SAN DIEGO -- Aethlon Medical, Inc., (OTCBB:AEMD) a pioneer in developing therapeutic devices for infectious disease, today disclosed that researchers have demonstrated the effectiveness of the Aethlon Hemopurifier[R] in capturing the highly-fatal H5N1 strain of the Avian Flu Virus (Bird Flu.) In pre-clinical studies, high concentrations of H5N1 flu virus (~ 3 million flu virus/ml) were observed to be rapidly depleted from cell culture fluids when circulated through the Hemopurifier[R]. The study data indicated that during a six-hour testing period, the Hemopurifier([R]) removed up to 99.4 percent of infectious H5N1 flu virus. Verification of viral capture was documented by both real-time PCR and conventional plaque assay (TCID 50) measurements.
"The data provides real hope for a post-infection treatment against pandemic influenza and further reinforces the ability of our Hemopurifier[R] to address a broad spectrum of viral conditions," stated James A. Joyce, Chairman and CEO of Aethlon Medical. "Additionally, it appears possible that the use of the Hemopurifier[R] could open the door for drugs previously considered incapable of providing clinical benefit as a stand-alone therapy."
The Aethlon Hemopurifier[R] is a medical device designed for the single use removal of infectious viral pathogens from blood. The device, which augments the natural immune response of clearing infectious viruses and toxins before cell and organ infection, is positioned to fill a void in treating drug and vaccine resistant infectious diseases. In order to further support the use of the Hemopurifier[R] as a broad-spectrum treatment countermeasure against bioterror and pandemic threats in the United States, Aethlon will include this new data in a forthcoming submission to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
