Inclusion Criteria:

• AML (except t(15;17), inv(16) or t(8;21) and variants) or high risk MDS (IPSS Int-2 or High) diagnosed according to WHO criteria (see Appendix 1)
• Age ≥ 60 years old
• Not a candidate for allogeneic stem cell transplantation within next 12 weeks
• Ability to provide written informed consent, obtained prior to participation in the study and any related procedures being performed
• Patients must meet the following laboratory criteria: Serum albumin > 3 g/dL, AST/SGOT and ALT/SGPT ≤ 2.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) ) or ≤ 5.0 x ULN if the transaminase elevation is due to leukemic involvement, Serum bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x ULN, Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 x ULN or 24-hour creatinine clearance ≥ 50 ml/min, Serum potassium ≥ LLN, Serum phosphorus ≥ LLN, Serum total calcium (corrected for serum albumin) or serum ionized calcium ≥ LLN, Serum magnesium ≥ LLN, TSH and free T4 within normal limits (WNL) (patients may be on thyroid hormone replacement)
• Baseline MUGA or ECHO must demonstrate LVEF ≥ the lower limit of the institutional normal.
• ECOG Performance Status of ≤ 2

Exclusion Criteria:

• Prior treatment for MDS / AML with HDAC inhibitor of hypomethylating agent
• Active CNS involvement with MDS/AML
• Impaired cardiac function including any one of the following:
• Screening ECG with a QTc > 450 msec confirmed by central laboratory prior to enrollment to the study
• Patients with congenital long QT syndrome
• History of sustained ventricular tachycardia
• Any history of ventricular fibrillation or torsades de pointes
• Bradycardia defined as heart rate < 50 beats per minute. Patients with a pacemaker and heart rate ≥ 50 beats per minute are eligible.
• Patients with a myocardial infarction or unstable angina within 6 months of study entry
• Congestive heart failure (NY Heart Association class III or IV)
• Right bundle branch block and left anterior hemiblock (bifasicular block)
• Uncontrolled hypertension
• Concomitant use of drugs with a risk of causing torsades de pointes (See Appendix 2-1)
• Concomitant use of CYP3A4 inhibitors (See Appendix 2-2)
• Patients with unresolved diarrhea > CTCAE grade 1
• Impairment of gastrointestinal (GI) function or GI disease that may significantly alter the absorption of oral LBH589
• Other concurrent severe and/or uncontrolled medical conditions
• Patients who have received chemotherapy or any investigational drug < 2 weeks or hydroxyurea < 48 hours prior to starting study drug or who have not recovered from side effects of such therapy.
• Concomitant use of any anti-cancer therapy or radiation therapy
• Male patients whose sexual partners are WOCBP not using effective birth control
• Patients with known positivity for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis C; baseline testing for HIV and hepatitis C is not required
• Patients with any significant history of non-compliance to medical regimens or with inability to grant a reliable informed consent