ALDH5A1 aldehyde dehydrogenase 5 family member A1
ENSG00000112294 · protein coding · Open Targets profile
Catalyzes one step in the degradation of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). .
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 Withdrawn means the drug was pulled from the market or from development.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 Pocket, Druggable Family
- PROTAC
- Database Ubiquitination, Half-life Data, Small Molecule Binder
gnomAD loss of function constraint: o/e 0.6037399768829346 (upper bound 0.8072699904441833). 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 ALDH5A1 (valproic acid, divalproex, valproate), ranked by Phase 2+ trials. Live from ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Alfredo BudillonIRCCS I.N.T. "G. Pascale · 3 of 3 trials Phase 2+Ph2NCT05821556 · Valproic Acid/Simvastatin Plus Gemcitabine/Nab-paclitaxel Based Regimens in Untreated Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Patientsbrief
- Andrew PoklepovicMassey Cancer Center · 2 of 2 trials Phase 2+
- Antonio AvalloneIRCCS I.N.T. "G. Pascale · 2 of 2 trials Phase 2+
- mohamed G. Zeinhomneurology department kafr el-sheikh university · 2 of 2 trials Phase 2+
- Polyxeni GeorgilaPrivate Practice · 1 of 2 trials Phase 2+
- Adam CohenInova Health Care Services · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Ahmed A MoslehLecturer of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Faculty of Dentistry-Tanta University · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Audis BetheaCharleston Area Medical Center Health System · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Barry F ChaitinUniversity of California, Irvine · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Bjørn Tore GjertsenHelse-Bergen HF · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Cetina LucelyInstituto Nacional de Cancerologia de Mexico · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- David HuiM.D. Anderson Cancer Center · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Didier LACOMBEUniversity Hospital Bordeaux, France · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Emilio G. CedielUNC-Chapel Hill · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Eric D GaierBoston Children's Hospital · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
Registry trials of valproic acid, divalproex, valproate 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; 52 of 63 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. 5 trials list no sites and are left out. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, fetched live.
68 trials of drugs against ALDH5A1 were stopped early; 11 give no reason
Terminated, withdrawn and suspended interventional trials of valproic acid, divalproex, valproate, 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 25 most recent of 68.
- terminated · 2026-11-05 · M.D. Anderson Cancer Center · Valproic Acid“< 75 % participation”
- terminated · 2026-11-05 · Dr. Inge Winter · Valproate acid“The site in Israel stopped recruitment due to logistic reasons. Other sites are recruiting for 2023-506602-39-00, 2023-506605-19-00, 2023-506617-21-00.”
- suspended · 2026-10-21 · Virginia Commonwealth University · Divalproex Sodium“Pending amendment approval”
- terminated · 2026-08-18 · CAMC Health System · Valproate“PI left site without transferring study to another PI. Study expired and was not renewed.”
- terminated · 2026-08-17 · University of Leicester · Sodium Valproate“Phase 1 completed recruitment and follow-up. Due to necessary suspensions for the COVID-19 pandemic, there was insufficient time remaining to complete Phase 2.”
- terminated · 2025-11-14 · University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill · Valproate Sodium“Low recruitment”
- withdrawn · 2025-05-29 · National Institute of Cancerología · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Due to a lack of sufficient resources, the opening was not carried out.”
- terminated · 2024-03-13 · Cerebral Therapeutics LLC · Valproic Acid delivered to ICV“Company Decision”
- withdrawn · 2023-03-31 · University of Miami · Valproate“coronavirus omicron variant infection typically not associated with delirium and agitation severely hampered recruitment.”
- withdrawn · 2022-06-27 · Assistance Publique Hopitaux De Marseille · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“concomitant decision of the sponsor and the PI, lack of patients”
- withdrawn · 2022-05-18 · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · Sodium Valproate“Did not get approval from the collaborating partners in-country”
- withdrawn · 2021-10-29 · Westat · Valproic Acid Solution“Study terminated by the Sponsor.”
- withdrawn · 2021-10-29 · Westat · Valproic acid“Study terminated by the Sponsor”
- withdrawn · 2021-10-08 · University of British Columbia · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Unable to recruit participants”
- terminated · 2021-10-07 · Kimberly S Jones · Valproic Acid (VPA)“Difficulty recruiting participants”
- terminated · 2021-09-24 · Rambam Health Care Campus · Antiepileptic (either carbamazepine, lamotrigine, phenytoin or valproic acid)“publication of better study”
- terminated · 2021-08-12 · University of Michigan · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“COVID shutdown”
- terminated · 2021-02-09 · Meyer Children's Hospital IRCCS · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Study was terminated due to high heterogeneity of enrolled patients”
- withdrawn · 2020-05-18 · Johns Hopkins University · valproic acid“PI left JHU and is not able to be reached for updates”
- terminated · 2020-02-25 · M.D. Anderson Cancer Center · Valproic Acid (VPA)“Due to low accrual”
- terminated · 2019-10-21 · OPKO Health, Inc. · Valproic acid“Business Decision”
- terminated · 2019-06-26 · Stanford University · Valproic Acid“We did not recruit the research assistant and terminated the study”
- terminated · 2018-09-28 · Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins · valproic acid“The study was terminated per the PI decision.”
- terminated · 2018-04-17 · University of Miami · Valproic Acid“Investigator Decision”
- terminated · 2018-03-09 · University of California, San Francisco · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Premature closure for lack of efficacy.”
Paediatric incentives and obligations for ALDH5A1's drugs
For valproic acid, divalproex, valproate: 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 · ALDH5A1 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 valproic acid, divalproex, valproateRule: 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/3/16/1792 positive 18 Nov 2016: Treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; EU/3/16/1734 positive 29 Aug 2016: Treatment of McArdle's disease; EU/3/04/246 withdrawn 30 Nov 2004: Treatment of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)Rule: 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: no · EMA lists no centrally authorised medicine of valproic acid, divalproex, valproateRule: 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 valproic acid, divalproex, valproateRule: FDA's Pediatric Oncology Drug Approvals table names the drug. Source: FDA Pediatric Oncology Drug Approvals (content current as of 2026-03-03), 2026-11-12
- Registered studies open to children: yes · 108 interventional studies of valproic acid, divalproex, valproate include patients under 18; 7 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, 2026-11-12
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 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VALPROIC ACID | Small molecule | phase 4 | epilepsy, bipolar disorder, Seizure, Generalized non-motor (absence) seizure, complex partial epilepsy, mitochondrial disease, autism, childhood absence epilepsy, +95 more | Open Targets · ChEMBL |
| DIVALPROEX SODIUM | Small molecule | phase 4 | bipolar disorder, Generalized non-motor (absence) seizure, epilepsy, complex partial epilepsy, Seizure, migraine disorder, Vomiting, Anorexia, +26 more | Open Targets · ChEMBL |
| VALPROATE SODIUM | Small molecule | phase 4 | epilepsy, neuropathic pain, alcohol dependence, bipolar disorder, glycogen storage disease V, cancer, Wolfram syndrome, myelodysplastic syndrome, +5 more | Open Targets · ChEMBL |