MAPT microtubule associated protein tau
ENSG00000186868 · protein coding · Open Targets profile
Promotes microtubule assembly and stability, and might be involved in the establishment and maintenance of neuronal polarity (PubMed:21985311). The C-terminus binds axonal microtubules while the N-terminus binds neural plasma membrane components, suggesting that tau functions as a linker protein between both (PubMed:21985311, PubMed:32961270). Axonal polarity is predetermined by TAU/MAPT localization (in the neuronal cell) in the domain of the cell body defined by the centrosome. The short isoforms allow plasticity of the cytoskeleton whereas the longer isoforms may preferentially play a role in its stabilization. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:21985311, ECO:0000269|PubMed:32961270}.
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 Withdrawn means the drug was pulled from the market or from development.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
- Structure with Ligand, High-Quality Ligand, Druggable Family
- Antibody
- Advanced Clinical, UniProt loc high conf, GO CC high conf, Human Protein Atlas loc
- PROTAC
- Literature, UniProt Ubiquitination, Database Ubiquitination, Half-life Data, Small Molecule Binder
gnomAD loss of function constraint: o/e 0.5004799962043762 (upper bound 0.6663100123405457). 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 4 registry trials, updated in the last three years, of the most advanced drugs against MAPT (zagotenemab, gosuranemab, bepranemab, tilavonemab, posdinemab, semorinemab), ranked by Phase 2+ trials. Live from ClinicalTrials.gov.
- UCB Cares001 844 599 2273 (UCB) · 1 of 3 trials Phase 2+Ph1NCT04658199 · A Study to Test the Safety and Tolerability of Long-term UCB0107 Administration in Study Participants With Progressive Supranuclear Palsybrief
Registry trials of zagotenemab, gosuranemab, bepranemab, tilavonemab, posdinemab, semorinemab 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; 0 of 4 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. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, fetched live.
8 trials of drugs against MAPT were stopped early
Terminated, withdrawn and suspended interventional trials of zagotenemab, gosuranemab, bepranemab, tilavonemab, posdinemab, semorinemab, 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 8 most recent of 8.
- terminated · 2022-11-08 · Biogen · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“The study (NCT03352557) was terminated based on lack of efficacy following the placebo-controlled period readout.”
- terminated · 2022-09-22 · AbbVie · Tilavonemab“Discontinued because of lack of efficacy in the parent study (Study M15-566; NCT02880956).”
- terminated · 2022-03-16 · Genentech, Inc. · Semorinemab“Study was terminated during Open Label Extension period because analyses of placebo-controlled Blinded portion of study did not show any evidence of clinical efficacy or modulation of accumulation of tau PET signal at any of the doses studied.”
- terminated · 2021-02-03 · AbbVie · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“This study was prematurely discontinued because the program for progressive supranuclear palsy was discontinued due to lack of efficacy of study drug.”
- terminated · 2021-02-03 · AbbVie · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“This study was prematurely discontinued because the program for progressive supranuclear palsy was discontinued due to lack of efficacy.”
- terminated · 2020-12-21 · Biogen · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“251PP301(PASSPORT) primary endpoint was not met;Biogen decision to close the study early. There were no safety concerns with the PASSPORT study.”
- terminated · 2020-05-18 · Biogen · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“251PP301(NCT03068468) primary endpoint was not met;further development of Gosuranemab BIIB092 in progressive supranuclear palsy will not be pursued.”
- terminated · 2019-12-19 · University of California, San Francisco · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“BIIB092 program discontinued”
Paediatric incentives and obligations for MAPT's drugs
For zagotenemab, gosuranemab, bepranemab, tilavonemab, posdinemab, semorinemab: 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 · MAPT 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 zagotenemab, gosuranemab, bepranemab, tilavonemab, posdinemab, semorinemabRule: 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/3/16/1649 withdrawn 28 Apr 2016: Treatment of progressive supranuclear palsyRule: 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/3/16/1649, 2026-11-11
- Authorised in the EU: no · EMA lists no centrally authorised medicine of zagotenemab, gosuranemab, bepranemab, tilavonemab, posdinemab, semorinemabRule: 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 zagotenemab, gosuranemab, bepranemab, tilavonemab, posdinemab, semorinemabRule: 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: no · No interventional study of zagotenemab, gosuranemab, bepranemab, tilavonemab, posdinemab, semorinemab includes patients under 18Rule: 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.
| Drug | Type | Highest stage | Indications | Source records |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZAGOTENEMAB | Antibody | phase 2 | Alzheimer disease, tauopathy | Open Targets · ChEMBL |
| GOSURANEMAB | Antibody | phase 2 | progressive supranuclear palsy, Alzheimer disease, Pick disease, primary progressive aphasia, corticobasal syndrome | Open Targets · ChEMBL |
| BEPRANEMAB | Antibody | phase 2 | Alzheimer disease, progressive supranuclear palsy | Open Targets · ChEMBL |
| TILAVONEMAB | Antibody | phase 2 | Alzheimer disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, neurodegenerative disease | Open Targets · ChEMBL |
| POSDINEMAB | Antibody | phase 2 | Alzheimer disease | Open Targets · ChEMBL |
| SEMORINEMAB | Antibody | phase 2 | Alzheimer disease | Open Targets · ChEMBL |