Patent attributes
Pharmaceutical compositions containing a chimeric protein comprising an IGF1 and an IGF2 component and optionally (F), a fusion component, and/or a signal sequence, are provided. The chimeric protein exhibits improved activity relative to the native IGF1 or IGF2 polypeptide. Further, therapeutic methods for treating IGF1 insufficiency diseases or conditions using the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention are also provided. The diseases or conditions treatable with the methods include muscle atrophy as a result of, for example, aging, cachexia, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, disuse or immobilization of muscle, and the like, as well as dwarfism and myocardial infarction.