Document:

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                                                                   Exhibit 10.14

              AMENDMENT TO LICENSE AND SPONSORED RESEARCH AGREEMENT

         WHEREAS, Duke University, a North Carolina not-for-profit corporation,
(hereinafter called the "LICENSOR"), having its principal office at Durham,
North Carolina 27708, and Microlslet Pharmaceutical, Inc. a corporation
organized under the laws of California (hereinafter called the "LICENSEE"),
having its principal office at 10555 Science Center Drive, Suite B, San Diego,
CA 92121 entered into a License and Sponsored Research Agreement dated 15
September 1998 [Duke University Office of Science & Technology Agreement # 495,
herein after the "LICENSE"]; and

         WHEREAS, Article 3.05 of the LICENSE called for LICENSEE to inform
LICENSOR within thirty (30) days of receipt of certain information if LICENSEE
wished to initiate the RESEARCH PROGRAM described In Article 3 and Exhibit B of
the LICENSE; and

         WHEREAS, Article 3.05 of the LICENSE also called for LICENSEE to
reimburse LICENSOR for expenses incurred by LICENSOR in obtaining the
information specified in said Article 3.05; and

         WHEREAS, LICENSOR has provided LICENSEE with the information specified
in said Article 3.05 and has also invoiced LICENSEE for said expenses; and

         WHEREAS, LICENSEE has now informed LICENSOR that it wishes to proceed
with a modified research program that differs substantially from the RESEARCH
PROGRAM specified in the LICENSE; and

         WHEREAS, the LICENSEE will reimburse LICENSOR for the expenses incurred
by LICENSOR in providing the information specified in Article 3.05 of the
LICENSE; and

         WHEREAS, LICENSOR and LICENSEE now wish to amend the LICENSE to provide
for the modified RESEARCH PROGRAM, including the delay in starting the RESEARCH
PROGRAM, and to activate the LICENSE by initiating the RESEARCH PROGRAM; and

         WHEREAS, LICENSEE now wishes to be bound by the terms and conditions of
the LICENSE;

         THEREFORE, LICENSEE and LICENSOR agree as follows:

1.   The parties agree that LICENSOR has provided the information required under
     Article 3.05.a of the LICENSE and also that, in executing this Amendment,
     the LICENSEE is notifying LICENSOR that LICENSEE shall proceed to sponsor
     the RESEARCH PROGRAM.

2.   The parties agree that Article 1.01.c of the LICENSE shall be amended to
     read:
     1.01.c "EFFECTIVE DATE" shall mean the date that LICENSOR receives from
     LICENSEE the last of the following payments: (a) a check in an amount of
     eight thousand six hundred three dollars and eighty four cents [$8603.44]
     as reimbursement for expenses specified in invoices #3860 and # 3748
     previously sent to LICENSEE by LICENSOR; and (b) the stock specified in
     Article 4.01.c herein; and (c) the first payment for the RESEARCH PROGRAM
     specified in Article 3.04 herein.

<PAGE>

3.   The parties agree that Article 3.04 of the LICENSE shall be amended to
     read:
     3.04 - Budget. In consideration of the foregoing, and as more specifically
     provided in the budget included as Exhibit B, LICENSEE will pay LICENSOR
     for all direct and indirect costs incurred in the performance of the
     research as set forth in the STATEMENT, a total not to exceed one hundred
     eighty nine thousand four hundred and eight dollars [$189,408]. An initial
     payment of forty-one thousand six hundred sixty eight dollars [$41,668]
     shall be made to LICENSEE to initiate the RESEARCH PROGRAM. The remaining
     balance of funds due, one hundred forty-seven thousand seven hundred and
     forty dollars [$147,740] shall be paid to LICENSEE in five payments of
     twenty-nine thousand five hundred forty eight dollars ($29,548) each. Such
     payments shall be made to LICENSOR on 1 April, 1 June, 1 August, 1 October,
     and 1 December of 1999. The parties agree that this budget may be revised
     by mutual written agreement between the parties based upon the reasonable
     requirements of the research project including the availability of funding
     from other sources.

4.   The parties agree that Article 4.01.a of the LICENSE shall be amended to
     read: 4.01.a. LICENSEE shall sponsor the RESEARCH PROGRAM specified in
     Article 3 herein.

5.   The parties agree that the budget in Exhibit B of the LICENSE shall be
     amended to read:

     EXHIBIT B: STATEMENT OF WORK
     BUDGET

     PRECLINICAL TRIALS WITH MICROENCAPSULATED ISLETS IN FIVE BABOONS

     *EQUIPMENT                                                   $      12,000
     Itemized costs
     1.     1 Stereomicroscope                                    $       2,500
     2.     Isolation Chamber and accessories                     $       2,500
     3.     Automatic Freezer                                     $       2,000
     4.     Equipment and Service Contracts                       $       5,000
     *   For this phase, we may be able to rent the COBE cell separator as
         suggested by John Steel. We could also use most of the existing
         equipment whose maintenance costs and distilled water supply contract
         Microislet would pay for, as indicated on line item #4. Under these
         circumstances, only the three items of equipment requested would still
         be required.

                                     Page 2
<PAGE>

     SUPPLIES                                                     $      23,750
     Itemized costs
     1.     Ficoll (5 kg)                                         $       7,000
     2.     Organ Preservation (UW-solution)                      $       1,500
     3.     Cell Isolation and Culture Media                      $       1,500
     4.     Preservatives (antioxidants, anticytokines, etc.)     $       1,000
     5.     Collagenase and DNase                                 $       2,500
     6.     Purified Alginate                                     $       3,500
     7.     Poly-L-Lysine and sodium citrate                      $       1,500
     8.     Accessories for encapsulation                         $       1,000
            (tubings, syringes, needles, test-tubes
            centrifuge tubes, etc)
     9.     Streptozotocin                                        $         750
     10.    Chemicals for analytical buffers                      $       2,000
     11.    Assay kits for glucose, insulin and C-peptide         $       1,500

     ANIMALS                                                      $      17,500
     Itemized costs
     1.     5 Diabetic Baboons (Transplant recipients)            $      15,500
            (cost and shipping)
     2.     20 Pigs (Pancreatic donors)                           $       2,000
            (cost and shipping)

     ANIMAL CARE                                                  $       4,200
     Itemized costs
     1.     Daily Care for 5 Baboons for 6 months                 $       1,000
     2.     Quarantine for 5 Baboons                              $       3,000
     3.     Per diem for 20 Pigs prior to sacrifice               $         200

     SURGERY COSTS                                                $      17,250
     (Breakdown of Surgery Costs per animal)
     1.     Operating room charges                                $       1,500
     2.     Medications                                           $         500
     3.     Sterile syringes and needles                          $         250
     4.     Tru cut needle for biopsy                             $         200
     5.     Sutures                                               $         150
     6.     IVfluids                                              $         100
     7.     Pump, head, tubing, adapters                          $         250
     8.     Sterile Supplies                                      $         500
     Total Surgery cost/animal                                    $       3,450

     PERSONNEL                                                    $      52,500
     Itemized costs
     1.     Principal Investigator (50% effort)                   $      50,000
     2.     Co-Investigator (Transplant Surgeon)                  $       2,500
            (@ $250/procedure and 2 procedures/animal)

     DIRECT COSTS                           $     127,200
     INDIRECT COST                          $      62,208
     (Institutional @ 54% direct cost, except on equipment)

                  TOTAL COSTS               $     189,408
                  -----------               -------------

                                     Page 3
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6.   The address for notices sent to LICENSOR specified in Article 15 shall be
     amended to read:

         Mr. John Steel
         President
         Microlslet Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
         10555 Science Center Drive, Suite B
         San Diego, CA 92121

All other terms and conditions of the LICENSE remain in force and unchanged by
this Amendment.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Amendment to be executed in
duplicate as of the dates inscribed below.

LICENSOR

By:    /s/ Robert Taber
       ------------------------------
       Robert Taber
       Director, Office of Science and Technology
       Duke University

Date:      2/5/99
       --------------

[LICENSEE]

By:    /s/ John F. Steel
       ------------------------------
       Name:  John Steel
       Title:    President/CEO

       Date:      2/9
               -----------

                                     Page 4<PAGE>
                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.15

                           RESEARCH SERVICE AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT made the 20th day of November, 2002.

BETWEEN:

                                MicroIslet, Inc.
                          of San Diego, California, USA
                                 (the "Client")

                                     - and -

                   The Governors of the University of Alberta,
               a corporation under thc Universities Act (Alberta)

                                (the University")

The Client and the University agree as follows:

1. UNIVERSITY TO PERFORM SERVICE -- The University as an independent contractor,
will perform the review, test or other academic or technical service outlined in
Schedule A (the "Service") and will use reasonable efforts to complete such
service on or before the 30th day of September, 2004. The Service does not
include the provision of improvements, additions or changes to any information,
product or technique which is the subject of the Service or the provision of
solutions to problems identified in such information, product or techniques as a
result of the provision of the Service.

2. PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR -- The Service will be performed under the direction
of a Principal Investigator (a "Principal Investigator"). The initial Principal
Investigator is Dr. Jonathan Lakey of the University's Department of Surgery.

3. PAYMENT -- The Client will pay to the University the service fee provided in
Schedule B (the "Service Fee") in accordance with the payment provisions act
forth in Schedule B.

4. CONFIDENTIALITY -- Each of the University and the Client may disclose
information it considers confidential to the other to facilitate the Service.
Each party will use all reasonable efforts to treat and keep confidential, and
cause its officers, servants and employees to treat and keep confidential, any
such information received by it from the other marked "Confidential" and in no
event will such efforts be less than the degree of care and discretion the
recipient exercises in protecting its own confidential information. Any such
information will be disclosed within the recipient's organization on a "need to
know" basis. Except as otherwise permitted pursuant to Section 7 the University
will use all reasonable efforts to treat and to cause all officers, servants and
employees of the University to treat as strictly confidential all Service
Results.

                                      -1-
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5. SERVICE RESULTS -- Service Results mean any and all conclusions and
information on which the same are based, developed in the provision of the
Service, including compilations, notes, data and reports. Service Results do not
include intellectual property utilized by the University in the provision of the
Service, the Client acquiring no interest in. or right to use, any such
intellectual property as a result of this Agreement.

6. OWNERSHIP AND USE -- Subject to the rights of the University pursuant to this
Section 6 and Section 7, all Service Results will be the property of the Client.
The Client grants to the University a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty free
license to use the Service Results without identification of, or connection to,
the Client for teaching and on-commercial internal research purposes.

7. NO FURTHER PUBLICATION -- The University will have no rights to utilize or
publish the Service Results other than as provided in Section 6.

8. EXCLUSION -- Any obligation to keep confidential any information will not
apply to information which was already known to the party to which it was
disclosed and will cease to apply when through no fault or omission of such
party or its officers or employees such information becomes public knowledge, is
received by the recipient from a third party without a duty of confidentiality,
when the party is ordered by judicial or administrative process to disclose any
or all of the information or when the other party gives prior written consent to
disclosure.

9. NO REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES ON SERVICE RESULTS -- EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE
PROVIDED IN THIS AGREEMENT, THE UNIVERSITY MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR
WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO ANY MATTER INCLUDING, WITHOUT
LIMITATION, THE EXISTENCE OR NON-EXISTENCE OF COMPETING TECHNOLOGY, THE
CONDITION, QUALITY OR FREEDOM FROM ERROR OF THE SERVICE RESULTS OR ANY PART
THEREOF, OR ITS MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND ALL
WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE, ARE
HEREBY DISCLAIMED. THE CLIENT ASSUMES THE RISK OF DEFECTS OR INACCURACIES IN THE
SERVICE RESULTS SUPPLIED BY THE UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY WILL HAVE NO
LIABILITY, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE OR OTHERWISE WHICH MIGHT ARISE FROM
THE USE BY THE CLIENT OF THE SERVICE RESULTS OR ANY OTHER MATERIALS DELIVERED
HEREUNDER.

10. TERMINATION -- In the event that either party fails to remedy any breach or
default on its part pursuant to this Agreement within ten (10) days of notice
from the other to that effect, the party not in default may upon written notice
to the party in default terminate the Service and any further right of the party
in default under this Agreement. Any such termination is without prejudice to or
limitation of any other right or remedies of the parry not in default including
the right to collect stuns due to it at the time of such termination.

11. INDEMNIFICATION -- Except for the results of any act of fraud, malpractice,
misconduct, illegal conduct or negligence, the Client will defend, indemnify and
hold harmless the University (including its officers, employees, students and
agents) from all liabilities, demands, damages, expenses and losses arising out
of the use by the Client or by any party acting on behalf of or under
authorization from the Client of the Service Results or out of any use, sale or
other disposition by the Client, or by any party acting on behalf of or under
authorization from the Client of any product or technique which is the subject
of the Service or is created or modified based on the Service Results.

                                      -2-
<PAGE>

12. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY -- Except for the results of any act of fraud,
malpractice, misconduct, illegal conduct or negligence the University will not
be liable to the Client for all breaches of contract or for torts or otherwise
arising from or in relation to this Agreement or the matters or activities dealt
with herein in excess of the aggregate amounts paid by the Client to the
University pursuant hereto.

13. USE OF UNIVERSITY NAME -- The Client will not utilize the name of the
University or the Principal Investigator in conjunction with the Client's use or
exploitation of the Service Results, including without limitation, the
development, production or marketing of products.

14. FOIPP -- The Client acknowledges that all records prepared by the University
in the performance of this Agreement are in the custody and control of the
University. The University is or will be subject to the access and privacy
provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Alberta)
which creates a right of access to records under the custody and control of
public bodies subject to specific, limited exceptions. Except as required by law
or as otherwise permitted pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, neither the
University nor the Client will disclose the contents of this Agreement or the
foregoing records other than for the purpose of implementation or enforcement of
the same or for a general statement on the parties to the Agreement, the amount
being paid for the Service and the general nature of the Service, either party
being entitled to publish that information.

16. NOTICES -- All notices, requests, directions or other communications
required or permitted herein will be in writing and will be delivered to the
parties hereto respectively as follows:

         THE CLIENT:

         MICROISLET, INC.
         6370 Nancy Ridge Dr. Suite 112
         San Diego, CA  92121
         Attention:  President
         Phone:  (858) 657-0287 x104
         E-mail: haro@microislet.com

         THE UNIVERSITY:

         For Contract/Finance Matters:
         Research Services Office
         222 Campus Tower
         The University of Alberta
         Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E1
         Attention:  Agreements Manager
         Phone:  (780) 492-5787
         Fax:  (780) 492-7876

                                      -3-
<PAGE>

         FOR SERVICE MATTERS:
         Dr. Jonathan Lakey
         Department of Surgery
         Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
         University of Alberta
         Edmonton. Alberta
         Phone:  (780) 492-3077

         In order for any notices, requests, directions, or other communications
to be effective, the same will either be delivered in person or sent by
registered mail or facsimile addressed to the party for whom it is intended at
the above-mentioned address or fax number and will be deemed to have been
received, if sent by registered mail, when the postal receipt is acknowledged by
the other party; and, if sent by facsimile, when transmitted. The address or fax
number of either party may be changed by notice in the manner set out in this
Section.

17. GOVERNING LAW -- This Agreement will be governed by and interpreted in
accordance with the laws in force in the Province of Alberta and the parties
expressly attorn to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Alberta for
enforcement thereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF the duly authorized officers of the parties have
executed this Agreement on the date first above written.

The Governors of the University of Alberta      Client:

Per:                                            Per:
     /s/ Julaine Herst                               /s/ Haro Hartounian
     ----------------------------                    ---------------------------
     Contracts Officer                               President
     Research Services Office

Per:                                            Per:
     /s/ Jonathan Lakey
     ----------------------------                    ---------------------------
     Principal Investigator

Per:
     /s/ S. Hamilton
     ----------------------------
     Department Chair

Per:
     /s/ Joel Weiner
     ----------------------------
     Faculty Dean

                                      -4-
<PAGE>

                                   SCHEDULE A

                                   THE SERVICE
                                   -----------

Details of specific service and budget will be developed by the Researcher and
Microlslet for each individual task to be completed under this agreement.

                                      -5-
<PAGE>

                                   SCHEDULE B

                                     PAYMENT
                                     -------

B.l SERVICE FEE -- The Client `will pay to the University for the University's
performance of the Service a Service Fee to a maximum of $l00,000.00 U.S. per
year.

B.2 INVOICING -- The University will invoice the Client for each individual
service to be provided under this agreement upon receipt of University and
Client approved scope of work and budget.

B.3 PAYMENT -- Invoiced amounts are due and payable by the Sponsor within thirty
(30) days of receipt of invoice or within such shorter time as provided in
Section B.2. Interest will be paid on overdue amounts at a rate of 15% per
annum. The Service Fee is exclusive of GST which, if applicable, will be paid by
the Sponsor at the same time as the payment of the Service Fee on which the same
is based.

                                      -6-

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