KEAP1 kelch like ECH associated protein 1
ENSG00000079999 · protein coding · Open Targets profile
Substrate-specific adapter of a BCR (BTB-CUL3-RBX1) E3 ubiquitin ligase complex that regulates the response to oxidative stress by targeting NFE2L2/NRF2 for ubiquitination (PubMed:14585973, PubMed:15379550, PubMed:15572695, PubMed:15601839, PubMed:15983046, PubMed:37339955). KEAP1 acts as a key sensor of oxidative and electrophilic stress: in normal conditions, the BCR(KEAP1) complex mediates ubiquitination and degradation of NFE2L2/NRF2, a transcription factor regulating expression of many cytoprotective genes (PubMed:15601839, PubMed:16006525). In response to oxidative stress, different electrophile metabolites trigger non-enzymatic covalent modifications of highly reactive cysteine residues in KEAP1, leading to inactivate the ubiquitin ligase activity of the BCR(KEAP1) complex, promoting NFE2L2/NRF2 nuclear accumulation and expression of phase II detoxifying enzymes (PubMed:16006525, PubMed:17127771, PubMed:18251510, PubMed:19489739, PubMed:29590092). In response to selective autophagy, KEAP1 is sequestered in inclusion bodies following its interaction with SQSTM1/p62, leading to inactivation of the BCR(KEAP1) complex and activation of NFE2L2/NRF2 (PubMed:20452972). The BCR(KEAP1) complex also mediates ubiquitination of SQSTM1/p62, increasing SQSTM1/p62 sequestering activity and degradation (PubMed:28380357). The BCR(KEAP1) complex also targets BPTF and PGAM5 for ubiquitination and degradation by the proteasome (PubMed:15379550, PubMed:17046835). {ECO:0000269|PubMed:14585973, ECO:0000269|PubMed:15379550, ECO:0000269|PubMed:15572695, ECO:0000269|PubMed:15601839, ECO:0000269|PubMed:15983046, ECO:0000269|PubMed:16006525, ECO:0000269|PubMed:17046835, ECO:0000269|PubMed:17127771, ECO:0000269|PubMed:18251510, ECO:0000269|PubMed:19489739, ECO:0000269|PubMed:20452972, ECO:0000269|PubMed:28380357, ECO:0000269|PubMed:29590092, ECO:0000269|PubMed:37339955}.
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 Withdrawn means the drug was pulled from the market or from development.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, High-Quality Pocket, Druggable Family
- PROTAC
- UniProt Ubiquitination, Database Ubiquitination, Half-life Data, Small Molecule Binder
gnomAD loss of function constraint: o/e 0.43568000197410583 (upper bound 0.6045399904251099). 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 68 registry trials, updated in the last three years, of the most advanced drugs against KEAP1 (diroximel, monomethyl, bardoxolone methyl), ranked by Phase 2+ trials. Live from ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Bristol-Myers SquibbBristol-Myers Squibb · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Daniel OntanedaThe Cleveland Clinic · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Jining TaoShanghai Fudan-Zhangjiang Bio-Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Joseph CheriyanCambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Nicolas COLLONGUESUniversity Hospital, Strasbourg, France · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Nikos EvangelouUniversity of Nottingham · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Polly NiravathHouston Methodist Cancer Center · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Rodrigo Ruiz-SotoAntibodyChem Biosciences · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Silvia StacchiottiS.C. Oncologia Medica 2, Tumori Mesenchimali e Rari, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Tae Min KimSeoul National University Hospital · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Thomas C. MarburyOrlando Clinical Research Center · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Xuejun ZhuPeking University First Hospital · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Christine L HaleCovance Clinical Research Unit · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- David W WrayUniversity of Utah · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Ellen M. MowryJohns Hopkins University · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
Registry trials of diroximel, monomethyl, bardoxolone methyl 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; 46 of 61 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. 7 trials list no sites and are left out. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, fetched live.
24 trials of drugs against KEAP1 were stopped early; 3 give no reason
Terminated, withdrawn and suspended interventional trials of diroximel, monomethyl, bardoxolone methyl, 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 24 most recent of 24.
- terminated · 2025-06-11 · Biogen · Bardoxolone methyl“The company determined that continued exposure of these high-risk PH patients to clinic or in-person visits during the COVID pandemic presented an unacceptable risk.”
- terminated · 2025-06-04 · Biogen · Bardoxolone methyl capsules“Exposure of these high-risk patients to clinic or in-person visits during the pandemic presented an unacceptable risk to their health”
- terminated · 2025-06-03 · Biogen · Bardoxolone methyl“Discontinuation of all bardoxolone chronic kidney disease programs”
- terminated · 2025-06-03 · Biogen · Bardoxolone methyl oral capsule“Discontinuation of all bardoxolone chronic kidney disease programs”
- terminated · 2025-05-30 · Biogen · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Enrollment discontinued after second cohort completed.”
- withdrawn · 2025-05-29 · Biogen · Bardoxolone Methyl“IDMC recommendation for safety concerns”
- withdrawn · 2025-05-29 · Biogen · Bardoxolone Methyl 20 mg“IDMC recommendation for safety concerns”
- terminated · 2025-05-29 · Biogen · Bardoxolone methyl“To pursue other indications”
- terminated · 2025-05-29 · Biogen · Bardoxolone Methyl: 20 mg“IDMC recommendation for safety concerns”
- terminated · 2025-05-29 · Biogen · Bardoxolone Methyl“IDMC recommendation for safety concerns”
- withdrawn · 2025-05-29 · Biogen · Bardoxolone Methyl“IDMC recommendation for safety concerns”
- terminated · 2024-03-27 · GlaxoSmithKline · L-N-monomethyl arginine acetate (L-NMMA)“The study is terminated due to feasibility in recruitment.”
- terminated · 2023-10-27 · Biogen · 20 mg bardoxolone methyl“IDMC recommendation for safety concerns”
- terminated · 2023-09-26 · Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. · Bardoxolone methyl“Based on results of double-blind parts, it was determined that it would be difficult to submit a marketing authorization application for RTA 402 for diabetic kidney disease.”
- terminated · 2023-08-24 · Mirati Therapeutics Inc. · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“The study was terminated due to sponsor decision / portfolio prioritization, and not due to safety reasons.”
- withdrawn · 2019-08-15 · Medical University of Vienna · NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA)No reason given
- terminated · 2019-03-11 · Seagen Inc. · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Sponsor decision based on portfolio prioritization”
- terminated · 2018-08-15 · Emory University · L-NG-monomethyl Arginine (L-NMMA)“Limited clinical staff”
- withdrawn · 2018-07-27 · Eric Bernicker, MD · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“lack of funding”
- terminated · 2018-06-21 · Seagen Inc. · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Sponsor decision based on portfolio prioritization and changing treatment landscape in frontline DLBCL”
- terminated · 2017-01-19 · H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Slow accrual, loss of sponsor support”
- terminated · 2014-12-18 · Seagen Inc. · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Sponsor decision not to enroll cohorts of combined SGN-35 and gemcitabine therapy.”
- terminated · 2014-11-17 · Medical University of Vienna · NG-monomethyl-L-arginineNo reason given
- terminated · 2014-11-14 · Medical University of Vienna · NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA)No reason given
Paediatric incentives and obligations for KEAP1's drugs
For diroximel, monomethyl, bardoxolone methyl: 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 · KEAP1 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: yes · EMEA-002685-PIP02-19-M01 (Diroximel fumarate (BIIB098), Treatment of multiple sclerosis): PM: decision on the application for modification of an agreed PIP, 29 Sept 2022; EMEA-002488-PIP01-18 (Bardoxolone methyl, Treatment of Alport syndrome): P: decision agreeing on a investigation plan, with or without partial waiver(s) and or deferral(s), 16 Jul 2021Rule: 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/3/21/2480 positive 20 Aug 2021: Treatment of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease; EU/3/18/2019 positive 25 May 2018: Treatment of Alport 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 data download (dated snapshot), 2026-11-11
- Authorised in the EU: yes · Vumerity: authorised since 15 Nov 2021; Imbarkyd: application withdrawn, orphan medicineRule: 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 diroximel, monomethyl, bardoxolone methylRule: 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 · 12 interventional studies of diroximel, monomethyl, bardoxolone methyl include patients under 18; 2 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 4 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.