SB-715992 in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Recurrent Malignant Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed malignant melanoma

  * Previously untreated metastatic or recurrent disease
  * Considered incurable by standard therapies
* Measurable disease

  * At least one unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
  * Bone metastases are not considered measurable disease
  * Outside any previously irradiated area

    * Patients whose sole site of measurable disease is in a previously irradiated area are ineligible unless there is evidence of progression or new lesions documented in the irradiated field
* No known CNS metastases

  * CT scans or MRI are not required to rule out CNS metastases unless patient exhibits neurological signs or symptoms
  * Patients with a prior solitary brain metastasis surgically resected with no evidence of residual disease are eligible provided CT scan or MRI confirms no evidence of disease within the past 28 days
* Archival paraffin tumor specimen available

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Performance status

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

* At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

* Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic

* Bilirubin normal
* AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

Renal

* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular

* No symptomatic congestive heart failure
* No unstable angina pectoris
* No cardiac arrhythmia

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No other malignancy except adequately treated nonmelanoma skin cancer, curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or other curatively treated solid tumors with no evidence of disease for ≥ 5 years
* No other uncontrolled illness
* No ongoing or active infection
* No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study participation
* No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to SB-715992

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* At least 3 months since prior adjuvant immunotherapy
* No prior immunotherapy for metastatic or recurrent disease

Chemotherapy

* No prior chemotherapy, including regional therapy

Endocrine therapy

* Not specified

Radiotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy except for low-dose, non-myelosuppressive radiotherapy

Surgery

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery

Other

* More than 28 days since prior investigational agents
* More than 14 days since prior and no concurrent use of any of the following CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers:

  * Clarithromycin
  * Erythromycin
  * Troleandomycin
  * Itraconazole
  * Ketoconazole
  * Fluconazole (≤ 200 mg/day allowed)
  * Voriconazole
  * Nefazodone
  * Fluvoxamine
  * Verapamil
  * Diltiazem
  * Grapefruit juice
  * Bitter orange
  * Phenytoin
  * Carbamazepine
  * Phenobarbital
  * Oxcarbazepine
  * Rifampin
  * Rifabutin
  * Rifapentine
  * Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
  * Modafinil
* At least 6 months since prior and no concurrent amiodarone
* No concurrent antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
* No other concurrent anticancer treatment
* No other concurrent investigational therapies