Compositions containing one or more peptido-mimetics or modified peptido-mimetics of a carbohydrate ligand of an adhesion molecule in a physiologically acceptable carrier are useful for methods of reducing metastasis in a mammal and for inhibiting inflammatory response in a mammal. Particularly useful are embodiments in which the ligand is a Lewis antigen and/or the adhesion molecule is a selectin, e.g, E-selectin. Methods are disclosed for identifying peptido-mimetics of carbohydrate ligands, which may be involved in binding of tumor cells to other cells, such as endothelial cells.