The present invention relates to chimeric proteins that include an N-terminus coupled to a C-terminus, where the N-terminus includes an N-terminal portion of fibroblast growth factor 21 (“FGF21”) and the C-terminus includes a C-terminal portion of fibroblast growth factor 19 (“FGF19”). The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions including chimeric proteins according to the present invention, as well as methods for treating a subject suffering from diabetes, obesity, or metabolic syndrome, methods of treating a subject in need of increased FGF21-βKlotho-FGF receptor complex formation, methods of causing increased FGF21 receptor agonist-βKlotho-FGF receptor complex formation, and methods of screening for compounds with enhanced binding affinity for the βKlotho-FGF receptor complex involving the use of chimeric proteins of the present invention.
