Inventors:
Josephine Egan - Baltimore MD, US
Riccardo Perfetti - Washington DC, US
Antonino Passaniti - White Hall MD, US
Nigel Greig - Silver Spring MD, US
Harold Holloway - Middle River MD, US
Joel Habener - Newton Centre MA, US
Doris Stoffers - Moorestown NJ, US
International Classification:
A61K 35/39, C12N 5/08
US Classification:
424093700, 435366000, 435325000
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a population of insulin producing cells made by a process comprising contacting non-insulin producing cells with a growth factor selected from the group consisting of GLP-1 or Exendin-4, growth factors having amino acid sequences substantially homologous to GLP-1 or Exendin-4, and fragments thereof. The present invention also relates to methods of differentiating non-insulin producing cells into insulin producing cells and of enriching a population of cells for insulin-producing cells. The present invention also relates to methods of treating diabetes.