Patent ID: 6995147
Filing Date: 2006-02-07
Classification: A61K,A61P,C12Y

Abstract:
1. A method for delaying the onset of diabetes in a patient comprising: a) selecting a patient who is developing diabetes due to an autoimmune response to glutamic acid decarboxylase; and b) administering to the patient intramuscularly one or more than one dose of a pharmaceutical agent comprising a plasmid vector encoding a secreted form of human glutamic acid decarboxylase comprising SEQ ID NO: 3 under the control of a CMV promoter, causing the patient to express and secrete human glutamic acid decarboxylase and, thereby, causing a decrease in the autoimmune response to glutamic acid decarboxylase, wherein selecting the patient comprises identifying in the patient the presence of increasing hyperglycemia, glycosuria, or both increasing hyperglycemia and glycosuria, and then identifying in the patient the presence of anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies.