Pancreatic endocrine progenitor cell therapies for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes (t2d)

Abstract

Provided herein are therapies, and methods using that therapy, in the treatment of one or more of Type 2 diabetes (T2D), obesity, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance or to control weight gain in subjects. In particular, the subject may be candidates for treatment with one or more small molecule anti-diabetic drugs and the therapy may include implanting a population of pancreatic endocrine progenitor cells into the subject, where the cells are allowed to mature in vivo to produce a population.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for improving glycemic control in a subject, the method comprising: implanting a population of pancreatic endocrine progenitor cells into the subject, wherein the pancreatic endocrine progenitor cells mature in vivo to produce a population comprising pancreatic endocrine cells. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject has type 2 diabetes (T2D). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of one or more small molecule anti-diabetic drugs to the subject. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , the method further comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of one or more small molecule anti-diabetic drugs to the subject. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pancreatic endocrine progenitor cells mature in vivo to produce a population comprising at least 2% pancreatic endocrine cells. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more small molecule anti-diabetic drugs are selected from the following: meglitinides; sulfonylureas; dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors; biguanides; thiazolidinediones; alpha-glucosidase inhibitors; sodium-glucose transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors; and bile acid sequestrants. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more small molecule anti-diabetic drugs are selected from the following: meglitinides; sulfonylureas; dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors; biguanides; thiazolidinediones; alpha-glucosidase inhibitors; sodium-glucose transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors; and bile acid sequestrants. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the anti-diabetic drug is selected from the group consisting of: sitagliptin; metformin; and rosiglitazone. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the anti-diabetic drug is selected from the group consisting of: sitagliptin; metformin; and rosiglitazone. 
     
     
         11 . A method for improving glycemic control in a subject, the method comprising:
 implanting a population of pancreatic endocrine progenitor cells into the subject, wherein the pancreatic endocrine progenitor cells mature in vivo to produce a population comprising pancreatic endocrine cells; and   administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of sitagliptin; metformin; or rosiglitazone.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pancreatic endocrine progenitor cells mature in vivo to produce a population comprising at least 2% pancreatic endocrine cells. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the subject is a risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D). 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the subject has type 2 diabetes (T2D).