TGFBR1 transforming growth factor beta receptor 1
ENSG00000106799 · protein coding · Open Targets profile
Transmembrane serine/threonine kinase forming with the TGF- beta type II serine/threonine kinase receptor, TGFBR2, the non- promiscuous receptor for the TGF-beta cytokines TGFB1, TGFB2 and TGFB3. Transduces the TGFB1, TGFB2 and TGFB3 signal from the cell surface to the cytoplasm and is thus regulating a plethora of physiological and pathological processes including cell cycle arrest in epithelial and hematopoietic cells, control of mesenchymal cell proliferation and differentiation, wound healing, extracellular matrix production, immunosuppression and carcinogenesis (PubMed:33914044). The formation of the receptor complex composed of 2 TGFBR1 and 2 TGFBR2 molecules symmetrically bound to the cytokine dimer results in the phosphorylation and the activation of TGFBR1 by the constitutively active TGFBR2. Activated TGFBR1 phosphorylates SMAD2 which dissociates from the receptor and interacts with SMAD4. The SMAD2-SMAD4 complex is subsequently translocated to the nucleus where it modulates the transcription of the TGF-beta-regulated genes. This constitutes the canonical SMAD-dependent TGF-beta signaling cascade. Also involved in non-canonical, SMAD-independent TGF-beta signaling pathways. For instance, TGFBR1 induces TRAF6 autoubiquitination which in turn results in MAP3K7 ubiquitination and activation to trigger apoptosis. Also regulates epithelial to mesenchymal transition through a SMAD- independent signaling pathway through PARD6A phosphorylation and activation. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:15761148, ECO:0000269|PubMed:16754747, ECO:0000269|PubMed:18758450, ECO:0000269|PubMed:33914044, ECO:0000269|PubMed:7774578, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8752209, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8980228, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9346908}.
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 Withdrawn means the drug was pulled from the market or from development.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
- Advanced Clinical, Structure with Ligand, High-Quality Ligand, High-Quality Pocket, Druggable Family
- Antibody
- UniProt loc high conf, GO CC high conf, UniProt SigP or TMHMM, Human Protein Atlas loc
- PROTAC
- Literature, UniProt Ubiquitination, Database Ubiquitination, Half-life Data, Small Molecule Binder
gnomAD loss of function constraint: o/e 0.36274001002311707 (upper bound 0.5271000266075134). 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 22 registry trials, updated in the last three years, of the most advanced drugs against TGFBR1 (galunisertib, vactosertib), ranked by Phase 2+ trials. Live from ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Minkyu HeoMedPacto, Inc. · 3 of 3 trials Phase 2+
- Sunjin HwangMedPacto, Inc. · 2 of 2 trials Phase 2+
- Channing PallerJohns Hopkins University · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Joseph M ScanduraWeill Medical College of Cornell University · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Kristina YoungProvidence Health & Services · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Lawrence FongUniversity of California, San Francisco · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Minkyu JungDivision of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei cancer center, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University Healthy System · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Todd CrocenziProvidence Health & Services · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Benjamin TomlinsonUniversity Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Kathleen MooreObstetrics and Gynecology · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Vandana AbramsonVanderbilt University/Ingram Cancer Center · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
Registry trials of galunisertib, vactosertib 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; 18 of 21 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. 1 trials list no sites and are left out. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, fetched live.
9 trials of drugs against TGFBR1 were stopped early
Terminated, withdrawn and suspended interventional trials of galunisertib, vactosertib, 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 9 most recent of 9.
- suspended · 2026-07-14 · David Wald · Vactosertib“Drugs unavailable”
- terminated · 2025-12-31 · Chloe Atreya, MD, PhD · Vactosertib“Sponsor decision”
- terminated · 2025-07-02 · Weill Medical College of Cornell University · Vactosertib“Low accrual”
- terminated · 2025-04-02 · Yonsei University · Pembrolizumab, Vactosertib“According to the protocol criteria, during the Phase 1 analysis, the registered participants' imaging evaluation responses did not meet the criteria, leading to an early termination”
- withdrawn · 2024-12-09 · MedPacto, Inc. · Vactosertib(TEW-7197)/ Durvalumab“Changing trial strategy”
- withdrawn · 2024-12-09 · MedPacto, Inc. · Vactosertib“Changing trial strategy”
- terminated · 2024-12-09 · MedPacto, Inc. · Vactosertib 300 mg BID and pembrolizumab 200 mg IV“This is because Medpacto decided to modify its development strategy as the business and development environment changed.”
- terminated · 2019-12-09 · Weill Medical College of Cornell University · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“The study was terminated due to lack of patient accrual.”
- withdrawn · 2019-07-24 · The Netherlands Cancer Institute · Galunisertib“No study drug available. Same concept with new study drug will be explored in M19TGA study”
Paediatric incentives and obligations for TGFBR1's drugs
For galunisertib, vactosertib: 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 · TGFBR1 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 galunisertib, vactosertibRule: 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/3/23/2797 positive 25 Jul 2023: Treatment of osteosarcomaRule: 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/3/23/2797, 2026-11-11
- Authorised in the EU: no · EMA lists no centrally authorised medicine of galunisertib, vactosertibRule: 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 galunisertib, vactosertibRule: 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 · 1 interventional studies of galunisertib, vactosertib include patients under 18; 1 is 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 2 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.
| Drug | Type | Highest stage | Indications | Source records |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GALUNISERTIB | Small molecule | phase 2 3 | arteriosclerosis, non-small cell lung carcinoma, myelodysplastic syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, glioblastoma, breast cancer, rectal cancer, +13 more | Open Targets · ChEMBL |
| VACTOSERTIB | Small molecule | phase 2 | myeloproliferative disorder, urothelial carcinoma, colorectal cancer, anemia, non-small cell lung carcinoma, gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, gastric adenocarcinoma, gastric cancer, +13 more | Open Targets · ChEMBL |