This special edition of Toxins will cover recent developments in snake venom metalloproteinase structure function and clinical implications. It will include a historical retrospective of the discovery of Snake Venom Metalloproteinases (SVMPs) and early insights into their biochemical mechanisms and how they function in envenomation. The individual articles will review - SVMP Structure - Pathologies associated with SVMPs activities - Mechanism of action; evolution and orthologs - SVMP processing and disintegrins - Potential clinical applications of SVMP scaffolds