Patent ID: 7888042

Claim:
A method of identifying a candidate molecule that activates glucose transport, comprising: a.) combining an insulin receptor molecule and insulin under conditions suitable for specific interaction between said insulin receptor molecule and insulin resulting in an equilibrium binding state; b.) further combining said candidate molecule with said combined insulin receptor molecule and insulin under conditions suitable for specific interaction between said candidate molecule and combined insulin receptor molecule and insulin; and c.) determining the ability of said candidate molecule to bind to said combined insulin receptor molecule and insulin; d.) determining whether said candidate molecule activates glucose transport; e.) determining whether said candidate molecule influences maximal binding (B max ) of insulin to said insulin receptor in a dose dependent manner without materially altering insulin's binding affinity (K d ) for said insulin receptor; and f.) selecting a candidate molecule that binds to said combined insulin receptor molecule and insulin, activates glucose transport, and decreases maximal binding (B max ) of insulin to said insulin receptor in a dose dependent manner without materially altering insulin's binding affinity (K d ) for said insulin receptor.