IGHE immunoglobulin heavy constant epsilon
ENSG00000211891 · IG C gene · Open Targets profile
Constant region of immunoglobulin heavy chains. Immunoglobulins, also known as antibodies, are membrane-bound or secreted glycoproteins produced by B lymphocytes. In the recognition phase of humoral immunity, the membrane-bound immunoglobulins serve as receptors which, upon binding of a specific antigen, trigger the clonal expansion and differentiation of B lymphocytes into immunoglobulins- secreting plasma cells. Secreted immunoglobulins mediate the effector phase of humoral immunity, which results in the elimination of bound antigens (PubMed:20176268, PubMed:22158414). The antigen binding site is formed by the variable domain of one heavy chain, together with that of its associated light chain. Thus, each immunoglobulin has two antigen binding sites with remarkable affinity for a particular antigen. The variable domains are assembled by a process called V-(D)-J rearrangement and can then be subjected to somatic hypermutations which, after exposure to antigen and selection, allow affinity maturation for a particular antigen (PubMed:17576170, PubMed:20176268). {ECO:0000303|PubMed:17576170, ECO:0000303|PubMed:20176268, ECO:0000303|PubMed:22158414}.
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 Withdrawn means the drug was pulled from the market or from development.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
- Antibody
- Approved Drug, UniProt loc high conf, GO CC high conf, UniProt SigP or TMHMM
- PROTAC
- Database Ubiquitination
gnomAD loss of function constraint: o/e – (upper bound –). 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 59 registry trials, updated in the last three years, of the most advanced drugs against IGHE (omalizumab, ligelizumab, talizumab, quilizumab), ranked by Phase 2+ trials. Live from ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Robert WoodJohns Hopkins University · 2 of 2 trials Phase 2+
- Sharon ChinthrajahDepartment of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine · 1 of 2 trials Phase 2+
- Camille TAILLEAssistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Charlotte G. MoertzOdense Research Center for Anaphylaxis · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Dennis WongGenentech, Inc. · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Elizabeth SugarJohns Hopkins University · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Emanual MaverakisUC Davis · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Hui TangHuashan Hospital · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Jenny StittUniversity of Colorado, Denver · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Jieming QuRuijin Hospital · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Jinhua XuHuashan Hospital · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Kari C NadeauStanford University · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Min ZhangShanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- MinJi MaCelltrion, Inc. · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Nirupama PutchaJohns Hopkins School of Medicine · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
Registry trials of omalizumab, ligelizumab, talizumab, quilizumab 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; 42 of 57 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.
28 trials of drugs against IGHE were stopped early; 4 give no reason
Terminated, withdrawn and suspended interventional trials of omalizumab, ligelizumab, talizumab, quilizumab, MEDI-4212, 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 28.
- terminated · 2026-01-13 · Novartis Pharmaceuticals · Ligelizumab 120 mg, Ligelizumab 240 mg“Sponsor decision”
- terminated · 2025-11-21 · BioRay Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. · Omalizumab (Xolair®)“Company R\&D Strategy Adjustment”
- terminated · 2025-04-29 · Novartis Pharmaceuticals · ligelizumab“Study terminated by sponsor”
- terminated · 2024-09-19 · Stanford University · omalizumab“Parent study closed to enrollment”
- withdrawn · 2024-07-03 · University of California, Davis · Rituximab combined with Omalizumab“PI did not pursue this study; this study was not IRB-approved and never started.”
- terminated · 2024-06-20 · Novartis Pharmaceuticals · Ligelizumab“Study was terminated due to a strategic decision by Novartis to discontinue development of ligelizumab in CSU. This decision was not based on any safety concerns.”
- terminated · 2024-06-18 · Novartis Pharmaceuticals · Ligelizumab“Phase III PEARL studies (CQGE031C2302 and CQGE031C2303) with ligelizumab met their primary endpoint of superiority vs placebo at Week 12 for treatment of CSU, but not versus omalizumab. Decision to discontinue was not based on safety concerns.”
- terminated · 2024-06-18 · Novartis Pharmaceuticals · Ligelizumab“Company decision”
- terminated · 2023-12-11 · Carsten Bindslev-Jensen · Omalizumab Injection“Finished”
- terminated · 2022-03-15 · Genentech, Inc. · Omalizumab“Due to low enrollment, this study was terminated early.”
- withdrawn · 2021-08-18 · Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · Omalizumab Injection [Xolair]“We are terminating due to loss of funding because of Covid-19.”
- withdrawn · 2020-02-05 · University of California, San Francisco · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Insufficient funds available”
- terminated · 2019-09-30 · NYU Langone Health · Omalizumab“Difficulty recruiting subjects”
- withdrawn · 2019-07-10 · Bernstein Clinical Research Center · omalizumab“could not find subject population”
- terminated · 2019-07-02 · Novartis Pharmaceuticals · Omalizumab“Termination was due to identified errors in data management handling after an internal audit by the sponsor performed by third party.”
- withdrawn · 2018-12-06 · Mayo Clinic · Omalizumab“Lack of patients with a condition of interest that resulted in failure to recruit”
- withdrawn · 2018-05-01 · Selina Gierer, D.O. · OmalizumabNo reason given
- terminated · 2017-08-28 · Johns Hopkins University · omalizumab“PI left institution”
- terminated · 2017-08-11 · Novartis Pharmaceuticals · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“This study was terminated due to the efficacy results from an interim analysis (at the end of treatment epoch) of the Phase II study CQGE031B2201 (NCT01716754).”
- terminated · 2017-08-11 · Novartis Pharmaceuticals · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“The study was prematurely terminated after core study CQGE031B2201 failed to meet the primary objective of demonstrating superiority for QGE031 versus placebo.”
- withdrawn · 2017-03-29 · National Jewish Health · Omalizumab (Xolair)“Unable to find eligible subjects- study closed”
- terminated · 2016-04-28 · Novartis Pharmaceuticals · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“This study was stopped after Part 1 completed and was terminated because the predefined criteria of efficacy was not reached ( >50% better then placebo)”
- terminated · 2013-01-21 · Genentech, Inc. · Xolair (omalizumab)No reason given
- withdrawn · 2012-07-23 · Novartis Pharmaceuticals · matched by the registry's drug synonymsNo reason given
- terminated · 2011-09-26 · Novartis Pharmaceuticals · OmalizumabNo reason given
Paediatric incentives and obligations for IGHE's drugs
For omalizumab, ligelizumab, talizumab, quilizumab, MEDI-4212: 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 · IGHE 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-001811-PIP03-20 (ligelizumab, Treatment of food allergy): P: decision agreeing on a investigation plan, with or without partial waiver(s) and or deferral(s), 8 Sept 2021; EMEA-001811-PIP04-21 (ligelizumab, Treatment of chronic inducible urticaria): P: decision agreeing on a investigation plan, with or without partial waiver(s) and or deferral(s), 8 Sept 2021; EMEA-001811-PIP02-15-M04 (ligelizumab, Treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria): PM: decision on the application for modification of an agreed PIP, 11 Aug 2021; EMEA-001395-PIP01-12 (quilizumab, Treatment of asthma): P: decision agreeing on a investigation plan, with or without partial waiver(s) and or deferral(s), 30 Oct 2013; +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 omalizumab, ligelizumab, talizumab, quilizumab, medi-4212Rule: 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 · Adcomfo: opinion; Xolair: authorised since 25 Oct 2005; Omlyclo: authorised since 16 May 2024Rule: 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 omalizumab, ligelizumab, talizumab, quilizumab, medi-4212Rule: 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 · 84 interventional studies of omalizumab, ligelizumab, talizumab, quilizumab, medi-4212 include patients under 18; 6 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 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OMALIZUMAB | Antibody | phase 4 | asthma, urticaria, rhinitis, Airway obstruction, allergic asthma, chronic idiopathic urticaria, chronic interstitial cystitis, angioedema, +31 more | Open Targets · ChEMBL |
| LIGELIZUMAB | Antibody | phase 3 | chronic idiopathic urticaria, peanut allergic reaction, food allergy, thyroid cancer, atopic eczema, bullous pemphigoid, asthma, allergic asthma | Open Targets · ChEMBL |
| TALIZUMAB | Antibody | phase 2 | Allergy | Open Targets · ChEMBL |
| QUILIZUMAB | Antibody | phase 2 | allergic rhinitis, asthma, allergic asthma | Open Targets · ChEMBL |
| MEDI-4212 | Unknown | phase 1 | asthma, atopic IgE-mediated allergic disorder | Open Targets · ChEMBL |