Isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a neurotrophic growth factor

There is disclosed an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a human neurotrophic growth factor designated enovin and having the amino acid sequence illustrated in FIG. or or encoding a functional equivalent, derivative or bioprecursor of said growth factor. The growth factor preferably comprises the amino acid sequence from position 27 to 139 of the sequence illustrated in FIG. , or a functional equivalent, derivative or bioprecursor thereof. The nucleic acid molecule encoding enovin can be used to transform a host cell, tissue or organism by including it in an appropriate vector. The host cell, tissue or organism and the vector also form part of the invention.