during treatment. ( 5.5 ) Severe Thrombocytopenia with Concomitant Use of other HDAC Inhibitors: Severe thrombocytopenia with gastrointestinal bleeding has been reported with concomitant use of ZOLINZA and other HDAC inhibitors (e.g., valproic acid). Monitor platelet counts more frequently. ( 5.6 , 7.2 ) Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: Fetal harm can occur when administered to a pregnant woman. Women should be apprised of the potential harm to the fetus. ( 5.7 ) 5.1 Thromboembolism Pulmonary embolism occurred in 5% (4/86) of patients receiving ZOLINZA, and deep vein thrombosis has also been reported. Monitor for signs and symptoms of these events, particularly in patients with a prior history of thromboembolic events [see Adverse Reactions (6) ] .
Adverse reactions
Sourced from openFDAThe following serious adverse reactions have been associated with ZOLINZA in clinical trials and are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the label: Thromboembolism [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Myelosuppression [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Gastrointestinal Toxicity [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Hyperglycemia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] Clinical Chemistry Abnormalities [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] Severe thrombocytopenia when combined with other Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) Inhibitors [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥20%) are diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, thrombocytopenia, anorexia and dysgeusia. ( 6 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC at 1-877-888-4231 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch . 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The safety of ZOLINZA was evaluated in 107 CTCL patients in two single arm clinical studies in which 86 patients received 400 mg once daily. The data described below reflect exposure to ZOLINZA 400 mg once daily in the 86 patients for a median number of 97.5 days on therapy (range 2 to 480+ days). Seventeen (19.8%) patients were exposed beyond 24 weeks and 8 (9.3%) patients were exposed beyond 1 year.
Use in specific populations
Sourced from openFDALactation: Advise women not to breastfeed. ( 8.2 ) 8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary Based on its mechanism of action and findings from animal studies, ZOLINZA can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.1) ] . There are insufficient data on ZOLINZA use in pregnant women to inform a drug-associated risk of major birth defects and miscarriage. In animal reproduction studies, administration of vorinostat to pregnant rats and rabbits during the period of organogenesis caused adverse developmental outcomes at maternal exposures approximately 0.5 times the human exposure based on AUC 0-24 hours (see Data ) . Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively. Data Animal Data Results of animal studies indicate that vorinostat crosses the placenta and is found in fetal plasma at levels up to 50% of maternal concentrations. Doses up to 50 and 150 mg/kg/day were tested in rats and rabbits, respectively (~0.5 times the human exposure based on AUC 0-24 hours ).
Pharmacokinetics
Sourced from openFDA- Metabolism
- Absorption The pharmacokinetics of vorinostat were evaluated in 23 patients with relapsed or refractory advanced cancer. After oral administration of a single 400-mg dose of vorinostat with a high-fat meal, the mean ± standard deviation area under the curve (AUC) and peak serum concentration (C max ) and the median (range) time to maximum concentration (T max ) were 5.5±1.8 µM∙hr, 1.2±0.62 µM and 4 (2-10) hours, respectively.
Overdosage
Sourced from openFDANo specific information is available on the treatment of overdosage of ZOLINZA. In the event of overdose, it is reasonable to employ the usual supportive measures, e.g., remove unabsorbed material from the gastrointestinal tract, employ clinical monitoring, and institute supportive therapy, if required. It is not known if vorinostat is dialyzable.
Approval history
Sourced from openFDA- Oct 6, 2006NDANDA021991Msd Sub Merck
FAERS reports
- 1Febrile Neutropenia23911%
- 2Thrombocytopenia1497.0%
- 3Anaemia1356.3%
- 4Diarrhoea1306.1%
- 5Product Use In Unapproved Indication1306.1%
- 6Nausea1286.0%
- 7Fatigue1265.9%
- 8Vomiting1135.3%
- 9Off Label Use1115.2%
- 10Sepsis1115.2%
- 11Platelet Count Decreased1065.0%
- 12Dehydration1024.8%
- 13Neutropenia934.3%
- 14Death924.3%
- 15Pyrexia904.2%
Literature
Recent PubMed references pinned to Vorinostat as a MeSH major topic. Citations link to pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
- Role of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid and dapagliflozin on Cx43 gene expression in diabetic cardiomyopathy rat's model.Scientific reports · 2026 · Abubeah MR, Iraqy HM, A Elgamal D, et al.PMID 42156803DOI 10.1038/s41598-026-49323-3
- SAHA induces immunogenic cell death in triple negative breast cancer cells and its efficacy is enhanced by SOCS3 functional replacement.European journal of pharmacology · 2026 · Castellano G, Bucciero C, Cugudda A, et al.PMID 42107746DOI 10.1016/j.ejphar.2026.178960
- Mechanism by which SAHA regulates HLA-E expression via the endoplasmic reticulum stress-related PERK/ATF4/CHOP pathway in neuroblastoma.Frontiers in immunology · 2026 · Li Z, Zhen X, Zeng C, et al.PMID 41958679DOI 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1741513
- Vorinostat Inhibition of FOXM1 Oncogenic Signaling Is Associated With the Downregulation of MYCN Transcription in Metastatic Retinoblastoma.Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology · 2026 · Onwumere O, Kim A, Lopez S, et al.PMID 41958314DOI 10.1002/jbt.70834
- Cognitive Functioning in Vorinostat-Treated Pediatric and Young Adult Patients Over the First 180 Days After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant.Pediatric blood & cancer · 2026 · Votruba KL, Rozwadowski M, Braun T, et al.PMID 41873184DOI 10.1002/1545-5017.70259
- AS1411-aptamer-functionalized DNA tetrahedron for targeted delivery of vorinostat to suppress gastric cancer progression via ferroptosis induction and epithelial-mesenchymal transition inhibition.International journal of biological macromolecules · 2026 · Wang T, Zang Y, Wei Q, et al.PMID 41819327DOI 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.151362
- A ROS-Responsive Dimeric Prodrug Nanoassembly for Amplified Epigenetic Therapy of Lymphoma.Journal of medicinal chemistry · 2026 · Li T, Zhuang W, Fan S, et al.PMID 41764633DOI 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c02897
- Bortezomib and vorinostat in combination with mitoxantrone, dexamethasone, and pegasparaginase during induction and reinduction for infants with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: a multicentre single-arm phase 1/2 study.The Lancet. Haematology · 2026 · Gruber TA, Jeha S, Deyell RJ, et al.PMID 41692013DOI 10.1016/S2352-3026(25)00357-6
Clinical trials
The 10 most recently updated of 283 ClinicalTrials.gov registrations naming Vorinostat as an intervention. Registration is not evidence of efficacy or safety — reference crosswalk only.
- TINI 2: Total Therapy for Infants With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia IIRecruiting · Phase 1 · Phase 2 · Interventional · 90 enrolled · Tanja Andrea GruberNCT05848687updated 2026-06-03
- Azacitidine With or Without Lenalidomide or Vorinostat in Treating Patients With Higher-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes or Chronic Myelomonocytic LeukemiaActive not recruiting · Phase 2 · Interventional · 282 enrolled · National Cancer Institute (NCI)NCT01522976updated 2026-05-29
- A Window of Opportunity Trial of Mirdametinib Plus Vorinostat for NF1 Associated, H3K27 Trimethylation Deficient Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor [MPNST]Recruiting · Early phase 1 · Interventional · 8 enrolled · University of MinnesotaNCT06693284updated 2026-05-29
- Vorinostat, Rituximab, and Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Stage II, Stage III, or Stage IV Diffuse Large B-Cell LymphomaActive not recruiting · Phase 1 · Phase 2 · Interventional · 83 enrolled · National Cancer Institute (NCI)NCT00972478updated 2026-05-29
- An Open-Label, Proof of Consent Study of Vorinostat for the Treatment of Mdoerate-to-Severe Crohn s Disease and Maintenance Therapy With UstekinumabRecruiting · Phase 1 · Phase 2 · Interventional · 35 enrolled · National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)NCT03167437updated 2026-05-22
- Safety and Effectiveness of A-dmDT390-bisFv(UCHT1) Fusion Protein in Subjects With Mycosis FungoidesWithdrawn · Phase 2 · Interventional · 0 enrolled · Virogen Biotechnology Inc.NCT02943642updated 2026-05-18
- Vorinostat and Temozolomide in Treating Patients With Malignant GliomasActive not recruiting · Phase 1 · Interventional · 83 enrolled · National Cancer Institute (NCI)NCT00268385updated 2026-05-07
- An Exploratory Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of Vorinostat in Pitt Hopkins SyndromeRecruiting · Phase 1 · Interventional · 5 enrolled · Unravel Biosciences, Inc.NCT07150026updated 2026-05-01
- Rett REVOLUTION Trial: An Exploratory Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of Vorinostat in Rett SyndromeRecruiting · Phase 1 · Interventional · 15 enrolled · Unravel Biosciences, Inc.NCT07150013updated 2026-05-01
- Pediatric Precision Laboratory Advanced Neuroblastoma TherapyRecruiting · Phase 2 · Interventional · 500 enrolled · Giselle ShollerNCT02559778updated 2026-04-28
Frequently asked questions
- How does Vorinostat work?
- Vorinostat inhibits the enzymatic activity of histone deacetylases HDAC1, HDAC2 and HDAC3 (Class I) and HDAC6 (Class II) at nanomolar concentrations (IC 50 <86 nM). These enzymes catalyze the removal of acetyl groups from the lysine residues of proteins, including histones and transcription factors.
- What is Vorinostat used for?
- According to FDA labeling, Vorinostat carries indications including: ZOLINZA ® is indicated for the treatment of cutaneous manifestations in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma who have progressive, persistent or recurrent disease on or following two systemic therapies. ZOLINZA is a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor indicated for the treatment of cutaneous manifestations in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) who have progressive, persistent or recurrent disease on or following two systemic therapies.. This is a reference summary of labeled uses, not medical advice or a treatment recommendation.
- What class of drug is Vorinostat?
- Vorinostat is classified as Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor, Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors, Increased Cellular Death.
- What are the brand names for Vorinostat?
- Vorinostat is marketed under brand names including Zolinza.
- What are the contraindications for Vorinostat?
- Vorinostat labeling lists contraindications including: None.. Always consult the full prescribing information and a clinician.
vorinostat is illustrative MVP content compiled from public sources. pharmacopeia is for educational and informational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.