17-N-Allylamino-17-Demethoxygeldanamycin in Treating Patients With Chronic Phase Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia That Did Not Respond to Imatinib Mesylate

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Determine the maximum tolerated dose and dose-limiting toxicity of 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), in terms of frequency, severity, and duration of treatment-emergent adverse events, in patients with imatinib mesylate-resistant Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia. * Determine the pharmacokinetics of this drug and its primary metabolite (17-amino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin) in these patients. Secondary * Determine the hematologic response rate, in terms of WBC count, platelet count, and assessment of blast cells in peripheral blood, in patients treated with this drug. * Determine the cytogenic response rate, in terms of Ph-positive progenitor cells in the bone marrow, in patients treated with this drug. * Assess the effect of this drug on pharmacodynamic markers (i.e., CRKL phosphorylation, BCR-ABL kinase activity, and BCR-ABL, RAF kinase, and HSP70 expression) in these patients. OUTLINE: This is an open label, dose-escalation, multicenter study. Patients receive 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG) IV over 15 minutes or 1 hour (depending on the dose administered) once on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, and 25. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 3 courses in the absence of unacceptable toxicity or disease progression. Eligible patients may receive additional courses of 17-AAG at the discretion of the investigator. Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of 17-AAG until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 3 or 2 of 6 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity. Up to 10 additional patients are treated at the MTD. Patients are followed for 1 month. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 40 patients will be accrued for this study.