William Metz , sanofi aventis, Medicinal Chemistry N103A, Route 202-206, Bridgewater, NJ, US | Kim Janda | Patrick Toy | Ikuo Fujii

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) has recently catapulted into the public consciousness in two seemingly disparate roles, potential use as a biological weapon and treatment of neuromuscular disorders. This bacterially-produced protein is the most potent toxin known to humans, with a lethal dose estimated at ~1 ng/kg of body weight. Each stage of the multistep BoNT intoxication process has been studied at the molecular level to control the profound morbidity of this molecule. This symposium will focus on the recent developments in the modulation of BoNT using chemical biology approaches with particular emphasis on in vivo efficacy of emerging technologies as well as the newfound understanding of the intoxication mechanism that has been recently achieved.