Protein / target

Sodium channel protein type 8 subunit alpha

SCN8AQ9UQD0Homo sapiensSwiss-Prot
UniProt: Q9UQD0Ensembl: ENSG00000196876HGNC: HGNC:10596NCBI Gene: 6334
Clinically validated
Therapeutic maturity
59
Approved medicines
30
Clinical trials
Small-molecule tractable
Druggability
Approved Drug

Protein at a glance

Biological role

Voltage-gated sodium channel activity

Primary system

Nervous system

Strongest disease association

developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, 13

Genetic evidence · score 0.98

Therapeutic maturity

Clinically validated target

59 approved medicines against this target

Druggability

Small molecule

Open Targets tractability · Approved Drug

Clinical development

59 approved · 10 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

Pore-forming subunit of a voltage-gated sodium channel complex assuming opened or closed conformations in response to the voltage difference across membranes and through which sodium ions selectively pass along their electrochemical gradient (PubMed:24874546, PubMed:25239001, PubMed:25725044, PubMed:26900580, PubMed:29726066, PubMed:33245860, PubMed:36696443, PubMed:36823201). Contributes to neuronal excitability by regulating action potential threshold and propagation (PubMed:24874546, PubMed:25239001, PubMed:25725044, PubMed:26900580, PubMed:29726066, PubMed:33245860, PubMed:36696443, PubMed:36823201)

Subcellular location

Cell membraneCell projection, axonCytoplasmic vesicleCell projection, podosome
Domains and Gene Ontology detail (19)

Domains & features

IQ

Gene Ontology

  • Caxon
  • Caxon initial segment
  • Ccytoplasmic vesicle
  • Cmembrane
  • Cnode of Ranvier
  • Cplasma membrane
  • Cpodosome
  • Cvoltage-gated sodium channel complex
  • CZ disc
  • Fsodium ion binding
  • Fvoltage-gated sodium channel activity
  • Paction potential

1980 aa · 225 kDa · 5 isoforms

Biological roles

Reactome v97

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

Ion channel gatingGO
View supporting evidence

Ion channel gating

  • ·sodium ion transmembrane transport
View underlying pathways (2)
Interaction between L1 and Ankyrins
Phase 0 - rapid depolarisation

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.

SCN1BFGF14ANK3KCNQ2NAV1SCN2BSCN4BCALM3SCNM1NFASCSCN8A

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

2

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.

Riluzole
ApprovedBlocker

Sodium channel alpha subunit blocker

Appears in clinical studies involving amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive supranuclear palsy, multiple system atrophy, Huntington disease

Acts on a complex — shared with SCN5A, SCN4A, SCN7A +6 more · 1 of 10 recorded protein targets — broad pharmacology

lamotrigine
ApprovedBlocker

Sodium channel alpha subunit blocker

Appears in clinical studies involving epilepsy, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, Seizure

Acts on a complex — shared with SCN5A, SCN4A, SCN7A +6 more · 1 of 10 recorded protein targets — broad pharmacology

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.

developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, 130.98

Genetic · overall 0.84

early-infantile DEE0.92

Genetic · overall 0.68

cognitive impairment with or without cerebellar ataxia0.91

Genetic · overall 0.73

complex neurodevelopmental disorder0.89

Genetic · overall 0.64

undetermined early-onset epileptic encephalopathy0.89

Genetic literature · overall 0.67

Highest-confidence therapeutic associations

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

epilepsy1.00

Clinical · overall 0.72

Seizure0.99

Clinical · overall 0.74

focal epilepsy0.97

Clinical · overall 0.66

Highest overall evidence

Remaining associations by Open Targets' aggregated evidence score.

seizures, benign familial infantile, 50.77

Genetic

benign familial infantile epilepsy0.62

Genetic literature

Show all associations
developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, 130.84
seizures, benign familial infantile, 50.77
Seizure0.74
cognitive impairment with or without cerebellar ataxia0.73
epilepsy0.72
early-infantile DEE0.68
undetermined early-onset epileptic encephalopathy0.67
focal epilepsy0.66
complex neurodevelopmental disorder0.64
benign familial infantile epilepsy0.62

Open Targets ranks 3,737 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 · 73 total

DISOPYRAMIDEApproval

cardiac arrhythmia · Ventricular arrhythmia · atrial fibrillation

INDECAINIDEApproval
TETRACAINE HYDROCHLORIDEPhase 3
DRONEDARONE HYDROCHLORIDEApproval

atrial fibrillation

ESLICARBAZEPINE ACETATEApproval

Seizure · epilepsy · focal epilepsy

ARTICAINEApproval

pulpitis · Pain · molar-incisor hypomineralization

QUINIDINE GLUCONATEApproval

Ventricular arrhythmia · malaria

PROPAFENONE HYDROCHLORIDEApproval

atrial fibrillation · Ventricular arrhythmia

PROCAINAMIDE HYDROCHLORIDEApproval

Ventricular arrhythmia · cardiac arrhythmia

ETIDOCAINEApproval

Pain

Tractability

SM · Approved DrugSM · Structure with LigandSM · High-Quality LigandSM · Druggable FamilyAB · UniProt loc high confAB · GO CC high confAB · UniProt SigP or TMHMMPR · UniProt UbiquitinationPR · Small Molecule Binder

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.

Glutamatergic Dysfunction in Cognitive Aging: Riluzole in Mild Alzheimer's DiseasePHASE2

COMPLETED · via Riluzole · NCT01703117

A Phase II Trial of Riluzole in Patients With Advanced MelanomaPHASE2

COMPLETED · via Riluzole · NCT00866840

Eight-Month Maintenance Treatment of Bipolar Depression With Lamotrigine or Lamotrigine Plus Divalproex CombinationPHASE4

COMPLETED · via lamotrigine · NCT00183469

Comparison of Olanzapine and Lamotrigine in the Prevention of Recurrence of Depressive Episode in the Patients With Bipolar DisordersPHASE4

COMPLETED · via lamotrigine · NCT01864551

A Multi-Center, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Evaluation of Lamotrigine Adjunctive Therapy in Subjects Wtih Primary Generalized Tonic-Clonic SeizuresPHASE4

COMPLETED · via lamotrigine · NCT00043901

The Efficacy and Safety of First-Line Anti-Epileptic Drugs (AEDs) as Substitution Therapy in Children Who Are Resistant to Second-Line AEDsPHASE4

UNKNOWN · via lamotrigine · NCT05697614

Show remaining trials (24)
A Single-center, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, 6-month Trial Followed by an Open-label Extension to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability and Clinical Endpoint Responsiveness of Ibudilast (MN-166) in Subjects With (ALS)PHASE2

COMPLETED · via Riluzole · NCT02238626

Efficacy and Tolerability of Riluzole in Treatment Resistant DepressionPHASE2

COMPLETED · via Riluzole · NCT01204918

A Randomized, Open Label, Single Dose, Crossover, Bioequivalence Study of Lamotrigine 2 x 25 mg IR Tablets of Torrent Pharmaceuticals Pvt., Ltd., India and Lamictal ® (Lamotrigine) 2 x 25 mg Tablets of Glaxo-SmithKline, USA, in Healthy Human Adult Subjects,Under Fed ConditionsPHASE1

COMPLETED · via lamotrigine · NCT00939458

Lamotrigine for Ménière's Disease: a Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Pilot StudyPHASE2

COMPLETED · via lamotrigine · NCT02158585

Single-Dose Fasting In Vivo Bioequivalence Study of Lamotrigine Tablets (25 mg; Mylan) to Lamictal® Tablets (25 mg; GSK) in Healthy VolunteersPHASE1

COMPLETED · via lamotrigine · NCT00650208

Decision-Making in Bipolar DisorderNA

COMPLETED · via lamotrigine · NCT01463111

Cognitive AED Outcomes in Pediatric Localization Related Epilepsy (COPE)PHASE3

TERMINATED · via lamotrigine · NCT01891890

Efficacy of Riluzole in Hereditary Cerebellar Ataxia: a Randomized Double-blind Placebo-controlled Trial.PHASE2/PHASE3

COMPLETED · via Riluzole · NCT01104649

Single-Dose Food In Vivo Bioequivalence Study of Lamotrigine Tablets (25 mg; Mylan) to Lamictal® Tablets (25 mg; GSK) in Healthy VolunteersPHASE1

COMPLETED · via lamotrigine · NCT00647751

A Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Add-on Study to Determine the Efficacy and Safety of Lamictal (Lamotrigine) in Patients With Trigeminal Neuralgia (Tic Doloureux)NA

COMPLETED · via lamotrigine · NCT00203229

A Phase I Trial of Riluzole and Sorafenib in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors and MelanomaPHASE1

ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING · via Riluzole · NCT01303341

A Phase 1, Open-label Drug Interaction Study Between Eslicarbazepine Acetate 1200mg and Lamotrigine 150mg Following Multiple Doses Administrations in Healthy Male VolunteersPHASE1

COMPLETED · via lamotrigine · NCT02283801

Equivalence Among Antiepileptic Drug Generic and Brand Products in People With Epilepsy: Single-Dose 6-Period Replicate Design (EQUIGEN Single-Dose Study)PHASE4

COMPLETED · via lamotrigine · NCT01733394

An Open-label, Single-dose, Three-period Phase Ⅰ Study to Compare the Pharmacokinetics of Y-4 Tablets With Pregabalin Capsules and Riluzole Tablets in U.S. Healthy ParticipantsPHASE1

NOT_YET_RECRUITING · via Riluzole · NCT07618715

A Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Riluzole in Bipolar DepressionPHASE2

COMPLETED · via Riluzole · NCT00376220

Childhood Absence Epilepsy Rx PK-PD-Pharmacogenetics StudyPHASE3

COMPLETED · via lamotrigine · NCT00088452

A Double-Blind Study of Lamictal in Neurotic ExcoriationPHASE2

COMPLETED · via lamotrigine · NCT00513019

A Phase IIB Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Dose Study to Evaluate the Effects of PHENOGENE-1A (Cromolyn) as an Adjuvant Treatment in Subjects With Mild to Moderate Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)PHASE2

RECRUITING · via Riluzole · NCT07142291

Olanzapine/Fluoxetine Combination Versus Lamotrigine in the Treatment of Bipolar I DepressionPHASE4

COMPLETED · via lamotrigine · NCT00485771

Multicentric, Randomized, Double-blind Study Versus Placebo, With Two Parallel Groups Treated to Evaluate the Efficacy and the Tolerance of Riluzole in Children and Young Adults (6 to 20 Years of Age) With SMA. (Type II and Type III)PHASE2/PHASE3

COMPLETED · via Riluzole · NCT00774423

Riluzole Augmentation Pilot in Depression (RAPID) TrialPHASE2

TERMINATED · via Riluzole · NCT01703039

Lamotrigine Extended-Release in Elderly Patients With EpilepsyPHASE3

COMPLETED · via lamotrigine · NCT00516139

The Efficacy and Safety of Lamotrigine Versus Carbamazepine in Focal Epilepsy: A Randomized, Open Label Clinical Trial in Dhaka Medical College HospitalPHASE4

UNKNOWN · via lamotrigine · NCT05748236

Phase II/III, Multicenter, Randomized, Parallel Group, Double-blind, Placebo Controlled Study to Assess Safety and Efficacy of TRO19622 in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Patients Treated With RiluzolePHASE3

COMPLETED · via Riluzole · NCT00868166

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.

developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, 13Well supported
0.98
agreement 0.86–1.00
Genetic77%Animal model22%Literature1%Genetic literaturedup

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

SeizureWell supported
0.97
agreement 0.86–1.00
Genetic53%Clinical46%Literature1%

Open Targets aggregate 0.74 · 3 independent evidence families

early-infantile DEEWell supported
0.96
agreement 0.86–1.00
Genetic60%Clinical21%Animal model18%Literature0%Genetic literaturedup

Open Targets aggregate 0.68 · 4 independent evidence families · 1 not counted as duplicate

cognitive impairment with or without cerebellar ataxiaWell supported
0.93
agreement 0.81–1.00
Genetic80%Animal model20%Genetic literaturedup

Open Targets aggregate 0.73 · 2 independent evidence families · 1 not counted as duplicate

epilepsyWell supported
0.93
agreement 0.82–1.00
Clinical49%Genetic44%Literature8%

Open Targets aggregate 0.72 · 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

60

Recent activity around this target, drawn from one canonical event stream. Every item is reached through 2 drugs that target this protein, so each event is news about that drug rather than about the protein directly.

  1. Label change2026-07-27

    Label change: LAMOTRIGINE (ANDA206382)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via lamotrigine

  2. Label change2026-07-17

    Label change: LAMOTRIGINE (NDA218879)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via lamotrigine

  3. Label change2026-07-17

    Label change: LAMOTRIGINE (NDA218879)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via lamotrigine

  4. Label change2026-07-13

    Label change: LAMOTRIGINE (ANDA219677)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via lamotrigine

  5. Label change2026-06-26

    Label change: LAMOTRIGINE (ANDA204158)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via lamotrigine

  6. Label change2026-06-26

    Label change: LAMOTRIGINE (ANDA204158)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via lamotrigine

  7. Label change2026-06-26

    Label change: LAMOTRIGINE (ANDA204158)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via lamotrigine

  8. Label change2026-06-26

    Label change: LAMOTRIGINE (ANDA204158)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via lamotrigine

  9. Label change2025-12-31

    Label change: LAMOTRIGINE (ANDA090401)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via lamotrigine

  10. Label change2025-10-10

    Label change: LAMOTRIGINE (NDA022251)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via lamotrigine

  11. Label change2025-10-10

    Label change: LAMOTRIGINE (NDA022251)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via lamotrigine

  12. Regulatory approval2025-10-07

    Approval: LAMOTRIGINE (ANDA219677)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via lamotrigine

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.