Description:
This invention enables a novel, microbiome-derived approach to diabetes treatment by leveraging a protein from the gut bacterium Aeromonas that increases pancreatic β cell number through enhanced proliferation, differentiation, and survival. By targeting restoration of insulin-producing β cells, the technology addresses a core unmet need in Type I diabetes and offers potential disease-modifying benefits beyond glucose management.
The platform includes therapeutic proteins and domains, their encoding nucleic acids, recombinant vectors, and engineered cells, supporting multiple development pathways such as biologic drugs, gene therapies, and cell-based therapeutics. In parallel, a transgenic zebrafish screening system enables rapid discovery of additional β cell–regenerative compounds.
Potential Market Applications include regenerative therapies for Type I diabetes, β cell preservation or expansion in early-stage Type II diabetes, adjunctive therapies to improve islet transplantation outcomes, and drug discovery tools for pharmaceutical companies developing next-generation diabetes treatments.