Toxic peptides and proteins, particularly from the venoms of animals, are predicted to be a major source of next-generation peptide and protein-based drugs. A closer look at these evolutionary templates reveals why inspiration from nature’s “poisonous proteins” will continue to drive drug development. While these toxic non-proteinogenic amino acids seem to have evolved as plant defense mechanisms, pharmaceutical scientists have repurposed them as broader tools in drug development. Ziconotide, a pain inhibitor, is derived from a toxic peptide found in cone snails. Cite: Whiteman, N. “Toxic Proteins for Drug Discovery.” Asimov Press (2025).