BHMT betaine--homocysteine S-methyltransferase
ENSG00000145692 · protein coding · Open Targets profile
Involved in the regulation of homocysteine metabolism. Converts betaine and homocysteine to dimethylglycine and methionine, respectively. This reaction is also required for the irreversible oxidation of choline. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:10529246, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8798461, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9681996}.
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, Med-Quality Pocket, Druggable Family
- PROTAC
- Half-life Data, Small Molecule Binder
gnomAD loss of function constraint: o/e 0.7679299712181091 (upper bound 1.006600022315979). 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 36 registry trials, updated in the last three years, of the most advanced drugs against BHMT (betaine), ranked by Phase 2+ trials. Live from ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Carles LerinFundació Sant Joan de Déu · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Francesco RotellaAzienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Francisco Luis Mesa AguadoDepartamento de Estomatología, Facultad de Odontología · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Joshua GunnEthos Research and Development · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Marta De VicenteCSAPG · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Massimo SartelliOspedale di Macerata · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Ovunc BardakciogluKirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Agata ChumrzynskaPoznan University of Life Sciences · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Amalia Cañadas MolinaEmployee · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Annemiek NapGynecologist, head of department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Ayako SuzukiDuke University · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Beatriz Rodríguez-Vilaboa del Cura– · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- David C NiemanAppalachian State Univ · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Huilian ZhuSun Yat-sen University · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- José López-LópezBarcelona University · 0 of 1 trials Phase 2+
Registry trials of betaine 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; 34 of 34 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. 2 trials list no sites and are left out. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, fetched live.
5 trials of drugs against BHMT were stopped early
Terminated, withdrawn and suspended interventional trials of betaine, 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 5 most recent of 5.
- terminated · 2023-11-30 · University of Nebraska · Betaine“new medications with improved response released”
- withdrawn · 2023-08-15 · University of Nebraska · Peginterferon alpha-2a , ribavirin and betaine“lack of enrollment”
- terminated · 2022-05-02 · University of Alabama at Birmingham · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Funding issues, poor recruiting and compliance of the patients.”
- withdrawn · 2021-01-12 · Atrium Innovations · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“PI no longer in practice.”
- withdrawn · 2013-07-16 · B. Braun Medical Inc. · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Lack of Enrollment”
Paediatric incentives and obligations for BHMT's drugs
For betaine: 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 · BHMT 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 betaineRule: 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 betaineRule: 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 · Amversio: authorised since 5 May 2022Rule: 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 EPAR Amversio, 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 betaineRule: 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 · 7 interventional studies of betaine 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, 2026-11-12
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 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BETAINE | Small molecule | phase 4 | homocystinuria, inborn errors of metabolism, major depressive disorder, hyperhomocysteinemia, peroxisome biogenesis disorder, xerostomia, hepatitis C virus infection, primary hyperoxaluria type 1, +7 more | Open Targets · ChEMBL |