Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a toxin moiety (e.g., a chlorotoxin moiety) as a carrier for therapeutic agents, e.g., therapeutic agents that require intracellular uptake to exert their effects. For example, in some embodiments, the present invention provides conjugates comprising a toxin (e.g., a chlorotoxin) moiety and an anti-cancer moiety and methods for using such conjugates to increase cellular uptake and/or increase specificity for cancer cells of the anti-cancer drug. In some embodiments, the present invention provides conjugates comprising a toxin moiety (e.g., a chlorotoxin moiety) and a nucleic acid agent. Also provided are methods of treatment involving administration of such conjugates, and pharmaceutical compositions and kits useful for carrying out such methods of treatment.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel methods of inhibiting angiogenesis using chlorotoxin agents. In some embodiments, the inventive methods include intravenous, intraocular, intravitreal, subjunctival injection, and/or topical administration of a chlorotoxin agent that may or may not be labeled. In some embodiments, the inventive methods allow treatment and/or amelioration of ocular diseases characterized by neovascularization, such as wet macular degeneration. In some embodiments, neovascularization is inhibited and/or newly formed vessels are caused to regress.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and compositions for the treatment and diagnosis of neoplastic tumors. The inventive methods generally include systemic (e.g., intravenous) administration of a chloroxotoxin agent that may or may not be labeled.

Abstract: This invention includes compositions and methods for combination chemotherapy, particularly involving at least one chemotherapeutic agent used in combination with chlorotoxin or a derivative thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides fusion proteins for the detection and treatment of neuroectodermal tumors. Previous work demonstrated that chlorotoxin is specific for glial-derived or meningioma-derived tumor cells. The current invention has extended the use of chlorotoxin-cytotoxin fusion proteins to treat the whole class neuroectodermal tumors such as gliomas, meningiomas, ependymonas, medulloblastomas, neuroblastomas, gangliomas, pheochromocytomas, melanomas, PPNET's, small cell carcinoma of the lung, Ewing's sarcoma, and metastatic tumors in the brain. Also, diagnostic methods are provided for screening neoplastic neuroectodermal tumors.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of diagnosing and treating myeloproliferative or lymphoproliferative cell disorders, such as cancer, with chlorotoxin and/or derivatives, analogs or fragments thereof, which are effective to bind to an inhibit abnormal myeloid or lymphoid cell growth.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of treating cell proliferative disorders, such as cancer, with amounts of chlorotoxin and/or derivatives, analogs or fragments thereof, which are effective to bind to phosphoinositol phospholipids.