Apraclonidine

drug
On this page

Also known as ApraclonidinaIopidineSID11110712SID90341674SID50110931

Summary

Apraclonidine (CHEMBL647) is an approved small-molecule α-adrenergic agonist (ATC S01EA03) targeting ADRA2A and ADRA2C; indicated across 2 conditions including glaucoma and myasthenia gravis.

At a glance

  • Status: Approved (max clinical phase 4)
  • Modality: Small molecule
  • ATC class: S01EA03
  • Targets: 2 (ADRA2A, ADRA2C)
  • Indications: 2 conditions
  • Clinical trials: 4
  • Chemistry: 245.11 Da · C9H10Cl2N4

Identifiers

Drug identity and classification

FieldValue
ChEMBL IDCHEMBL647
NameApraclonidine
TypeSmall molecule
Max phase4
FDA approvedyes
PubChem CID2216
ChEBICHEBI:2788
ATCS01EA03
Molecular formulaC9H10Cl2N4
Molecular weight245.11
InChIKeyIEJXVRYNEISIKR-UHFFFAOYSA-N

SMILES: C1CN=C(N1)NC2=C(C=C(C=C2Cl)N)Cl

IUPAC name: 2,6-dichloro-1-N-(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)benzene-1,4-diamine

ChEBI definition: An imidazoline that is 2-amino 4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazoline in which one of the exocyclic amino hydrogens has been replaced by a 4-amino-2,6-dichlorophenyl group.

Pharmacological roles (ChEBI): α-adrenergic agonist, antiglaucoma drug, ophthalmology drug, β-adrenergic agonist, diagnostic agent.

Also known as: Apraclonidina, Apraclonidine, Iopidine, SID11110712, SID90341674, SID50110931, apraclonidine, APRACLONIDINE

Parent form; salt/anhydrous children: CHEMBL1200379

Patent coverage: 3,562 distinct patent families (13,743 SureChEMBL compound mentions), from 2 matched compound structure(s). Mentions count patents naming the compound (not distinct inventions), so promiscuous / reference molecules inflate the mention figure — families are the dedup metric.

Targets

Targets

Primary targets (GtoPdb curated mechanism): the Cancer dependency column is the DepMap CRISPR fitness signal (% of screened cell lines dependent on the target).

GeneTargetActionpAffinityCancer dependencyUniProt
ADRA2Aα2A-adrenoceptorAgonist8.50.1%P08913
ADRA2Cα2C-adrenoceptorAgonist7.520%P18825

Broader ChEMBL bioactivity targets: 9 (assay-derived). Sample: Alpha-2A adrenergic receptor, Alpha-2C adrenergic receptor, Thyrotropin receptor, Adrenergic receptor alpha-1, Adrenergic receptor alpha-2, Alpha-2B adrenergic receptor, Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M1, Nuclear factor NF-kappa-B p105 subunit, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase type-2.

Bioactivity

ChEMBL activities: 8 potent at pChembl ≥ 5 of 12 total. Top 30 by potency (10 = 0.1 nM, 6 = 1 µM):

TargetpChemblTypeValueUnitActivity ID
ADRA2A8.72EC501.9nMCHEMBL_ACT_70029
ADRA2A8.54Ki2.9nMCHEMBL_ACT_70025
ADRA2A8.4IC504nMCHEMBL_ACT_227881
P193288.32Ki4.8nMCHEMBL_ACT_70026
ADRA2C7.52Ki30nMCHEMBL_ACT_70027
ADRA1D6.75Ki180nMCHEMBL_ACT_70024
ADRA1D6.75EC50180nMCHEMBL_ACT_70028
HSD17B105.9Potency1259nMCHEMBL_ACT_4849616

Target pathways

Aggregated over 2 target gene(s): ADRA2A, ADRA2C.

Top Reactome pathways

19 total, by targets touching each:

PathwayTargetsGenes
Hemostasis2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
Metabolism2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
Signal Transduction2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
Integration of energy metabolism2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
Signaling by GPCR2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
Class A/1 (Rhodopsin-like receptors)2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
Amine ligand-binding receptors2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
GPCR downstream signalling2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
Adrenoceptors2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
Adrenaline signalling through Alpha-2 adrenergic receptor2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
Metabolism of proteins2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
Adrenaline,noradrenaline inhibits insulin secretion2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
G alpha (i) signalling events2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
G alpha (z) signalling events2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
Regulation of insulin secretion2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
GPCR ligand binding2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
Surfactant metabolism2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
Platelet activation, signaling and aggregation2ADRA2A, ADRA2C
Platelet Aggregation (Plug Formation)2ADRA2A, ADRA2C

Dominant GO biological processes

GO termTargets
epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway2
G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway2
negative regulation of norepinephrine secretion2
regulation of vasoconstriction2
platelet activation2
negative regulation of epinephrine secretion2
positive regulation of MAPK cascade2
negative regulation of insulin secretion2
positive regulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B signal transduction2
adrenergic receptor signaling pathway2
adenylate cyclase-inhibiting adrenergic receptor signaling pathway2
regulation of smooth muscle contraction2
signal transduction2
positive regulation of cytokine production1
DNA replication1

Indications & clinical

Indications

2 indications (1 at ChEMBL trial phase 4). Phase below is the highest clinical-trial phase recorded for this drug against each disease — not the molecule’s overall approval status (that is in the Summary).

IndicationTrial phaseMONDOEFO
glaucoma4MONDO:0005041MONDO:0005041
myasthenia gravis2MONDO:0009688EFO:0004991

Clinical trials

Total trials: 4.

Phase distribution

PhaseTrials
PHASE41
PHASE31
PHASE21
Not specified1

Top trials by phase / activity

NCTPhaseStatusTitle
NCT05167760PHASE4WITHDRAWNEfficacy of Topical Apraclonidine for the Treatment of Ocular Synkinesis
NCT06444529PHASE3COMPLETEDA Double-Masked Comparison of FID 123320 Ophthalmic Solution to Vehicle for the Reduction of Ocular Redness
NCT05045248PHASE2COMPLETEDEfficacy of Apraclonidine Eye Drops in the Treatment of Ptosis Secondary to Myasthenia Gravis
NCT00567411Not specifiedUNKNOWNComparison of the Alpha-2 Agonists for Prevention of Intraocular Pressure Elevation After Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty

Clinical evidence (CIViC)

No CIViC predictive evidence (expected for non-precision-medicine drugs).

Pharmacology

Pharmacogenomics

No CPIC/DPWG dosing guideline or drug-level clinical/variant annotations in PharmGKB for this molecule.

Molecules sharing ≥1 of this drug’s curated primary targets, merged from two biobtree sources and ranked by shared-target count, then clinical phase: ChEMBL clinical-stage candidates (development phase ≥2) and PubChem drug-class bioactivity (approved / known drugs acting on the target). Deduplicated by drug name; the drug’s own salt forms are excluded. Note: for a drug with few primary targets a shared-target match can reflect off-target / promiscuous binding rather than the same therapeutic mechanism — the phase ordering surfaces bona-fide therapeutics first.

565 molecules share ≥1 primary target. Top 60 by shared-target count:

MoleculeSourceStatusShared targets
ACLIDINIUM BROMIDEChEMBL + PubChemPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CHENODIOLChEMBL + PubChemPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CLOZAPINEChEMBL + PubChemPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CRIZOTINIBChEMBL + PubChemPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
DESLORATADINEChEMBL + PubChemPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
DIHYDROERGOTAMINEChEMBL + PubChemPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
GENTIAN VIOLETChEMBL + PubChemPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
NAPHAZOLINEChEMBL + PubChemPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
OLANZAPINEChEMBL + PubChemPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
OLODATEROLChEMBL + PubChemPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
PALIPERIDONEChEMBL + PubChemPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
PRAMIPEXOLEChEMBL + PubChemPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
TAMSULOSINChEMBL + PubChemPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
TEGASERODChEMBL + PubChemPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
ACETOPHENAZINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
ALFUZOSINChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
AMISULPRIDEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
AMITRIPTYLINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
AMLODIPINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
AMOXAPINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
ANTAZOLINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
APOMORPHINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
ARIPIPRAZOLEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
ASENAPINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
ASTEMIZOLEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
ATRACURIUMChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
AZELASTINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
BAZEDOXIFENEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
BENFLUOREXChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
BENPERIDOLChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
BENZBROMARONEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
BENZQUINAMIDEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
BENZTHIAZIDEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
BENZTROPINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
BITHIONOLChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
BOSUTINIBChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
BREXPIPRAZOLEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
BRIMONIDINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
BROMOCRIPTINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
BROMPERIDOLChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
BUFLOMEDILChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CABERGOLINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CABOZANTINIBChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CANDESARTAN CILEXETILChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CARIPRAZINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CARVEDILOLChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CHLORHEXIDINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CHLOROQUINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CHLORPROMAZINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CINNARIZINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CISAPRIDEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CLEMASTINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CLOMIPRAMINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CLONIDINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CLOTRIMAZOLEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
CYPROHEPTADINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
DANAZOLChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
DARIFENACINChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
DEXMEDETOMIDINEChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C
DEXTROMETHORPHANChEMBLPhase 4 (approved)ADRA2A, ADRA2C