Optimized crosslinkers for trapping a target on a substrate

A method for preventing or treating an infection by a viral pathogen including either a human immunodeficiency virus or a herpes virus in a vaginal mucosal extracellular matrix substrate in a subject, said method comprising:

• altering a binding affinity of a crosslinker to the vaginal mucosal extracellular matrix substrate to form a pool of candidate crosslinkers that binds to both the vaginal mucosal extracellular matrix substrate and to the viral pathogen;
• selecting an altered crosslinker that associates with the vaginal mucosal extracellular matrix substrate between 20% to less than 95% of the time, has a rate of binding to the viral pathogen greater than about 1×104 M−1 s−1, and has a diffusion coefficient that is between 20% to 99% less than a diffusion coefficient of the altered crosslinker in water;
• and administering the altered crosslinker to the subject, wherein the crosslinker comprises an antibody or portion of an antibody that binds to the viral pathogen.