Protein / target

Tyrosine-protein kinase ABL1

ABL1P00519Homo sapiensSwiss-Prot
Clinically validated
Therapeutic maturity
15
Approved medicines
30
Clinical trials
Small-molecule tractable
Druggability
Approved Drug

Protein at a glance

Biological role

Non-membrane spanning protein tyrosine kinase activity

Primary system

Nervous system

Strongest disease association

chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive

Genetic evidence · score 0.86

Therapeutic maturity

Clinically validated target

15 approved medicines against this target

Druggability

Small molecule

Open Targets tractability · Approved Drug

Clinical development

15 approved · 12 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

Non-receptor tyrosine-protein kinase that plays a role in many key processes linked to cell growth and survival such as cytoskeleton remodeling in response to extracellular stimuli, cell motility and adhesion, receptor endocytosis, autophagy, DNA damage response and apoptosis. Coordinates actin remodeling through tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins controlling cytoskeleton dynamics like WASF3 (involved in branch formation); ANXA1 (involved in membrane anchoring); DBN1, DBNL, CTTN, RAPH1 and ENAH (involved in signaling); or MAPT and PXN (microtubule-binding proteins). Phosphorylation of WASF3 is critical for the stimulation of lamellipodia formation and cell migration. Involved in the regulation of cell adhesion and motility through phosphorylation of key regulators of these processes such as BCAR1, CRK, CRKL, DOK1, EFS or NEDD9 (PubMed:22810897). Phosphorylates multiple receptor tyrosine kinases and more particularly promotes endocytosis of EGFR, facilitates the formation of neuromuscular synapses through MUSK, inhibits PDGFRB-mediated chemotaxis and modulates the endocytosis of activated B-cell receptor complexes. Other substrates which are involved in endocytosis regulation are the caveolin (CAV1) and RIN1. Moreover, ABL1 regulates the CBL family of ubiquitin ligases that drive receptor down-regulation and actin remodeling. Phosphorylation of CBL leads to increased EGFR stability. Involved in late-stage autophagy by regulating positively the trafficking and function of lysosomal components. ABL1 targets to mitochondria in response to oxidative stress and thereby mediates mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death. In response to oxidative stress, phosphorylates serine/threonine kinase PRKD2 at 'Tyr-717' (PubMed:28428613). ABL1 is also translocated in the nucleus where it has DNA-binding activity and is involved in DNA-damage response and apoptosis. Many substrates are known mediators of DNA repair: DDB1, DDB2, ERCC3, ERCC6, RAD9A, RAD51, RAD52 or WRN. Activates the proapoptotic pathway when the DNA damage is too severe to be repaired. Phosphorylates TP73, a primary regulator for this type of damage-induced apoptosis. Phosphorylates the caspase CASP9 on 'Tyr-153' and regulates its processing in the apoptotic response to DNA damage. Phosphorylates PSMA7 that leads to an inhibition of proteasomal activity and cell cycle transition blocks. ABL1 also acts as a regulator of multiple pathological signaling cascades during infection. Several known tyrosine-phosphorylated microbial proteins have been identified as ABL1 substrates. This is the case of A36R of Vaccinia virus, Tir (translocated intimin receptor) of pathogenic E.coli and possibly Citrobacter, CagA (cytotoxin-associated gene A) of H.pylori, or AnkA (ankyrin repeat-containing protein A) of A.phagocytophilum. Pathogens can highjack ABL1 kinase signaling to reorganize the host actin cytoskeleton for multiple purposes, like facilitating intracellular movement and host cell exit. Finally, functions as its own regulator through autocatalytic activity as well as through phosphorylation of its inhibitor, ABI1. Regulates T-cell differentiation in a TBX21-dependent manner (By similarity). Positively regulates chemokine-mediated T-cell migration, polarization, and homing to lymph nodes and immune-challenged tissues, potentially via activation of NEDD9/HEF1 and RAP1 (By similarity). Phosphorylates TBX21 on tyrosine residues leading to an enhancement of its transcriptional activator activity (By similarity)

Subcellular location

Cytoplasm, cytoskeletonNucleusMitochondrionNucleus membrane
Domains and Gene Ontology detail (119)

Domains & features

SH3SH2Protein kinase

Gene Ontology

  • Cactin cytoskeleton
  • Ccytoplasm
  • Ccytosol
  • Cdendrite
  • Cglutamatergic synapse
  • Cgrowth cone
  • Cmitochondrion
  • Cneuronal cell body
  • Cnuclear body
  • Cnuclear membrane
  • Cnucleolus
  • Cnucleoplasm

1130 aa · 123 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 · GO · ReactomeTranscriptional regulationUniProt · GO · ReactomeSynaptic signallingUniProt · GOImmune signallingUniProt · GOCell adhesionUniProt · GOApoptosis & cell deathUniProt · GO
View supporting evidence

Kinase signalling

  • ·Non-receptor tyrosine-protein kinase that plays a role in many key processes linked to c…
  • ·kinase activity
  • ·mitogen-activated protein kinase binding
  • ·non-membrane spanning protein tyrosine kinase activity

Transcriptional regulation

  • ·Non-receptor tyrosine-protein kinase that plays a role in many key processes linked to c…
  • ·transcription coactivator activity
  • ·positive regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II
  • ·regulation of DNA-templated transcription

Synaptic signalling

  • ·Non-receptor tyrosine-protein kinase that plays a role in many key processes linked to c…
  • ·glutamatergic synapse
  • ·postsynapse
  • ·postsynaptic density

Immune signalling

  • ·Non-receptor tyrosine-protein kinase that plays a role in many key processes linked to c…
  • ·positive regulation of establishment of T cell polarity
  • ·positive regulation of substrate adhesion-dependent cell spreading
  • ·positive regulation of T cell migration

Cell adhesion

  • ·Non-receptor tyrosine-protein kinase that plays a role in many key processes linked to c…
  • ·cell adhesion
  • ·positive regulation of extracellular matrix organization
  • ·regulation of cell adhesion

Apoptosis & cell death

  • ·Non-receptor tyrosine-protein kinase that plays a role in many key processes linked to c…
  • ·podocyte apoptotic process
  • ·positive regulation of apoptotic process
  • ·positive regulation of neuron apoptotic process
View underlying pathways (13)

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.

GRB2CRKABI1CRKLRIN1CBLBCRSHC1ATMHSP90A…ABL1

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.

Imatinib Mesylate
ApprovedInhibitor

Tyrosine-protein kinase ABL inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive, myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative disease, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans

Direct interaction with this protein · 1 of 4 recorded protein targets

regorafenib
ApprovedInhibitor

Tyrosine-protein kinase ABL inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving colorectal cancer, metastatic colorectal cancer, colorectal neoplasm, neoplasm

Direct interaction with this protein · 1 of 18 recorded protein targets — broad pharmacology

bosutinib
ApprovedInhibitor

Tyrosine-protein kinase ABL inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving breast cancer, neoplasm, chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive, chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive

Direct interaction with this protein · 1 of 4 recorded protein targets

dasatinib
ApprovedInhibitor

Bcr/Abl fusion protein inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive, chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive, chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive

Acts on a complex — shared with BCR · 1 of 2 recorded protein targets — narrow recorded profile

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.

chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive0.86

Genetic · overall 0.83

congenital heart defects and skeletal malformations syndrome0.85

Genetic · overall 0.80

Highest-confidence therapeutic associations

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

acute lymphoblastic leukemia0.96

Clinical · overall 0.72

gastrointestinal stromal tumor0.95

Clinical · overall 0.60

colorectal cancer0.94

Clinical · overall 0.57

neoplasm0.93

Clinical · overall 0.62

dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans0.93

Clinical · overall 0.56

Highest overall evidence

Remaining associations by Open Targets' aggregated evidence score.

blast phase chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive0.62

Clinical

hypereosinophilic syndrome0.56

Clinical

myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative disease0.55

Clinical

Show all associations
chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive0.83
congenital heart defects and skeletal malformations syndrome0.80
acute lymphoblastic leukemia0.72
neoplasm0.62
blast phase chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive0.62
gastrointestinal stromal tumor0.60
colorectal cancer0.57
dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans0.56
hypereosinophilic syndrome0.56
myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative disease0.55

Open Targets ranks 1,462 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 · 27 total

XL-228Phase 1

childhood leukemia · acute lymphoblastic leukemia · chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive

RUSERONTINIBPhase 3

acute myeloid leukemia · neoplasm

PONATINIBApproval

lymphoid leukemia · myeloid leukemia · neoplasm

KW-2449Phase 1

acute myeloid leukemia by FAB classification · acute myeloid leukemia · myelodysplastic syndrome

UMBRALISIBApproval

follicular lymphoma · marginal zone lymphoma · neoplasm

SARACATINIBPhase 2 3

ovarian cancer · primary peritoneal carcinoma · fallopian tube cancer

PONATINIB HYDROCHLORIDEApproval

chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive · acute lymphoblastic leukemia · leukemia

NILOTINIBApproval

chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive · chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive · neoplasm

ASCIMINIBApproval

chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive · neoplasm · chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive

AZD-0424Phase 1

neoplasm

Tractability

SM · Approved DrugSM · Structure with LigandSM · High-Quality LigandSM · High-Quality PocketSM · Druggable FamilyAB · GO CC med confPR · LiteraturePR · UniProt UbiquitinationPR · Database UbiquitinationPR · Small Molecule Binder

Safety liabilities

heart diseaseregulation of catalytic activity

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.

chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positiveWell supported
0.99
agreement 0.911.00
Genetic31%Clinical27%Somatic mutation14%Pathway14%Animal model8%Literature5%Genetic literaturedup

Open Targets aggregate 0.83 · 6 independent evidence families · 1 not counted as duplicate

acute lymphoblastic leukemiaWell supported
0.91
agreement 0.801.00
Clinical44%Somatic mutation24%Pathway22%Literature9%

Open Targets aggregate 0.72 · 4 independent evidence families

congenital heart defects and skeletal malformations syndromeWell supported
0.86
agreement 0.721.00
Genetic97%Literature3%Genetic literaturedup

Open Targets aggregate 0.80 · 2 independent evidence families · 1 not counted as duplicate

blast phase chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positiveWell supported
0.79
agreement 0.670.91
Clinical61%Somatic mutation37%Literature1%

Open Targets aggregate 0.62 · 3 independent evidence families

neoplasmWell supported
0.79
agreement 0.670.91
Clinical68%Somatic mutation19%Literature13%

Open Targets aggregate 0.62 · 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 4 drugs that target this protein, so each event is news about that drug rather than about the protein directly.

  1. Label change2026-07-13

    Label change: IMATINIB MESYLATE (NDA021588)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via Imatinib Mesylate

  2. Regulatory approval2026-06-12

    Approval: BOSUTINIB (ANDA209624)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via bosutinib

  3. Label change2026-01-14

    Label change: IMATINIB MESYLATE (NDA021588)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via Imatinib Mesylate

  4. Regulatory approval2025-05-23

    Approval: BOSUTINIB (ANDA209543)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via bosutinib

  5. New publication2025-01-06
    Efficacy of pembrolizumab in microsatellite-stable, tumor mutational burden-high metastatic colorectal cancer: genomic signatures and clinical outcomes.

    ESMO open · 2025 · 10 citations · Europe PMC · via regorafenib

  6. Label change2024-12-09

    Label change: IMATINIB (ANDA204644)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via Imatinib Mesylate

  7. New publication2024-06-04
    Lenvatinib Plus Pembrolizumab Versus Standard of Care for Previously Treated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Final Analysis of the Randomized, Open-Label, Phase III LEAP-017 Study.

    Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 2024 · 69 citations · Europe PMC · via regorafenib

  8. New publication2024-04-04
    The Differential Effect of Senolytics on SASP Cytokine Secretion and Regulation of EMT by CAFs.

    International journal of molecular sciences · 2024 · 20 citations · Europe PMC · via dasatinib

  9. Supplemental approval2024-03-01

    Supplemental approval: IMATINIB MESYLATE (NDA021588)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via Imatinib Mesylate

  10. New publication2024-02-27
    KIT mutations and expression: current knowledge and new insights for overcoming IM resistance in GIST.

    Cell communication and signaling : CCS · 2024 · 28 citations · Europe PMC · via Imatinib Mesylate

  11. Label change2024-01-05

    Label change: IMATINIB (ANDA204644)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via Imatinib Mesylate

  12. Label change2024-01-05

    Label change: IMATINIB (ANDA204644)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via Imatinib Mesylate

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.