The invention is directed to a method of identifying a compound that modulates SP-induced paraptosis by (a) contacting a population of cells with an effective amount of substance P to induce SP-induced paraptosis; (b) contacting a first sub-population of the cells with a test-compound, and a second sub-population of the cells with a control-compound; and (c) comparing the amount of cell death between the first and second sub-populations of cells, where a difference in the amount of cell death between the first and second sub-populations of cells indicates that the test-compound is a compound that modulates SP-induced paraptosis. The invention is also directed to a method of treating a condition associated with excessive cell accumulation by administering to a subject in need of such treatment an effective amount of a compound identified from the method described above where the effective amount of the compound increases SP-induced paraptosis. The invention is further directed to a method of treating a condition associated with excessive cell death by administering to a subject in need of such treatment an effective amount of a compound identified from the method described above where the effective amount of the compound decreases SP-induced paraptosis.