A series of bivalent ligands of varying length were synthesized to inhibit the receptor-binding process of cholera toxin. Competitive surface receptor binding assays showed that significant potency gains relative to the constituent monovalent ligands were achieved independently from the ability of the extended bivalent ligands to span binding sites within the toxin pentamer. Several models that could account for the unexpected improvement in IC(50) values are examined, taking into account crystallographic analysis of each ligand in complex with the toxin pentamer. Evidence is presented that steric blocking at the receptor binding surface may play a role. The results of our study suggest that the use of relatively short, "nonspanning" bivalent ligands, or monovalent ligands of similar topology and bulk may be an effective way of blocking the interaction of multimeric proteins with their cell surface receptors.