Romidepsin in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically confirmed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) defined by the WHO classification * Initial diagnosis with either of the following: * Bone marrow or peripheral blood myeloblasts of at least 20%, * Recurring genetic abnormalities (e.g., t\[8;21\], inv 16, or t\[16;16\]) and * Bone marrow blast percentage less than 20% * Relapsed or refractory disease defined by 1 of the following: * Under 60 years of age and in second relapse or greater, * Over 60 years of age and in first relapse, * Acute promyelocytic leukemia that has relapsed despite prior tretinoin and arsenic therapy, * Primary refractory AML for which no standard therapy exists * Patients who are over 60 years of age with previously untreated disease and who refuse conventional chemotherapy are eligible * Patients who are over 60 years of age and in first relapse and poor medical candidates for reinduction chemotherapy or who refuse conventional chemotherapy are eligible * Not medically appropriate for OR refused curative bone marrow or stem cell transplantation * No CNS leukemia * ECOG 0-2 OR Karnofsky 60-100% * LVEF at least 40% by MUGA * QTc interval less than 500 msec by EKG * No myocardial infarction within the past 3 months * No symptomatic congestive heart failure * No unstable angina pectoris * No cardiac arrhythmia * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No prior allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to FR901228 (depsipeptide) * No concurrent uncontrolled illness * No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance * No ongoing or active infection * At least 4 weeks since prior autologous stem cell or bone marrow transplantation * No prior allogeneic stem cell or bone marrow transplantation * No concurrent biologic agents * At least 2 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for mitomycin and nitrosoureas) * No concurrent chemotherapy, concurrent hydroxyurea allowed during the first course of study therapy to control hyperleukocytosis * No concurrent radiotherapy * Recovered from prior therapy * At least 4 weeks since prior investigational agents * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients * No other concurrent investigational agents * No concurrent drugs known to have histone deacetylase inhibitor activity (e.g., sodium valproate) * No other concurrent antineoplastic agents * No prior FR901228 (depsipeptide) * At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy