Protein / target

Epidermal growth factor receptor

EGFRP00533Homo sapiensSwiss-Prot
Clinically validated
Therapeutic maturity
28
Approved medicines
30
Clinical trials
Small-molecule tractable
Druggability
Approved Drug

Protein at a glance

Biological role

Transmembrane receptor protein tyrosine kinase activity

Primary system

Nervous system

Strongest disease association

head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Genetic evidence · score 0.82

Therapeutic maturity

Clinically validated target

28 approved medicines against this target

Druggability

Small molecule

Open Targets tractability · Approved Drug

Clinical development

28 approved · 53 in clinical development

30 linked trials

Derived from structured UniProt, Open Targets and literature data on this page.

Protein profile

UniProt 2026_02

Canonical identity and biological annotation from UniProt.

Function

Receptor tyrosine kinase binding ligands of the EGF family and activating several signaling cascades to convert extracellular cues into appropriate cellular responses (PubMed:10805725, PubMed:27153536, PubMed:2790960, PubMed:35538033). Known ligands include EGF, TGFA/TGF-alpha, AREG, epigen/EPGN, BTC/betacellulin, epiregulin/EREG and HBEGF/heparin-binding EGF (PubMed:12297049, PubMed:15611079, PubMed:17909029, PubMed:20837704, PubMed:27153536, PubMed:2790960, PubMed:7679104, PubMed:8144591, PubMed:9419975). Ligand binding triggers receptor homo- and/or heterodimerization and autophosphorylation on key cytoplasmic residues. The phosphorylated receptor recruits adapter proteins like GRB2 which in turn activates complex downstream signaling cascades. Activates at least 4 major downstream signaling cascades including the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK, PI3 kinase-AKT, PLCgamma-PKC and STATs modules (PubMed:27153536). May also activate the NF-kappa-B signaling cascade (PubMed:11116146). Also directly phosphorylates other proteins like RGS16, activating its GTPase activity and probably coupling the EGF receptor signaling to the G protein-coupled receptor signaling (PubMed:11602604). Also phosphorylates MUC1 and increases its interaction with SRC and CTNNB1/beta-catenin (PubMed:11483589). Positively regulates cell migration via interaction with CCDC88A/GIV which retains EGFR at the cell membrane following ligand stimulation, promoting EGFR signaling which triggers cell migration (PubMed:20462955). Plays a role in enhancing learning and memory performance (By similarity). Plays a role in mammalian pain signaling (long-lasting hypersensitivity) (By similarity)

Subcellular location

Cell membraneEndoplasmic reticulum membraneGolgi apparatus membraneNucleus membraneEndosomeEndosome membraneNucleusSecreted
Domains and Gene Ontology detail (84)

Domains & features

Protein kinase

Gene Ontology

  • Cbasal plasma membrane
  • Cbasolateral plasma membrane
  • Ccell junction
  • Ccell surface
  • Cclathrin-coated endocytic vesicle membrane
  • Ccytoplasm
  • Cearly endosome membrane
  • Cendoplasmic reticulum membrane
  • Cendosome
  • Cendosome membrane
  • Cextracellular space
  • Cfocal adhesion

1210 aa · 134 kDa · 4 isoforms

Biological roles

Reactome v97

What this protein does, drawn together from its UniProt function, Gene Ontology terms and Reactome pathways.

Kinase signallingUniProt · GOCell adhesionGOTranscriptional regulationGOG protein-coupled signallingUniProtApoptosis & cell deathGOMuscle contractionGO
View supporting evidence

Kinase signalling

  • ·Receptor tyrosine kinase binding ligands of the EGF family and activating several signal…
  • ·MAP kinase kinase kinase activity
  • ·protein tyrosine kinase activity
  • ·transmembrane receptor protein tyrosine kinase activity

Cell adhesion

  • ·cell junction
  • ·cell-cell adhesion

Transcriptional regulation

  • ·positive regulation of miRNA transcription
  • ·positive regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II

G protein-coupled signalling

  • ·Receptor tyrosine kinase binding ligands of the EGF family and activating several signal…

Apoptosis & cell death

  • ·negative regulation of apoptotic process

Muscle contraction

  • ·actin filament binding
View underlying pathways (25)

Concepts derived from UniProt GO Reactome — each badge above shows which sources supported that role.

Interaction neighbourhood

STRING v12.0

Proteins with the strongest functional or physical association. Node size and line weight reflect STRING confidence; hover or select a partner to inspect one association.

PTPN11HBEGFNRG1TGFAERBB2DCNSHC1SOS1PIK3CAERBB3EGFR

10 strongest partners — larger node and heavier line mean higher confidence

Functional and physical associations from STRING v12.0. Only associations with this protein are drawn — partner-to-partner links are not part of this evidence.

Drugs targeting this protein

10

Whether each drug engages this protein directly or through a complex, and how many other targets are recorded for it. Direct binders with few recorded targets are listed first.

gefitinib
Narrow target profileApprovedInhibitor

Epidermal growth factor receptor erbB1 inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving non-small cell lung carcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, neoplasm, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Direct interaction with this protein · Only this protein recorded as a target

osimertinib
Narrow target profileApprovedInhibitor

Epidermal growth factor receptor erbB1 inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving non-small cell lung carcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, neoplasm, melanoma

Direct interaction with this protein · Only this protein recorded as a target

amivantamab
Narrow target profileApprovedInhibitor

Epidermal growth factor receptor erbB1 inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving non-small cell lung carcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, neoplasm

Direct interaction with this protein · 1 of 2 recorded protein targets — narrow recorded profile

nimotuzumab
Narrow target profileApprovedInhibitor

Epidermal growth factor receptor erbB1 inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving head and neck cancer, glioblastoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, nasopharyngeal neoplasm

Direct interaction with this protein · Only this protein recorded as a target

Erlotinib Hydrochloride
Narrow target profileApprovedInhibitor

Epidermal growth factor receptor erbB1 inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving non-small cell lung carcinoma, pancreatic neoplasm, non-small cell lung carcinoma, exocrine pancreatic carcinoma

Direct interaction with this protein · Only this protein recorded as a target

pyrotinib
Narrow target profilePhase 3Inhibitor

Epidermal growth factor receptor erbB1 inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving breast cancer, non-small cell lung carcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma

Direct interaction with this protein · 1 of 2 recorded protein targets — narrow recorded profile

mobocertinib
Narrow target profileApprovedInhibitor

Epidermal growth factor receptor erbB1 inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving non-small cell lung carcinoma, neoplasm, non-small cell lung carcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma

Direct interaction with this protein · Only this protein recorded as a target

neratinib
Narrow target profileApprovedInhibitor

Epidermal growth factor receptor erbB1 inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving neoplasm, breast cancer, non-small cell lung carcinoma, glioblastoma

Direct interaction with this protein · 1 of 3 recorded protein targets — narrow recorded profile

brigatinib
Narrow target profileApprovedInhibitor

Epidermal growth factor receptor erbB1 inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving non-small cell lung carcinoma, anaplastic large cell lymphoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma

Direct interaction with this protein · 1 of 2 recorded protein targets — narrow recorded profile

lazertinib
Narrow target profileApprovedInhibitor

Epidermal growth factor receptor erbB1 inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving non-small cell lung carcinoma, neoplasm, non-small cell lung carcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma

Direct interaction with this protein · Only this protein recorded as a target

ChEMBL mechanism, action type and target identity. Open Targets clinical status and indications.

Translational evidence

Open Targets 26

Why this target matters therapeutically — disease associations, drugs in development, tractability and safety, from Open Targets.

Strongest genetic associations

Human genetic evidence — the most direct causal link between this target and a disease.

head and neck squamous cell carcinoma0.82

Genetic · overall 0.73

lung cancer0.79

Genetic · overall 0.72

inflammatory skin and bowel disease, neonatal, 20.79

Genetic · overall 0.64

non-small cell lung carcinoma0.75

Genetic · overall 0.85

lung adenocarcinoma0.72

Genetic · overall 0.77

Highest-confidence therapeutic associations

Diseases where a drug acting on this target has already reached clinical development.

neoplasm0.97

Clinical · overall 0.65

breast cancer0.96

Clinical · overall 0.68

colorectal adenocarcinoma0.86

Clinical · overall 0.68

cancer0.79

Clinical · overall 0.74

glioblastoma0.63

Clinical · overall 0.65

Show all associations
non-small cell lung carcinoma0.85
lung adenocarcinoma0.77
cancer0.74
head and neck squamous cell carcinoma0.73
lung cancer0.72
breast cancer0.68
colorectal adenocarcinoma0.68
glioblastoma0.65
neoplasm0.65
inflammatory skin and bowel disease, neonatal, 20.64

Open Targets ranks 6,459 associations for this target and we store the top 10 by aggregated score. The long tail is largely literature co-mention and RNA-expression evidence, not evidence that this target drives those diseases.

Known drugs · 82 total

RUSERONTINIBPhase 3

acute myeloid leukemia · neoplasm

TESEVATINIBPhase 3

non-small cell lung carcinoma · non-small cell lung carcinoma · polycystic kidney disease

AFATINIBApproval

non-small cell lung carcinoma · neoplasm · non-small cell lung carcinoma

CETUXIMAB SAROTALOCANApproval

head and neck cancer · head and neck squamous cell carcinoma · head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

MDX-447Phase 1

glioblastoma

ALLITINIBPhase 1
BRIGATINIBApproval

non-small cell lung carcinoma · anaplastic large cell lymphoma · non-small cell lung carcinoma

LAZERTINIBApproval

non-small cell lung carcinoma · neoplasm · non-small cell lung carcinoma

IMGATUZUMABPhase 2

metastatic colorectal cancer · non-small cell lung carcinoma · colorectal cancer

AFATINIB DIMALEATEApproval

non-small cell lung carcinoma · non-small cell lung carcinoma · breast cancer

Tractability

SM · Approved DrugSM · Structure with LigandSM · High-Quality LigandSM · High-Quality PocketSM · Druggable FamilyAB · Approved DrugAB · UniProt loc high confAB · GO CC high confAB · UniProt loc med confAB · UniProt SigP or TMHMMAB · Human Protein Atlas locPR · Literature

Safety liabilities

alopeciaocular keratitisHepatotoxicitySkin rashdiarrhoeaDiarrheaAST increaseregulation of catalytic activityepithelial inflammationdrug toxicitydecreased appetiterash

Clinical trials

30

Trials of drugs that target this protein — reached indirectly through those drugs, so a trial listed here studies the drug, not the protein.

Show remaining trials (24)

ClinicalTrials.gov via the drug-target graph.

Forefront confidence

Synthesis

Our own weighting of the evidence behind each disease association. Human genetics and clinical evidence count for most; literature co-mention counts for little, because two entities sharing an abstract is not evidence that one drives the other.

non-small cell lung carcinomaWell supported
0.98
agreement 0.901.00
Clinical30%Genetic30%Somatic mutation22%Pathway13%Literature6%Genetic literaturedup

Open Targets aggregate 0.85 · 5 independent evidence families · 1 not counted as duplicate

head and neck squamous cell carcinomaWell supported
0.97
agreement 0.881.00
Genetic38%Clinical30%Somatic mutation14%Pathway11%Literature7%

Open Targets aggregate 0.73 · 5 independent evidence families

lung adenocarcinomaWell supported
0.96
agreement 0.881.00
Genetic32%Somatic mutation25%Clinical22%Pathway15%Literature7%

Open Targets aggregate 0.77 · 5 independent evidence families

lung cancerWell supported
0.96
agreement 0.871.00
Genetic39%Clinical31%Somatic mutation22%Literature7%Genetic literaturedup

Open Targets aggregate 0.72 · 4 independent evidence families · 1 not counted as duplicate

breast cancerWell supported
0.89
agreement 0.781.00
Clinical51%Genetic38%Literature11%

Open Targets aggregate 0.68 · 3 independent evidence families

The evidence agreement range shows how closely the independent evidence families agree — it is not a statistical confidence interval, and nothing here is fitted to outcome data. Derived from Open Targets evidence types under Forefront weighting; the underlying per-type scores are shown above so the calculation can be checked.

What's happening now

37

Recent activity around this target, drawn from one canonical event stream. Every item is reached through 10 drugs that target this protein, so each event is news about that drug rather than about the protein directly.

  1. Trial status changed2026-07-22

    Phase I Study of the Pan-ERBB Inhibitor Neratinib Given in Combination With Everolimus, Palbociclib, or Trametinib in Advanced Cancer Subjects With EGFR Mutation/Amplification, HER2 Mutation/Amplification, or HER3/4 Mutation or KRAS Mutation

    Status changed to Terminated · ClinicalTrials.gov · via neratinib

  2. Regulatory approval2025-01-20

    Approval: Lazcluze (EMA)

    ema · regulatory · ema · via lazertinib

  3. Withdrawn from market2024-09-27

    Market withdrawal: Gefitinib Mylan (EMA)

    ema · market · ema · via gefitinib

  4. New publication2024-06-26
    Amivantamab plus Lazertinib in Previously Untreated <i>EGFR</i>-Mutated Advanced NSCLC.

    The New England journal of medicine · 2024 · 303 citations · Europe PMC · via amivantamab

  5. New publication2023-10-31
    Pyrotinib versus placebo in combination with trastuzumab and docetaxel as first line treatment in patients with HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer (PHILA): randomised, double blind, multicentre, phase 3 trial.

    BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2023 · 79 citations · Europe PMC · via pyrotinib

  6. New publication2023-08-30
    Nimotuzumab Plus Gemcitabine for K-Ras Wild-Type Locally Advanced or Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer.

    Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 2023 · 37 citations · Europe PMC · via nimotuzumab

  7. New publication2023-06-01
    Current treatment strategies for EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer: from first line to beyond osimertinib resistance.

    Japanese journal of clinical oncology · 2023 · 59 citations · Europe PMC · via osimertinib

  8. New publication2023-01-31
    Adjuvant Osimertinib for Resected EGFR-Mutated Stage IB-IIIA Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Updated Results From the Phase III Randomized ADAURA Trial.

    Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 2023 · 308 citations · Europe PMC · via osimertinib

  9. New publication2022-12-08
    Therapeutic strategies for EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer patients with osimertinib resistance.

    Journal of hematology & oncology · 2022 · 271 citations · Europe PMC · via osimertinib

  10. New publication2021-12-16
    Treatment Outcomes and Safety of Mobocertinib in Platinum-Pretreated Patients With EGFR Exon 20 Insertion-Positive Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Phase 1/2 Open-label Nonrandomized Clinical Trial.

    JAMA oncology · 2021 · 233 citations · Europe PMC · via mobocertinib

  11. Regulatory approval2021-12-09

    Approval: Rybrevant (EMA)

    ema · regulatory · ema · via amivantamab

  12. New publication2021-09-16
    Brigatinib Versus Crizotinib in ALK Inhibitor-Naive Advanced ALK-Positive NSCLC: Final Results of Phase 3 ALTA-1L Trial.

    Journal of thoracic oncology : official publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer · 2021 · 300 citations · Europe PMC · via brigatinib

Objective event titles are shown unmodified; the event kind and significance line are derived from structured fields. Forefront AttentionEvent stream aggregating Europe PMC Regulatory filings ClinicalTrials.gov.