Drugs › Histone deacetylase inhibitor
Brand name · Vorinostat
Zolinza: adverse event reports filed with FDA
630 reports list it as a suspect or interacting product, 2007–2026. Class: Histone deacetylase inhibitor. Also reported as Zolinza Capsules 100mg.
- 630
- reports as suspect product
- 0% of all reports · about 33 a year
- 3
- reports, 12 months to June 2026
- 5 in the 12 months before
- 65.2%
- marked serious by the reporter
- 90% across the class
- 19.4%
- record death among outcomes, as reported
- 122 reports · not verified by FDA
630 adverse event reports received by FDA list the brand name Zolinza (vorinostat) as a suspect or interacting product, from March 2007 to June 2026. A further 76 reports list it only as a concomitant medication, and those are not counted in the figures on this page.
In the 12 months to June 2026, 3 reports listed it, down 40% from 5 in the 12 months before. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases. Over its reporting history that is about 33 reports a year and 0% of the 20,646,523 reports in the database, and 22.9% of the reports for the histone deacetylase inhibitor class. How many people take it is not in the data, so a count is not a rate of occurrence.
The reactions recorded most often are product use in unapproved indication (8.1%), platelet count decreased (7.9%) and nausea (7%). A report can list several reactions, so shares add to more than 100%; 190 different terms appear across these reports. Product use in unapproved indication is recorded in 8.1% of these reports, a larger share than in the median histone deacetylase inhibitor drug (4.8%).
65.2% of the reports are marked serious by the reporter (90% across the class); 19.4% record death among the outcomes and 35.6% record hospitalisation, as reported. 32.9% of the reports came from other health professionals, and the largest patient age group is 45 to 64 (25.2%). FDA states that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report" and that for any given report "there is no certainty that a suspected drug caused the event."
Reports by month, five years
Reports by the month FDA received them. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases.
By year received
2026 covers reports received through June 2026 only.
Reactions recorded in the reports
share of Zolinza reports recording the termmedian drug in histone deacetylase inhibitor
- Product use in unapproved indicationused for a purpose not on the label8.1%51
- Platelet count decreasedlow platelet count7.9%50
- Nauseafeeling sick7%44
- Fatiguetiredness6.3%40
- Diarrhoealoose or frequent stools6.2%39
- Dehydrationdehydration5.7%36
- Deaththe patient died; cause not stated by this term5.2%33
- Off label useused for a purpose or in a way not on the label5.1%32
- Thrombocytopenialow platelets4.9%31
- Decreased appetitereduced appetite4.6%29
- Vomitingbeing sick4%25
- Anaemialow red blood cells3.8%24
- Weight decreasedweight loss3.5%22
- Pyrexiafever3%19
- Drug ineffectivethe medicine did not work as expected2.9%18
- Dysgeusiaaltered taste2.9%18
- Disease progressionthe disease advanced2.7%17
- Mycosis fungoides2.5%16
- Malaisegeneral feeling of being unwell2.2%14
- Febrile neutropeniafever with low white blood cells2.1%13
- Product use issuea problem in how the product was used2.1%13
- Adverse eventan unwanted medical event, type not specified1.7%11
- Headachehead pain1.7%11
- Alopeciahair loss1.6%10
- Astheniaweakness or lack of energy1.6%10
- Blood creatinine increasedraised creatinine, a kidney test1.6%10
- Pulmonary embolisma blood clot in the lung1.6%10
- Sepsisa severe body-wide response to infection1.6%10
- Syncopefainting1.6%10
- Hypokalaemialow blood potassium1.4%9
Top 30 of 190 MedDRA preferred terms recorded across these reports, with a plain-language gloss where one is available. One report can record several terms. The hollow bar is the median share across the 3 drugs in the histone deacetylase inhibitor class; it describes the reports, not the patients. FDA states that adverse event reports "represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product", that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product", and that the data "by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic."
Outcomes recorded
Outcome flags as the reporter set them; a report can carry several, and "other serious" is FDA's own category for serious reports outside the named outcomes. Grey bar: all 2,757 reports in the class. FDA has not verified any outcome and states that the reports "cannot be used to estimate the incidence of these events."
Patients and reporters
Patient age
Patient sex
Who reported
Age and sex as stated in the report; the reporter's qualification is the primary source recorded by FDA. 75.2% of reports give the United States as the country of the event or reporter.
Reason for use recorded
| Indication as recorded (MedDRA) | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mycosis fungoides | 153 | 24.3% |
| Cutaneous t-cell lymphoma | 31 | 4.9% |
| Acute myeloid leukaemia | 23 | 3.7% |
| T-cell lymphoma | 22 | 3.5% |
| Acute lymphocytic leukaemia | 16 | 2.5% |
| Neoplasm malignant | 12 | 1.9% |
The indication field is filled in by the reporter and is often blank; shares are of all 630 reports.
In context
| Measure | Zolinza | Histone deacetylase inhibitor | All reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reports as suspect product | 630 | 2,757 | 20,646,523 |
| Share of that pool | — | 22.9% | 0% |
| Reports, latest 12 months | 3 | — | 1,332,454 |
| Marked serious | 65.2% | 90% | 57.4% |
| Death recorded among outcomes, per 1,000 reports | 194 | 201 | 91 |
| Hospitalisation recorded, per 1,000 reports | 356 | 495 | 213 |
| Consumer-filed share | 18.3% | 14.6% | 45.8% |
| Top term, share of reports | Product use in unapproved indication 8.1% | median 4.8% | 1.2% |
Shares are of reports, not of patients treated. The number of people taking a product is not in the data, so none of these figures is a rate, and differences between columns reflect who takes a product, who reports and how long it has been sold. FDA states that adverse event reports "represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product", that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product", and that the data "by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic."
Other drugs in the histone deacetylase inhibitor class
| Drug | Name type | Reports | Latest 12 months | Marked serious |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vorinostat | generic | 1,441 | 21 | 97.7% |
| Romidepsin | generic | 686 | 27 | 96.4% |
Ordered by report count for navigation only. FDA states that adverse event reports "represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product", that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product", and that the data "by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic." A brand and its generic are separate rows because reporters name them separately.
Questions about Zolinza reports
How many adverse event reports has FDA received for Zolinza?
630 reports list Zolinza as a suspect or interacting product in the openFDA FAERS release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through June 2026. 3 of them arrived in the latest 12 months. Another 76 list it only as a concomitant medication.
What reactions are recorded in Zolinza reports?
product use in unapproved indication (8.1%), platelet count decreased (7.9%), nausea (7%), fatigue (6.3%) and diarrhoea (6.2%). These are MedDRA preferred terms coded from what the reporter described; a report can list several, and a term's presence is not a finding that Zolinza was responsible.
How serious are the reports?
65.2% are marked serious by the reporter. Among the outcomes recorded, 19.4% of reports include death and 35.6% include hospitalisation. FDA has not verified these outcomes and states that the reports "cannot be used to estimate the incidence" of the events.
Who files these reports?
other health professional (32.9%), physician (27.3%) and consumer or non-health professional (18.3%). Most reports reach FDA through the manufacturer, which must forward reports it receives.
Are reports for Zolinza rising?
3 reports in the 12 months to June 2026, down 40% from 5 in the 12 months before. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases. Counts also move with how many people take a product, its time on the market and publicity.
Do these reports show that Zolinza was responsible for these reactions?
No. FDA states that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report" and that for any given report "there is no certainty that a suspected drug caused the event." The reaction may relate to the condition being treated, to other medicines, or to something else.
Is this a list of the side effects of Zolinza?
No. It is a count of what was reported to FDA. The adverse reactions observed in clinical studies are printed on the FDA-approved label, which a pharmacist or clinician can go through with you.
How do I report an adverse event?
Consumers and health professionals can report to FDA through MedWatch (Form FDA 3500 online, or 1-800-FDA-1088), or to the manufacturer, which must pass reports on. See the guide on how to report.
Where this comes from. Counts are built from the openFDA Drug Adverse Event (FAERS) bulk export released 28 Sep 2026, which holds reports FDA received through 30 Jun 2026. Drug names are as reported, resolved to the brand or generic name on the FDA label where openFDA's harmonisation matched them; classes are the pharmacologic class (EPC) from the label and the National Drug Code Directory of 17 Sep 2026. A report counts here when it lists Zolinza as a suspect or interacting product; reports listing it only as a concomitant medication (76) are excluded. No report narrative, lot number, patient detail or reporter identity is published. See the methodology and sources; FDA's record is authoritative, and corrections are handled within five working days.
Drug data (FAERS) through 30 Jun 2026; device data (MAUDE) through 31 Aug 2026. Not medical advice.