The present invention relates to a compound that includes a peptide vector, such as angiopep-2 which acts as a carrier across the blood-brain barrier, linked to glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), or a related molecule, such as an analog or a fragment thereof. The compounds of the invention may be used to treat any disease where increased neuronal survival or growth is desired, e.g., neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Other diseases can be treated using the compounds include schizophrenia and depression.
