The present invention relates to the use of glycan-binding polypeptides and glycans as a medicament, in particular for treating and/or preventing helminthic infections or an immune disease. Moreover, the present invention is directed to corresponding pharmaceutical compositions, food products and animal feed comprising isolated glycans and/or glycan-binding polypeptides. In addition, the present invention teaches methods for identifying anti-helminthic carbohydrate-binding polypeptides, for identifying helminthic glycan and gene targets involved in glycan-mediated toxicity, for identifying helminths susceptible to glycan-mediated toxicity, and for identifying anti-helminthic and anti-allergic substances.
