GABRA1 gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor subunit alpha1
ENSG00000022355 · protein coding · Open Targets profile
Alpha subunit of the heteropentameric ligand-gated chloride channel gated by Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain (PubMed:23909897, PubMed:25489750, PubMed:29950725, PubMed:30602789). GABA-gated chloride channels, also named GABA(A) receptors (GABAAR), consist of five subunits arranged around a central pore and contain GABA active binding site(s) located at the alpha and beta subunit interface(s) (PubMed:29950725, PubMed:30602789). When activated by GABA, GABAARs selectively allow the flow of chloride anions across the cell membrane down their electrochemical gradient (PubMed:23909897, PubMed:29950725, PubMed:30602789). Alpha-1/GABRA1-containing GABAARs are largely synaptic (By similarity). Chloride influx into the postsynaptic neuron following GABAAR opening decreases the neuron ability to generate a new action potential, thereby reducing nerve transmission (By similarity). GABAARs containing alpha-1 and beta-2 or -3 subunits exhibit synaptogenic activity; the gamma-2 subunit being necessary but not sufficient to induce rapid synaptic contacts formation (PubMed:23909897, PubMed:25489750). GABAARs function also as histamine receptor where histamine binds at the interface of two neighboring beta subunits and potentiates GABA response (By similarity). GABAARs containing alpha, beta and epsilon subunits also permit spontaneous chloride channel activity while preserving the structural information required for GABA-gated openings (By similarity). Alpha-1-mediated plasticity in the orbitofrontal cortex regulates context-dependent action selection (By similarity). Together with rho subunits, may also control neuronal and glial GABAergic transmission in the cerebellum (By similarity). {ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:P08219, ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:P62812, ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:P62813, ECO:0000269|PubMed:23909897, ECO:0000269|PubMed:25489750, ECO:0000269|PubMed:29950725, ECO:0000269|PubMed:30602789}.
Each band is a group of drugs. It runs from the kind of drug on the left to the furthest stage that drug has reached in any disease on the right. Thicker bands mean more drugs.
Approved bands are highlighted. Withdrawn means the drug was pulled from the market or from development. A combined phase counts as the later one (Phase 1/2 is shown as Phase 2). Hover a band for the drug names. Source: Open Targets Platform, fetched live.
Each row is a cancer, strongest overall evidence first. The two dots show how strong the inherited (germline) and tumour-mutation (somatic) evidence is; the line between them is the gap.
Scores run from 0 (no evidence) to 1 (strongest). A missing dot at 0 means Open Targets holds no evidence of that kind. Source: Open Targets Platform, fetched live.
Tractability
- Small molecule
- Approved Drug, Structure with Ligand, High-Quality Ligand, Druggable Family
- Antibody
- UniProt loc high conf, GO CC high conf, UniProt loc med conf, UniProt SigP or TMHMM, Human Protein Atlas loc
- PROTAC
- Half-life Data, Small Molecule Binder
gnomAD loss of function constraint: o/e 0.18403999507427216 (upper bound 0.3211599886417389). Low values mean loss of function is poorly tolerated, a safety flag for inhibition.
Who runs trials of these drugs
Principal investigators and study chairs on 17 registry trials, updated in the last three years, of the most advanced drugs against GABRA1 (halazepam, quazepam, prazepam, ethchlorvynol, glutethimide, acamprosate calcium, secobarbital, butalbital, flurazepam, metharbital, chlordiazepoxide, methohexital), ranked by Phase 2+ trials. Live from ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Alice P ChenNational Cancer Institute (NCI) · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Elijah BeatyWake Forest University Health Sciences · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Nancy DiazgranadosNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Peter LeWittHenry Ford Health System · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Victor M KarpyakMayo Clinic · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Anthony BonaviaMilton S. Hershey Medical Center · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Atef M KhalilFayoum University · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Charlotte GoldfineYale University · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Eric J. HawkinsVA Puget Sound Health Care System Seattle Division, Seattle, WA · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Julia K WarnockUniversity of Oklahoma · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Justin Y KwanNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
Registry trials of halazepam, quazepam, prazepam, ethchlorvynol, glutethimide, acamprosate calcium, secobarbital, butalbital, flurazepam, metharbital, chlordiazepoxide, methohexital updated in the last three years, counted by the country group of their listed sites. A trial with sites in several groups counts in each; 17 of 17 have all sites in one country.
Site counts are not patients per country, and trials registered only outside ClinicalTrials.gov are not covered. Where sites are is a fact about the record, not a judgement of its quality. Europe is the EU and EEA, the UK and Switzerland. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, fetched live.
10 trials of drugs against GABRA1 were stopped early; 1 give no reason
Terminated, withdrawn and suspended interventional trials of halazepam, quazepam, prazepam, ethchlorvynol, glutethimide, acamprosate calcium, secobarbital, butalbital, flurazepam, metharbital, chlordiazepoxide, methohexital, newest update first, live from ClinicalTrials.gov. Each reason is quoted exactly as the registry gives it; we do not sort reasons into safety, efficacy or business. Dates are the last registry update. Showing the 10 most recent of 10.
- terminated · 2026-04-06 · University of Oklahoma · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Recruitment barriers.”
- withdrawn · 2024-09-25 · Henry Ford Health System · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Study was never initiated.”
- withdrawn · 2023-08-01 · University of New Mexico · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“PI left the institution”
- withdrawn · 2021-04-13 · Synchroneuron Inc. · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Funding stopped, company closed”
- withdrawn · 2021-04-13 · Synchroneuron Inc. · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Funding terminated; company closed”
- terminated · 2018-02-28 · Hannover Medical School · FlurazepamNo reason given
- terminated · 2016-05-11 · Virginia Commonwealth University · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Not enough sugjects enrolled before funding ran out”
- withdrawn · 2015-11-13 · Baylor College of Medicine · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“PI left site”
- terminated · 2013-08-30 · James Murrough · Methohexital“limited enrollment”
- terminated · 2012-09-27 · H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute · aminoglutethimide“low accrual”
Paediatric incentives and obligations for GABRA1's drugs
For halazepam, quazepam, prazepam, ethchlorvynol, glutethimide, acamprosate calcium, secobarbital, butalbital, flurazepam, metharbital, chlordiazepoxide, methohexital: what EMA and FDA publish about paediatric plans, orphan status and pediatric approvals, and how many registered studies take children. Each line is a yes, no or not published fact from the record linked under it; none of it is a forecast.
- FDA pediatric target list: no · GABRA1 is not on the listRule: Target is on FDA's Pediatric Molecular Target List (relevant targets). Source: FDA Pediatric Molecular Target List (Listed as February 2026 on the FDA Pediatric Oncology page; the file served is 9.7.22_the_relevant_molecular_target_list.xlsx, whose Summary of Changes sheet is headed 'SEPTEMBER 2022 UPDATE' (footnote date 2022-09-01)), 2026-11-11
- EU paediatric investigation plan: no · No EMA paediatric investigation plan decision names halazepam, quazepam, prazepam, ethchlorvynol, glutethimide, acamprosate calcium, secobarbital, butalbital, flurazepam, metharbital, chlordiazepoxide, methohexitalRule: An EMA PIP decision (agreement, modification or waiver) lists the drug as its active substance, exact name. Source: EMA data download (dated snapshot), 2026-11-11
- EU orphan designation: yes · EU/3/14/1337 positive 15 Oct 2014: Treatment of fragile X syndromeRule: An EU orphan designation lists the drug as its active substance (exact name) or belongs to a medicine that does; withdrawn and expired designations are listed with their status. Source: EMA EU/3/14/1337, 2026-11-11
- Authorised in the EU: no · EMA lists no centrally authorised medicine of halazepam, quazepam, prazepam, ethchlorvynol, glutethimide, acamprosate calcium, secobarbital, butalbital, flurazepam, metharbital, chlordiazepoxide, methohexitalRule: An EMA medicine record lists the drug as its active substance or INN, exact name; national-only authorisations are not in this file. Source: EMA data download (dated snapshot), 2026-11-11
- FDA orphan designation: not published · FDA's orphan designation database turns away automated requests, so this app does not read it; search it by hand at the linkRule: Would be: an FDA orphan designation names the drug. Source: FDA orphan designations search
- FDA pediatric oncology approval: no · FDA's table lists no pediatric approval of halazepam, quazepam, prazepam, ethchlorvynol, glutethimide, acamprosate calcium, secobarbital, butalbital, flurazepam, metharbital, chlordiazepoxide, methohexitalRule: FDA's Pediatric Oncology Drug Approvals table names the drug. Source: FDA Pediatric Oncology Drug Approvals (content current as of 2026-03-03), 2026-11-11
- Registered studies open to children: yes · 7 interventional studies of halazepam, quazepam, prazepam, ethchlorvynol, glutethimide, acamprosate calcium, secobarbital, butalbital, flurazepam, metharbital, chlordiazepoxide, methohexital include patients under 18; 0 are recruiting, not yet recruiting or activeRule: The registry's age group includes Child (birth to 17 years), which also counts studies that set no minimum age. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov search, 2026-11-11
Rare pediatric disease voucher. FDA, content current as of 29 Apr 2026: “As of February 3, 2026, enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, the rare pediatric disease PRV program will sunset after September 30, 2029. FDA may not award any PRVs under this program after September 30, 2029.” Voucher sale prices are not shown here; they appear only as company-reported news. FDA: Rare Pediatric Disease Designation and Priority Review Voucher Programs
All 76 drugs and clinical candidates as a table
Each drug, stage and indication links to its Open Targets record, where the trials and approvals behind it are listed. Salt forms (for example a mesylate) are listed as Open Targets records them, as separate entries.