Patent ID: 7153825

Claim:
A method of lowering plasma glucagon in a subject in need thereof, comprising: identifying a subject in need of therapeutic lowering of plasma glucagon levels; and administering to said subject a composition comprising a therapeutically effective glucagon lowering amount of a modified exendin, a modified exendin analog or any combination thereof; wherein said modified exendin and modified exendin analog each have an amino acid sequence that is mom than 30 amino acid residues in length; wherein said modified exendin and modified exendin analog each have a half-life that is at least about 10% greater than the half-life of an unmodified exendin and unmodified exendin analog, respectively; and wherein said modification comprises one or mom molecules linked to an exendin or exendin analog, wherein said molecule is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, gelatin and albumin, and said modification increases the molecular weight of said exendin or exendin analog by at least 10% as compared to the exendin or exendin analog without said one or more molecules.