Patent ID: 6846906

Claim:
A TGF-β superfamily chimeric protein, said chimeric protein comprising a dimer wherein one monomer comprises an amino acid sequence from at least two different members of said superfamily; wherein the monomer comprises a finger 1 subdomain, a finger 2 subdomain and a heel subdomain, wherein: said finger 2 subdomain consists of cDMP-2 (residues 68-98 of SEQ ID NO: 86); said finger 1 subdomain comprises an amino acid sequence from a second, different member of said superfamily or a portion thereof; said heel subdomain comprises an amino acid sequence from the second, different member of said superfamily or a portion thereof; wherein said monomer further comprises a conserved C-terminal cysteine skeleton; wherein said chimeric protein has improved refolding attributes relative to the naturally occurring superfamily member from which the finger 1 and heel subdomains are derived; and wherein said chimeric protein is capable of inducing formation of bone, cartilage, non-mineralized skeletal or connective tissue.