Method for preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes

Abstract

A method for preventing, delaying the onset of or treating diabetes in a patient comprising selecting a patient who is susceptible to developing diabetes, who is developing diabetes or who is diabetic and administering to the patient one or more than one dose of a pharmaceutical agent comprising a polynucleotide encoding a secreted exogenous protein, such as a secreted luciferase or a secreted form of human glutamic acid decarboxylase.

1 . A method for preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes in a patient comprising: 
 a) selecting a patient who is susceptible to developing diabetes, who is developing diabetes or who is diabetic;    b) administering to the patient one or more than one dose of a pharmaceutical agent comprising a polynucleotide encoding a secreted glutamic acid decarboxylase.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where selecting the patient comprises identifying in the patient the presence of anti-insulin or anti-GAD autoantibodies or both anti-insulin and anti-GAD autoantibodies.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , where selecting the patient comprises identifying in the patient the presence of increasing hyperglycemia.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , where selecting the patient comprises identifying in the patient the presence of glycosuria.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , where selecting the patient comprises identifying in the patient the presence of a genetic predisposition to diabetes.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , where the one or more than one dose is a plurality of doses.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , where administering to the patient one or more than one dose comprises injecting the patient intramuscularly with the one or more than one dose.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , where the glutamic acid decarboxylase comprises a sequence according to SEQ ID NO:3.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after administering, monitoring the patient for the development diabetes.