Gefitinib
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors · given by oral · on the market since 2015
What it's made of
Each functional group on the molecule does a specific, predictable job.
Catechol
What it does. Chemically unstable in the body and destroyed within minutes by a dedicated enzyme. Also chelates iron.
What it opens up. Almost always a liability, not an asset: it caps how long the drug lasts and usually forces a second drug alongside it to block the breakdown.
Basic amine
What it does. Neutral enough to slip through membranes, then becomes charged inside the acidic compartments of the cell and gets trapped there. Concentrations inside cells can reach many times the blood level.
What it opens up. Diseases of the cell's internal recycling compartments, and a common reason a drug accumulates in lung, liver, and eye tissue far beyond what the blood level suggests.
Aromatic fluorine
What it does. The liver attacks rings at predictable positions. Fluorine is small enough not to disturb the shape but strong enough that the attack fails, so the molecule survives longer.
What it opens up. Mainly a durability upgrade, but it also nudges the molecule into being slightly greasier, which helps it enter the brain.
Aromatic halogen
What it does. Slows liver breakdown and increases membrane crossing. Also fills space in a binding pocket, which often raises potency several-fold.
What it opens up. Better tissue penetration and longer duration, at the cost of higher fat storage.
Where it can get to
Predicted from molecular weight, lipophilicity, polar surface area and hydrogen-bond donor count. A drug can only act where it distributes, so this constrains which conditions are addressable before any biology is considered. derived
What it binds — and whether we can reach it · 1 of 1 reachable
Binding affinity is only meaningful against the plasma concentration reached at the approved dose. A target requiring higher concentrations cannot be engaged in a patient, whatever the in vitro potency. Most repurposing hypotheses fail at this step, and it is rarely checked before a trial is proposed. measured
| Target | Kind | Action | Affinity (pAct) | Can it be engaged? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EGFR | Kinase | inhibitor | 9.4 | Engaged easily |
This molecule builds up inside cells far above blood levels. Local concentration therefore exceeds plasma, so targets that look unreachable on a plasma reading may still be engaged. assumed
New uses, and who is already trying them
One card per candidate indication: the reasoning link by link, the evidence tier that governs how strongly it can be stated, and any registered trials.
5 of the 57 conditions linked to this drug’s targets have been checked against trial records so far. The rest are not ruled out — they are unchecked.
non-small cell lung carcinoma
Tried in peopleIt showed an effect in a human trial that was not followed up.
lung adenocarcinoma
Tried in peopleIt showed an effect in a human trial that was not followed up.
cancer
Tried in peopleIt showed an effect in a human trial that was not followed up.
head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Tried in peopleIt showed an effect in a human trial that was not followed up.
lung cancer
Tried in peopleIt showed an effect in a human trial that was not followed up.
Why nobody will fund it
3 companies make this across 3 approved products. With that many manufacturers the price has fallen to production cost. A company funding a trial could not recover it — competitors could market the same molecule for the new indication immediately, without contributing.
A new route or dosage form qualifies for a 505(b)(2) application, which carries three years of exclusivity for that formulation. It is the only remaining route to exclusivity on a generic molecule.
What it would cost to find out
Derived, not quoted. Events needed is 4(zα+zβ)²/ln(HR)²; enrolment is that divided by the event rate and follow-up. The 1/ln(HR)² term dominates: halving the detectable effect size roughly quadruples enrolment. derived
Cost per person reached is the relevant metric for a non-commercial funder, since there is no revenue to set against the outlay.
Ask for ideas nobody has listed
Reasons from the functional groups and distribution above, excluding conditions already listed. Output is hypotheses for falsification, not findings. Not medical advice.
Who might pay for the trial
Trials of off-patent drugs are rarely funded by venture capital or pharma. They are paid for by government grants and disease foundations. Here is who has funded work on this molecule before, what federal mechanisms are open now, and which foundations fund trials in the disease areas it touches. measured
Open notices with an explicit mandate to fund work on approved or off-patent molecules.
Grants.gov lists US federal money. Many off-patent drug trials are supported by disease foundations and nonprofits. These are matched to the body systems this drug touches. assumed
Who manufactures it
Companies holding an approved abbreviated application for this molecule in the United States, from the FDA Orange Book. Supply already exists at scale, so a trial would not need a manufacturing programme — but any of these could also be a partner, or an objector.
Nothing on this page is medical advice. Candidate uses are unproven hypotheses derived from public data; established uses are listed for verification only. Figures carry their provenance inline — anything marked assumed or derived is not a measurement.
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