1. Aptamer: part of a larger molecule (usually DNA or protein), usually just the part that "does" something. Eg, Byetta is an apatmer of the gila monster hormone, that is a short peptide (string of amino acids) that produces the primary activity, instead of having to make the whole protein.

Multimeric: a bunch of molecules put together.

Multimeric aptamer: a bunch of peptides (parts of a larger protein) hooked together to effectively give more reactive or binding parts per actual molecule. Read: a way to get more "bang" per molecule buck.

Posted at 4:12PM on Apr 5th 2007 by madbard

2.

In respect of your comment: ‘…SmartInsulin contains nano-sized particles that release insulin in proportion to blood glucose levels…’

Since when should Anyone “…release insulin in proportion to blood glucose levels…” and what would happen to Everyone if insulin was released “…in proportion to blood glucose levels…’?

“…After World War I, when insulin was first discovered, the medical profession thought diabetes would be totally curable as a medical problem. Diabetes was believed to be due to insulin deficiency, and everyone thought that since insulin would now be given to patients there would be no more problems. It seemed this way for a few years, but terrible things started happening to patients with diabetes who were given insulin to control their blood sugar levels. They developed eye disease, kidney disease, and, most important, accelerating atherosclerosis leading to blood vessel disease and early heart attacks. Their problems were worse than ever. Decades later, when the insulin assay became available and doctors were able to measure insulin levels in their patients’ bloodstreams, they found most interesting results: the insulin levels of type 1 (childhood-onset) diabetics were indeed low, but the levels in type 2 (adult-onset) diabetics were not only not low, but also were higher than those of people without diabetes. It became clear that type 2 diabetes is a disease of insulin resistance, not insulin deficiency. Type 2 diabetics produce plenty of insulin … I can only view today’s treatment of diabetic patients as malpractice…”
(1995) Dr Joel Fuhrman [a board-certified Family Physician practising in Belle Mead, New Jersey who specialises in preventing and reversing chronic conditions of high blood sugar; Dr Fuhrman is an active staff member of Hunterdon Medical Centre and provides nutritionally oriented medical care to Patients as well as nutritional education to other Physicians; Author of “Fasting and Eating for Health” ‘A Medical Doctor’s Program for Conquering Disease’].

Warm thanks, Nicholas Dynes Gracey, BSc(Hons) Medical Biochemistry, Birmingham University, UK c/o www.TheDiabetesBlog.com @ 14:13hrs FRI.06.APR.2007.

Posted at 9:17AM on Apr 6th 2007 by Nicholas Dynes Gracey

3. >> Since when should Anyone “…release insulin in proportion to blood glucose levels…” and what would happen to Everyone if insulin was released “…in proportion to blood glucose levels…’?

Isn't this exactly what we do? We test first, and we take insulin to compensate for our current level + whatever carbs we're taking in. This would be an 'auto-correcting' insulin... and much more forgiving of inaccurate levels than the current system. It's a *major* advance.

Posted at 10:01PM on Apr 16th 2007 by DaveTheCompGuy