IFNG interferon gamma
ENSG00000111537 · protein coding · Open Targets profile
Type II interferon produced by immune cells such as T-cells and NK cells that plays crucial roles in antimicrobial, antiviral, and antitumor responses by activating effector immune cells and enhancing antigen presentation (PubMed:16914093, PubMed:8666937). Primarily signals through the JAK-STAT pathway after interaction with its receptor IFNGR1 to affect gene regulation (PubMed:8349687). Upon IFNG binding, IFNGR1 intracellular domain opens out to allow association of downstream signaling components JAK2, JAK1 and STAT1, leading to STAT1 activation, nuclear translocation and transcription of IFNG-regulated genes. Many of the induced genes are transcription factors such as IRF1 that are able to further drive regulation of a next wave of transcription (PubMed:16914093). Plays a role in class I antigen presentation pathway by inducing a replacement of catalytic proteasome subunits with immunoproteasome subunits (PubMed:8666937). In turn, increases the quantity, quality, and repertoire of peptides for class I MHC loading (PubMed:8163024). Increases the efficiency of peptide generation also by inducing the expression of activator PA28 that associates with the proteasome and alters its proteolytic cleavage preference (PubMed:11112687). Up-regulates as well MHC II complexes on the cell surface by promoting expression of several key molecules such as cathepsins B/CTSB, H/CTSH, and L/CTSL (PubMed:7729559). Participates in the regulation of hematopoietic stem cells during development and under homeostatic conditions by affecting their development, quiescence, and differentiation (By similarity). {ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:P01580, ECO:0000269|PubMed:11112687, ECO:0000269|PubMed:16914093, ECO:0000269|PubMed:7729559, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8163024, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8349687, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8666937}.
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 Withdrawn means the drug was pulled from the market or from development.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, Med-Quality Pocket
- Antibody
- Approved Drug, GO CC high conf, UniProt loc med conf, UniProt SigP or TMHMM
- PROTAC
- Small Molecule Binder
gnomAD loss of function constraint: o/e 0.5565599799156189 (upper bound 1.0041999816894531). 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 22 registry trials, updated in the last three years, of the most advanced drugs against IFNG (emapalumab, fontolizumab), ranked by Phase 2+ trials. Live from ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Xuefeng Hedepartment of hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University · 3 of 3 trials Phase 2+
- Andromachi ScaradavouMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Ashvind PrabahranPeter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Australia · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Elizabeth M KangNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Evangelos Giamarellos-BourboulisHellenic Institute for the Studies of Sepsis · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Henrique BittencourtSt. Justine's Hospital · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- John BelperioUniversity of California, Los Angeles · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- John GreenlandUniversity of California, San Francisco · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Kelly CorbittUniversity of Miami · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Matthew FrigaultMassachusetts General Hospital · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Michail S LionakisNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Oscar B. LahoudNYU Langone Health · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Paolo StratiM.D. Anderson Cancer Center · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Polina StepenskyHadassah Hebrew University · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Richard MitchellKids Cancer Centre Sydney Children's Hospital · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
Registry trials of emapalumab, fontolizumab 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; 18 of 21 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. 1 trials list no sites and are left out. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, fetched live.
5 trials of drugs against IFNG were stopped early
Terminated, withdrawn and suspended interventional trials of emapalumab, fontolizumab, AMG-811, 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 · 2023-12-28 · Swedish Orphan Biovitrum · Emapalumab“Sponsor Decision related to Business Priorities, Assessment of Development Options”
- terminated · 2023-10-06 · Swedish Orphan Biovitrum · Emapalumab-Lzsg“Sponsor Decision”
- terminated · 2022-03-10 · Swedish Orphan Biovitrum · Emapalumab“Standard of care evolved during the timeframe of the study and had critical impact on recruitment. Early termination was not based on safety reasons but due to the reasons mentoined above. The ongoing patients were completed.”
- terminated · 2014-09-16 · Amgen · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“The 16 subjects enrolled in the study should enable Amgen to adequately assess safety and tolerabili”
- terminated · 2008-08-05 · PDL BioPharma, Inc. · Fontolizumab“Terminated early because the first phase didn't meet the endpoint.”
Paediatric incentives and obligations for IFNG's drugs
For emapalumab, fontolizumab, AMG-811: 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: yes · IFNG is on the list. Membership alone neither requires nor waives a pediatric study.Rule: 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 · EMA/PE/0000225490 (emapalumab, Treatment of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis): PM: decision on the application for modification of an agreed PIP, 11 Jul 2025Rule: An EMA PIP decision (agreement, modification or waiver) lists the drug as its active substance, exact name. Source: EMA EMA/PE/0000225490, 2026-11-11
- EU orphan designation: yes · EU/3/10/749 positive 9 Jun 2010: Treatment of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosisRule: 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/3/10/749, 2026-11-11
- Authorised in the EU: no · Gamifant: refused, orphan medicineRule: 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 Gamifant, 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 · Emapalumab-lzsg [Gamifant], 20 Nov 2018: Treatment of adult and pediatric (newborn and older) patients with primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) with refractory, recurrent or progressive disease or intolerance with conventional HLH therapyRule: 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 · 17 interventional studies of emapalumab, fontolizumab, amg-811 include patients under 18; 9 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 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.