Protein / target

Insulin receptor

INSRP06213Homo sapiensSwiss-Prot
Clinically validated
Therapeutic maturity
15
Approved medicines
30
Clinical trials
Small-molecule tractable
Druggability
Advanced Clinical

Protein at a glance

Biological role

Insulin-like growth factor receptor binding

Primary system

Nervous system

Strongest disease association

Leprechaunism

Genetic evidence · score 0.93

Therapeutic maturity

Clinically validated target

15 approved medicines against this target

Druggability

Small molecule

Open Targets tractability · Advanced Clinical

Clinical development

15 approved · 8 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 which mediates the pleiotropic actions of insulin. Binding of insulin leads to phosphorylation of several intracellular substrates, including, insulin receptor substrates (IRS1, 2, 3, 4), SHC, GAB1, CBL and other signaling intermediates. Each of these phosphorylated proteins serve as docking proteins for other signaling proteins that contain Src-homology-2 domains (SH2 domain) that specifically recognize different phosphotyrosine residues, including the p85 regulatory subunit of PI3K and SHP2. Phosphorylation of IRSs proteins lead to the activation of two main signaling pathways: the PI3K-AKT/PKB pathway, which is responsible for most of the metabolic actions of insulin, and the Ras-MAPK pathway, which regulates expression of some genes and cooperates with the PI3K pathway to control cell growth and differentiation. Binding of the SH2 domains of PI3K to phosphotyrosines on IRS1 leads to the activation of PI3K and the generation of phosphatidylinositol-(3, 4, 5)-triphosphate (PIP3), a lipid second messenger, which activates several PIP3-dependent serine/threonine kinases, such as PDPK1 and subsequently AKT/PKB. The net effect of this pathway is to produce a translocation of the glucose transporter SLC2A4/GLUT4 from cytoplasmic vesicles to the cell membrane to facilitate glucose transport. Moreover, upon insulin stimulation, activated AKT/PKB is responsible for: anti-apoptotic effect of insulin by inducing phosphorylation of BAD; regulates the expression of gluconeogenic and lipogenic enzymes by controlling the activity of the winged helix or forkhead (FOX) class of transcription factors. Another pathway regulated by PI3K-AKT/PKB activation is mTORC1 signaling pathway which regulates cell growth and metabolism and integrates signals from insulin. AKT mediates insulin-stimulated protein synthesis by phosphorylating TSC2 thereby activating mTORC1 pathway. The Ras/RAF/MAP2K/MAPK pathway is mainly involved in mediating cell growth, survival and cellular differentiation of insulin. Phosphorylated IRS1 recruits GRB2/SOS complex, which triggers the activation of the Ras/RAF/MAP2K/MAPK pathway. In addition to binding insulin, the insulin receptor can bind insulin-like growth factors (IGFI and IGFII). Isoform Short has a higher affinity for IGFII binding. When present in a hybrid receptor with IGF1R, binds IGF1. PubMed:12138094 shows that hybrid receptors composed of IGF1R and INSR isoform Long are activated with a high affinity by IGF1, with low affinity by IGF2 and not significantly activated by insulin, and that hybrid receptors composed of IGF1R and INSR isoform Short are activated by IGF1, IGF2 and insulin. In contrast, PubMed:16831875 shows that hybrid receptors composed of IGF1R and INSR isoform Long and hybrid receptors composed of IGF1R and INSR isoform Short have similar binding characteristics, both bind IGF1 and have a low affinity for insulin. In adipocytes, inhibits lipolysis (By similarity)

Subcellular location

Cell membraneLate endosomeLysosome
Domains and Gene Ontology detail (69)

Domains & features

Fibronectin type-III 1Fibronectin type-III 2Fibronectin type-III 3Protein kinase

Gene Ontology

  • Caxon
  • Ccaveola
  • Cdendrite membrane
  • Cendosome membrane
  • Cexternal side of plasma membrane
  • Cextracellular exosome
  • Cinsulin receptor complex
  • Clate endosome
  • Clysosome
  • Cmembrane
  • Cneuronal cell body membrane
  • Cplasma membrane

1382 aa · 156 kDa · 2 isoforms

Biological roles

Reactome v97

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

Kinase signallingUniProt · GOTranscriptional regulationUniProt · GOG protein-coupled signallingGOImmune signallingGO
View supporting evidence

Kinase signalling

  • ·Receptor tyrosine kinase which mediates the pleiotropic actions of insulin. Binding of i…
  • ·protein kinase activator activity
  • ·protein tyrosine kinase activity
  • ·positive regulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B signal transduction

Transcriptional regulation

  • ·Receptor tyrosine kinase which mediates the pleiotropic actions of insulin. Binding of i…
  • ·positive regulation of DNA-templated transcription
  • ·regulation of DNA-templated transcription

G protein-coupled signalling

  • ·G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway

Immune signalling

  • ·symbiont entry into host cell
View underlying pathways (6)

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.

IRS1IRS2PTPN1INSIGF1IGF1RGRB14SH2B2SHC1IGF2INSR

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

4

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.

Insulin Lispro
Narrow target profileApprovedAgonist

Insulin receptor agonist

Appears in clinical studies involving diabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes mellitus, type 1 diabetes mellitus, type 1 diabetes mellitus

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

Insulin Aspart
Narrow target profileApprovedAgonist

Insulin receptor agonist

Appears in clinical studies involving diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes, type 1 diabetes mellitus, cystic fibrosis-related diabetes

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

Insulin
Narrow target profileAgonist

Insulin receptor agonist

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

Insulin Glargine
Narrow target profileApprovedAgonist

Insulin receptor agonist

Appears in clinical studies involving type 2 diabetes mellitus, diabetes mellitus, type 1 diabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes mellitus

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.

Leprechaunism0.93

Genetic · overall 0.84

insulin-resistance syndrome type A0.93

Genetic · overall 0.84

Rabson-Mendenhall syndrome0.91

Genetic · overall 0.82

Donohue syndrome0.84

Genetic · overall 0.77

hypertensive disorder0.82

Genetic · overall 0.51

Highest-confidence therapeutic associations

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

type 2 diabetes mellitus1.00

Clinical · overall 0.78

diabetes mellitus1.00

Clinical · overall 0.72

type 1 diabetes mellitus0.99

Clinical · overall 0.63

Highest overall evidence

Remaining associations by Open Targets' aggregated evidence score.

hyperinsulinism due to INSR deficiency0.73

Animal model

neurodegenerative disease0.53

Pathway

Show all associations
insulin-resistance syndrome type A0.84
Leprechaunism0.84
Rabson-Mendenhall syndrome0.82
type 2 diabetes mellitus0.78
Donohue syndrome0.77
hyperinsulinism due to INSR deficiency0.73
diabetes mellitus0.72
type 1 diabetes mellitus0.63
neurodegenerative disease0.53
hypertensive disorder0.51

Open Targets ranks 1,353 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 · 23 total

BMS-754807Phase 2

breast cancer · colorectal cancer

INSULIN SUSP ISOPHANE RECOMBINANT HUMANApproval

gestational diabetes

INSULIN GLARGINEApproval

type 2 diabetes mellitus · diabetes mellitus · type 1 diabetes mellitus

INSULIN DEGLUDECApproval

diabetes mellitus · type 2 diabetes mellitus · type 2 diabetes mellitus

INSULIN PEGLISPROPhase 3

type 2 diabetes mellitus · type 1 diabetes mellitus · Hypoglycemia

LINSITINIBPhase 3

adrenal cortex carcinoma · breast cancer · hepatocellular carcinoma

KW-2450Phase 1 2

breast cancer · neoplasm

INSULIN DETEMIRApproval

type 1 diabetes mellitus · type 2 diabetes mellitus · diabetes mellitus

INSULIN HUMAN, ISOPHANEPhase 3

type 1 diabetes mellitus · type 1 diabetes mellitus · type 2 diabetes mellitus

INSULIN ICODECApproval

diabetes mellitus · type 2 diabetes mellitus · type 2 diabetes mellitus

Tractability

SM · Advanced ClinicalSM · Structure with LigandSM · High-Quality LigandSM · High-Quality PocketSM · Druggable FamilyAB · GO CC high confAB · UniProt loc med confAB · UniProt SigP or TMHMMAB · Human Protein Atlas locPR · UniProt UbiquitinationPR · Database UbiquitinationPR · Half-life Data

Safety liabilities

Carcinogenicitycardiac hypertrophyHyperglycaemiahyperlipidaemiaregulation of catalytic activityanxietyneoplasm/ malignancyneutropenia

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)

COMPLETED · via Insulin · NCT03364868

ClinicalTrials.gov via the drug-target graph.

Related literature

3

Papers indexed under “Receptor, Insulin” — a subject heading that covers this protein without being specific to it. Shown as context; not counted as this protein's own research activity.

Insulin signaling in health and disease.

Saltiel AR · The Journal of clinical investigation · 2021

Insulin receptor signaling in normal and insulin-resistant states.

Boucher J · Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in biology · 2014

Europe PMC literature, reached through a MeSH descriptor linked to this protein.

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.

insulin-resistance syndrome type AWell supported
0.94
agreement 0.821.00
Genetic81%Animal model16%Literature3%Genetic literaturedup

Open Targets aggregate 0.84 · 3 independent evidence families · 1 not counted as duplicate

LeprechaunismWell supported
0.94
agreement 0.821.00
Genetic88%Animal model10%Literature2%Genetic literaturedup

Open Targets aggregate 0.84 · 3 independent evidence families · 1 not counted as duplicate

diabetes mellitusWell supported
0.94
agreement 0.841.00
Clinical44%Genetic38%Animal model11%Literature7%

Open Targets aggregate 0.72 · 4 independent evidence families

Rabson-Mendenhall syndromeWell supported
0.93
agreement 0.811.00
Genetic87%Animal model10%Literature3%Genetic literaturedup

Open Targets aggregate 0.82 · 3 independent evidence families · 1 not counted as duplicate

type 2 diabetes mellitusWell supported
0.93
agreement 0.831.00
Clinical47%Genetic40%Somatic mutation8%Literature5%Genetic literaturedup

Open Targets aggregate 0.78 · 4 independent evidence families · 1 not counted as duplicate

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

60

Recent activity around this target, drawn from one canonical event stream. Every item is reached through 4 drugs that target this protein, so each event is news about that drug rather than about the protein directly.

  1. Pricing2026-08-02
    STAT+: Michigan Supreme Court ruling allows probe into Lilly insulin pricing

    STAT News · news · via Insulin

  2. Industry development2026-07-23
    STAT+: Popular insulin product enters shortage as other pens leave market

    STAT News · news · via Insulin

  3. Industry development2026-07-14
    STAT+: FTC settles lawsuit with CVS Caremark over charges it manipulated insulin prices, impeded access

    STAT News · news · via Insulin

  4. Regulatory action2026-06-29
    STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a broader $35 insulin cap, a former FDA cancer drug chief, and more

    STAT News · news · via Insulin

  5. Regulatory approval2026-05-06

    Approval: Bysumlog (EMA)

    ema · regulatory · ema · via Insulin Lispro

  6. Regulatory approval2026-04-27

    Approval: Dazparda (EMA)

    ema · regulatory · ema · via Insulin Aspart

  7. Research development2026-04-07
    Study suggests $35 monthly insulin cap has increased patient access

    Endpoints News · news · via Insulin

  8. Research development2026-04-07
    If you cap insulin at $35 a month, people with type 2 diabetes stick to treatment, study finds

    STAT News · news · via Insulin

  9. Regulatory approval2026-01-09

    Approval: Ondibta (EMA)

    ema · regulatory · ema · via Insulin Glargine

  10. New publication2025-06-20
    What comparative endocrinology tells us about the original function of the insulin superfamily.

    Endocrine journal · 2025 · 1 citation · Europe PMC · via Insulin

  11. New publication2025-06-01
    Hippocampal-Specific Insulin Resistance Elicits Synaptic Effects on Glutamate Neurotransmission.

    Journal of neurochemistry · 2025 · 2 citations · Europe PMC · via Insulin

  12. New publication2025-05-01
    Insulin Resistance in Type 1 Diabetes: Pathophysiological, Clinical, and Therapeutic Relevance.

    Endocrine reviews · 2025 · 29 citations · Europe PMC · via Insulin

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.