# ChEMBL Targets Scraper (`parseforge/chembl-targets-scraper`) Actor

Scrapes ChEMBL target records by search term, ChEMBL ID, organism, or target type. Returns each target as a flat row with ID, name, organism, and type.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/parseforge/chembl-targets-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [ParseForge](https://apify.com/parseforge) (community)
- **Categories:** Education, Automation, Integrations
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 90.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $7.50 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

[![ParseForge](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParseForge/apify-assets/main/banner.jpg)](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp)

### ChEMBL Targets Scraper

**Scrape ChEMBL target records by name, organism, or target type, up to a million per run.** Each target comes with its ChEMBL ID, preferred name, organism, and target type. No API key. Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.

ChEMBL's official API needs a registered client and rate-limits you. This reads the public target pages directly, filtered by search term, organism, or target type, and returns each match in one fixed schema.

| Who uses it | What they scrape ChEMBL for |
|---|---|
| Drug discovery researchers | Which proteins are validated targets for a disease |
| Bioinformaticians | Building a local catalog of target metadata for analysis |
| Cheminformaticians | Linking target IDs to compound activity data |
| Academic labs | Teaching students about public bioactivity databases |

### What it does

This Actor collects ChEMBL target records by search term, exact ChEMBL ID, organism, or target type, and returns each one as a flat row.

- 🔍 **Search by name:** free-text search against the preferred name, e.g. `kinase` or `EGFR`.
- 🎯 **Exact ChEMBL ID:** pass `CHEMBL203` to skip list pagination and fetch one target.
- 🧬 **Organism filter:** restrict to `Homo sapiens` or any other organism.
- 🏷️ **Target type filter:** choose from single protein, protein complex, cell line, and more.
- 📦 **Bulk collection:** set `maxItems` up to 1,000,000 per run.

Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.

### What you can do with ChEMBL data

**🧬 Build a target catalog.**

A bioinformatician runs the Actor with `targetType: SINGLE PROTEIN` and `organism: Homo sapiens` to assemble a local table of human protein targets for a screening platform.

**🔍 Find targets by keyword.**

A drug discovery researcher searches `kinase` to list all kinase targets, then filters by organism to prioritize human proteins.

**🎯 Fetch one target by ID.**

A cheminformatician passes `CHEMBL203` to retrieve the exact record for EGFR and link it to compound activity data.

**📊 Monitor target annotations.**

A data curator runs the Actor weekly with a target type filter to track newly added or updated targets in ChEMBL.

### Why choose this scraper

| | What you get |
|---|---|
| **No API key** | Public ChEMBL pages are read directly, no registration or OAuth. |
| **Fixed schema** | Every target returns the same flat fields, ready for CSV or a database. |
| **Filtered at the source** | Organism and target type filters are applied before pagination, so you only pay for matches. |
| **Bulk ready** | Collect up to a million targets in one run. |

### How it compares

This Actor collects target metadata, while the competitor normalizes bioactivity records, so they serve different stages of the ChEMBL workflow.

| Feature | ParseForge | ChEMBL Bioactivity Normalizer & QC |
|---|---|---|
| Target metadata (ID, name, organism, type) | Yes | Not listed |
| Bioactivity normalization | Not listed | Yes |
| Search by target name | Yes | Not listed |
| Filter by organism | Yes | Not listed |
| Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, XML | Yes | Not listed |

### Configure the run

Drive the Actor from a search term, exact ChEMBL ID, organism, or target type, alone or together, and filters run as each target is read so only matches reach your dataset. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

```json
{
 "maxItems": 10
}
```

A larger pull:

```json
{
 "maxItems": 200
}
```

### Pricing

Pay-per-result: **$0.0085 per result** collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.

| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $0.85 |
| 1,000 results | $8.50 |
| 10,000 results | $85.00 |

New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.

### Free users

Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. [Upgrade your Apify plan](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp) to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.

### Run it

1. [Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp).
2. Open the [ChEMBL Targets Scraper](https://apify.com/parseforge/chembl-targets-scraper?fpr=vmoqkp).
3. Set your inputs and any filters, then click **Start**.
4. Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the **Dataset** tab.

Run it programmatically through the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) (`run-sync-get-dataset-items`) or the [ApifyClient](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js) for JavaScript and Python.

### Use with AI agents (MCP)

Give an AI agent live access to ChEMBL through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=parseforge/chembl-targets-scraper"
```

Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.

### Troubleshooting

**Why am I getting no results?**

Your search term or filters may be too restrictive. Try a shorter keyword, or clear the organism and target type fields.

**Why is the run slow?**

ChEMBL pagination can be slow for large lists. Reduce maxItems or use an exact ChEMBL ID to fetch a single target.

**Why did I get fewer items than maxItems?**

The Actor stops when it reaches the end of the filtered list. Broaden your filters to get more results.

**Why is my organism filter not working?**

The organism field requires an exact match, such as Homo sapiens. Check the spelling and capitalization.

**Can I get more fields than shown?**

The Actor returns a fixed set of target fields. For additional data, use the ChEMBL API or a different scraper.

### FAQ

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Do I need a ChEMBL API key? | No. The Actor reads the public ChEMBL web interface directly, so no registration or key is required. |
| Can I search by gene name? | Yes. The search field matches the preferred name, which often includes gene symbols like EGFR or TP53. |
| What is a ChEMBL target ID? | A stable identifier like CHEMBL203 that uniquely identifies a target in the ChEMBL database. |
| How many targets can I collect? | Set maxItems up to 1,000,000. The Actor stops when it reaches that number or the end of the list. |
| Can I filter by organism? | Yes, use the organism field with an exact name like Homo sapiens. |
| What target types are available? | Single protein, protein complex, protein family, cell line, tissue, nucleic acid, and more. See the input schema for the full list. |
| Does this scrape bioactivity data? | No, this Actor collects target metadata only. For bioactivity records, use a dedicated ChEMBL bioactivity scraper. |
| Can I export to Excel? | Yes, the Actor supports CSV, JSON, Excel, and XML exports. |
| Is the data live? | Yes, each run reads the current public ChEMBL pages, so you get the latest targets. |
| What if I get no results? | Check your search term or filters. Try a broader search or remove the organism and target type filters. |

### Related actors

Browse the full [ParseForge collection](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp) for more scrapers.

🆘 **Need help?** Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.

⚠️ **Disclaimer.** This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by EMBL-EBI. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.

# Actor input Schema

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

How many targets to collect per run.

## `targetChemblId` (type: `string`):

Exact ChEMBL target id such as `CHEMBL203`. Skips list pagination.

## `search` (type: `string`):

Free-text search against the preferred name (uses the ChEMBL search endpoint).

## `organism` (type: `string`):

Exact organism filter, e.g. `Homo sapiens`.

## `targetType` (type: `string`):

ChEMBL target type filter.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "maxItems": 10,
  "targetType": ""
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "maxItems": 10
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("parseforge/chembl-targets-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "maxItems": 10 }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("parseforge/chembl-targets-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "maxItems": 10
}' |
apify call parseforge/chembl-targets-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,parseforge/chembl-targets-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/QHPDfgidbhiY09Cp1/builds/zyWiYo35F8bPIATaG/openapi.json