The present invention provides compounds for disrupting the binding of a matrix metalloprotease (MMP) protein to a substrate protein at an interaction site other than the protease catalytic site. In particular the inventive compounds inhibit the MMP's ability to cleave a substrate protein. In some cases the compound may prevent activation of transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ). The compounds are preferably polypeptide fragments of the hemopexin-like domain of the MMP, but may be mimetics thereof or peptides or mimetics of the portion of the MMP substrate protein to which the MMP interacts.