SB-715992 in Treating Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer That Did Not Respond to Docetaxel or Paclitaxel

Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate

  * Metastatic disease (N1 and/or M1)
  * Unresponsive or refractory to androgen-deprivation therapy
* Must have received one, and only one, prior taxane-containing (docetaxel or paclitaxel) chemotherapy regimen for metastatic disease that was discontinued due to disease progression, intolerance, or patient request
* Evidence of disease progression as defined by ≥ 1 of the following:

  * Progression of measurable disease
  * Progression of evaluable disease
  * Rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA)

    * At least 2 consecutive rises in PSA levels, each taken ≥ 7 days apart
    * PSA ≥ 5 ng/mL
* Must have pre-study PSA \> 5 ng/mL
* Measurable or evaluable disease

  * Soft tissue disease that has been irradiated within the past 2 months is not considered measurable disease
  * Soft tissue disease that has been irradiated ≥ 2 months prior to study entry is considered measurable disease provided the lesion progressed after radiation
* Surgical or medical castration required

  * If luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists (leuprolide or goserelin) or LHRH antagonists (abarelix) were used, then must continue use during study therapy
* No prior or concurrent brain metastases (treated or untreated)

  * If clinical suspicion of brain metastases, must meet the following criteria:

    * Brain CT scan or MRI negative for metastatic disease within the past 56 days
    * No new symptoms since radiographic evaluation
* Performance status - Zubrod 0-2
* Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL
* Bilirubin normal
* SGOT and SGPT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* Creatinine clearance ≥ 40 mL/min
* No symptomatic congestive heart failure
* No unstable angina pectoris
* No cardiac arrhythmia
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
* No prior allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to SB-715992
* No ongoing or active infection
* No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study participation
* No other uncontrolled illness
* No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or adequately treated stage I or II cancer in complete remission
* No colony-stimulating factors during the first course of study therapy
* No concurrent anticancer biologic therapy
* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide or ketoconazole
* At least 6 weeks since prior bicalutamide or nilutamide
* No concurrent anticancer hormonal therapy except LHRH agonist or antagonist for patients who have not undergone orchiectomy
* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
* Prior samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium allowed
* No prior strontium chloride Sr 89
* No prior radiotherapy to ≥ 30% of bone marrow
* No concurrent anticancer radiotherapy
* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 3 weeks since prior surgery and recovered
* At least 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent use of any of the following CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers:

  * Clarithromycin
  * Erythromycin
  * Troleandomycin
  * Rifampin
  * Rifabutin
  * Rifapentine
  * Itraconazole
  * Ketoconazole
  * Fluconazole (dose \> 200 mg/day)
  * Voriconazole
  * Nefazodone
  * Fluvoxamine
  * Verapamil
  * Diltiazem
  * Grapefruit juice
  * Bitter orange
  * Phenytoin
  * Carbamazepine
  * Phenobarbital
  * Oxcarbazepine
  * Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
  * Modafinil
* At least 6 months since prior and no concurrent amiodarone
* No other investigational drugs for 4 weeks before, during, and for 2 weeks after study therapy
* No other concurrent anticancer cytotoxic therapy
* No other concurrent anticancer therapy
* No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
* Concurrent enrollment on SWOG-9205 (central prostate cancer serum repository protocol) allowed