Abstract: It has been found that agents which inhibit the interaction between the band 3 protein and its ligand (hereafter sometimes referred to as “interaction inhibitors” or “inhibitors”), CD36/thrombospondin, can also be used to enhance thrombolysis. The inhibitors can be peptides which contain sequences present in exofacial loops of the band 3 protein, or can be non-natural, D-isomer forms of the same sequences, or can be peptides, peptidomimetics, or non-peptidic molecules which interfere with band 3 protein—ligand interactions. One preferred group of such inhibitors comprises peptides characterized by the sequence motif Z2Z3Z2UX−UUUX− (SEQ ID NO:44), wherein Z2 represents a hydrophobic residue, U represents unobstructive residues, Z3 is either Z2 or an unobstructive residue and X− represents negatively charged residues.