Scios Inc.

Merrell Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Scios Nova, Inc.

Jeffrey N Higaki

Barbara Cordell

Norton P Peet

Mitchell Wayne Mutz

Michael R Angelastro

Viviane Van Dorsselaer

Daniel G Schirlin

Stewart A Thompson

Edmund G Tischer

Daniel Schirlin

The present invention provides cell-free &ggr;-secretase activity. The method of the invention utilizes a membrane source of APP/&ggr;-secretase mixture in the assay to determine factors that may enhance or decrease enzymatic activity affecting &bgr;-amyloid peptide production. The cell membranes used in the assay may be from cells expressing an endogenous APP or, preferably, cells expressing a recombinant APP. The APP may be full-length or a fragment capable of being proteolytically cleaved by &ggr;-secretase. In addition, the APP expressed in the cells may have one or more mutation, such as a point mutation, small deletion, etc.

Modulation of &ggr;-secretase activity

Inhibitors of .beta.-amyloid protein production

There are disclosed neurotrophic factors which are capable of being expressed as polypeptides lacking the microheterogeneity associated with a related native-sequence factor, CNTF. Also disclosed are DNA sequences encoding the neurotrophic factors and methods for expressing and recovering the factors as homogeneous polypeptides.

Production of homogeneous truncated CNTF

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Jeffrey N Higaki