Multiple mechanisms contribute to the synergistic anti-myeloma activity of the pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor LBH589 and the rapalog RAD001

•The HDACi LBH589 and the mTORi RAD001 caused synergistic anti-MM effects.•LBH589/RAD001 combination overcame the protective effects of tumor microenvironment.•Multiple mechanisms contributed to the synergistic effects induced by the drugs.

We examined the pre-clinical activity of pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor LBH589 in combination with mTORC1 inhibitor RAD001 and observed that the drug combination strongly synergized in inducing cytotoxicity in multiple myeloma (MM) cells. LBH589 caused an increase in acetylated histones and RAD001 inhibited mTORC1 activity. RAD001 caused potent G0/G1 arrest while LBH589 induced pronounced apoptosis, both of which were enhanced when the drugs were used in combination. LBH589/RAD001 combination led to down regulation of pStat3, cyclins, CDKs and XIAP and up regulation of pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins. A clinical trial is underway using LBH589/RAD001 combination in relapsed MM patients.