The present invention is based, at least in part on the discovery of therapeutic agents capable of preventing, inhibiting or modulating abnormal processing, misfolding or aggregation of protein. The therapeutic agents of the invention may prevent, inhibit or modulate the formation of inclusions. The therapeutic agents of the invention may also be capable of facilitating clearance and/or blocking the cellular toxicity of inclusions to treat or ameliorate disorders characterized by protein aggregation. Compounds which bind to structural motifs commonly found in protein aggregates, such as .beta.-sheets, would represent strong candidates for such compounds and are therefore desirable.