EML4 EMAP like 4
ENSG00000143924 · protein coding · Open Targets profile
Essential for the formation and stability of microtubules (MTs) (PubMed:16890222, PubMed:31409757). Required for the organization of the mitotic spindle and for the proper attachment of kinetochores to MTs (PubMed:25789526). Promotes the recruitment of NUDC to the mitotic spindle for mitotic progression (PubMed:25789526). {ECO:0000269|PubMed:16890222, ECO:0000269|PubMed:25789526, ECO:0000269|PubMed:31409757}.
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 Withdrawn means the drug was pulled from the market or from development.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, High-Quality Ligand
- PROTAC
- Database Ubiquitination, Half-life Data, Small Molecule Binder
- Other modalities
- Phase 1 Clinical
gnomAD loss of function constraint: o/e 0.5583199858665466 (upper bound 0.6792799830436707). 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 156 registry trials, updated in the last three years, of the most advanced drugs against EML4 (alectinib, lorlatinib, crizotinib, ceritinib), ranked by Phase 2+ trials. Live from ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Yongchang ZhangHunan Cancer Hospital · 4 of 4 trials Phase 2+
- Caicun ZhouShanghai East Hospital · 2 of 2 trials Phase 2+
- David S HongECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group · 2 of 2 trials Phase 2+
- Denis Moro-SibilotGrenoble - CHU · 2 of 2 trials Phase 2+
- Matthew KrebsThe Christie Hospital · 2 of 2 trials Phase 2+
- Michael DuruisseauxLyon - URCOT · 2 of 2 trials Phase 2+
- Yi-Long WuGuangdong Provincial People's Hospital · 1 of 2 trials Phase 2+
- A.J. van der WekkenUniversity Medical Center Groningen · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Aaron S MansfieldECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Aditi BagchiSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Alex MenziesMelanoma Institute Australia · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Alice T ShawECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Anne-Marie DingemansErasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Anneyd AvalosOmnicure Clinical Research - Site 1 · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Antoine ItalianoInstitut Bergonié · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
Registry trials of alectinib, lorlatinib, crizotinib, ceritinib 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; 95 of 145 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. 11 trials list no sites and are left out. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, fetched live.
41 trials of drugs against EML4 were stopped early; 6 give no reason
Terminated, withdrawn and suspended interventional trials of alectinib, lorlatinib, crizotinib, ceritinib, PLB1003, 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 41.
- terminated · 2026-07-21 · ETOP IBCSG Partners Foundation · Alectinib“Low recruitment rate”
- suspended · 2026-06-05 · Megan Kruse, MD · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Anheart acquired by Nuvation Bio; leadership not moving forward”
- terminated · 2026-06-04 · Pfizer · lorlatinib“The study was prematurely discontinued due to strategic reasons. The PF-07284892 program will continue”
- terminated · 2026-04-23 · National Cancer Institute (NCI) · Alectinib, Ceritinib, Crizotinib, Lorlatinib“Inadequate accrual rate”
- terminated · 2026-03-10 · Yael P Mosse · Ceritinib“The goals of Part 1 (molecular screening) were met, but lack of therapies to match molecular aberrations made Part 2 (treatment) no longer feasible.”
- terminated · 2025-07-16 · National Cheng-Kung University Hospital · Crizotinib 250 MG“Patients were recruited during screen phase but fewer patients met criteria.”
- terminated · 2025-05-13 · Massachusetts General Hospital · Alectinib“slow accrual”
- terminated · 2025-01-23 · Pfizer · Crizotinib“Termination of further treatment on the study due to the availability of commercial supply or a rollover study (NCT05160922) that will allow active subjects to continue receiving treatment.”
- terminated · 2025-01-08 · Strata Oncology · lorlatinib“Business decision and enrollment difficulties”
- terminated · 2024-11-08 · Pfizer · Crizotinib“The trial is terminated based on business decision, not due to safety concerns or regulatory requirements.”
- terminated · 2024-06-21 · Pfizer · lorlatinib“The study stopped due to lack of enrollment”
- terminated · 2024-04-26 · Suzhou Zelgen Biopharmaceuticals Co.,Ltd · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Sponsor R\&D Strategy Adjustment”
- terminated · 2024-03-04 · OHSU Knight Cancer Institute · Lorlatinib“Low accrual”
- withdrawn · 2024-01-23 · OHSU Knight Cancer Institute · Alectinib“Withdrawn due to a change in therapeutic interventions.”
- withdrawn · 2023-12-13 · SCRI Development Innovations, LLC · Lorlatinib“Study withdrawn by pharmaceutical funding partner”
- terminated · 2023-08-07 · Hoffmann-La Roche · Alectinib“The data from this study is no longer needed.”
- terminated · 2023-07-07 · Pfizer · Crizotinib“The study was terminated since there was no need for further safety or efficacy data to be collected. The participants having benefit from the Investigational treatments have been moved to a continuation study (NCT05059522)”
- terminated · 2023-02-03 · University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center · Ceritinib“The study was terminated after UTSW was informed by Novartis that further support for the study would not be provided”
- terminated · 2023-01-26 · Criterium, Inc. · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Did not meet enrollment objectives.”
- terminated · 2022-12-27 · University of California, San Francisco · Ceritinib“Low Accrual”
- terminated · 2022-11-03 · Wake Forest University Health Sciences · Crizotinib“Study closed to accrual due to low accrual numbers.”
- terminated · 2022-10-24 · University of Colorado, Denver · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Low accrual”
- terminated · 2021-09-27 · Dana-Farber Cancer Institute · Alectinib“Study closed due to slow accrual and lack of efficacy.”
- terminated · 2021-09-13 · M.D. Anderson Cancer Center · Crizotinib (Xalkori)“PI request”
- terminated · 2021-04-08 · Novartis Pharmaceuticals · Ceritinib“Study was terminated due to low enrollment”
Paediatric incentives and obligations for EML4's drugs
For alectinib, lorlatinib, crizotinib, ceritinib, PLB1003: 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 · EML4 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-001493-PIP03-18-M01 (crizotinib, Treatment of anaplastic large cell lymphoma;Treatment of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumours): PM: decision on the application for modification of an agreed PIP, 27 Jan 2021; compliance positive 31 Mar 2023; EMEA-002431-PIP02-21 (alectinib, Treatment of all conditions included in the category of malignant neoplasms (except haematopoietic and lymphoid tissue neoplasms)): P: decision agreeing on a investigation plan, with or without partial waiver(s) and or deferral(s), 31 Jan 2022; EMEA-002669-PIP02-20 (Lorlatinib, Treatment of lung cancer): W: decision granting a waiver in all age groups for all conditions or indications, 15 Jan 2021; EMEA-001493-PIP02-18 (crizotinib, Treatment of lung malignant neoplasms): W: decision granting a waiver in all age groups for all conditions or indications, 7 Dec 2018; +1 moreRule: 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: no · No EU orphan designation names alectinib, lorlatinib, crizotinib, ceritinib, plb1003Rule: 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 · Xalkori: authorised since 23 Oct 2012; Lorviqua: authorised since 6 May 2019; Alecensa: authorised since 16 Feb 2017; Zykadia: authorised since 6 May 2015Rule: 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: yes · Crizotinib [Xalkori], 14 Jul 2022: Treatment of adult and pediatric patients 1 year of age and older with unresectable, recurrent, or refractory inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) that is ALK-positive; Crizotinib [Xalkori], 14 Jan 2021: Treatment of pediatric patients 1 year of age and older and young adults with relapsed or refractory, systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) that is ALK-positiveRule: 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 · 32 interventional studies of alectinib, lorlatinib, crizotinib, ceritinib, plb1003 include patients under 18; 13 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 6 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.