An orally bioavailable, second-generation, hydroxamic acid-based inhibitor of histone deacetylase (HDAC) with potential antineoplastic activity. HDAC inhibitor JNJ-26481585 inhibits HDAC leading to an accumulation of highly acetylated histones, which may result in an induction of chromatin remodeling; inhibition of the transcription of tumor suppressor genes; inhibition of tumor cell division; and the induction of tumor cell apoptosis. HDAC, an enzyme upregulated in many tumor types, deacetylates chromatin histone proteins. Compared to some first generation HDAC inhibitors, JNJ-26481585 may induce superior HSP70 upregulation and bcl-2 downregulation.