Aethlon Medical Inc. has added a news release to its Investor Relations website.
Title: Aethlon Medical Announces West Nile Research Collaboration
Date: 4/2/2008 10:05:00 AM
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SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 2, 2008--Aethlon Medical, Inc.
(OTCBB:AEMD) announced today that it will initiate studies to test the
in vitro effectiveness of the Aethlon Hemopurifier(R) to capture West
Nile virus (WNV), an infectious disease presently untreatable with
antiviral drug and vaccine therapy. The studies are designed to
evaluate the potential of the Hemopurifier(R) to treat WNV, and to
further demonstrate the broad-spectrum effectiveness of the
Hemopurifier(R) to capture viral pathogens.
Therapies able to demonstrate broad-spectrum effectiveness against
multiple pathogens have recently been mandated by the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) to be the focal point of government
programs that support the commercialization of candidate
countermeasures against bioterror and pandemic threats. Aethlon
Medical considers the Hemopurifier(R) to be the leading broad-spectrum
candidate as evidenced by its breadth of pre-clinical data and human
treatment experience. Data resulting from the WNV study and other
clinical programs will be included in a forthcoming submission to HHS
and the newly established Biomedical Research and Development
Authority (BARDA) to advance the commercialization of the
Hemopurifier(R) as a broad-spectrum countermeasure against bioterror
and pandemic threats.
The WNV studies will be conducted at the Battelle Biomedical
Research Center, a global research organization who previously
collaborated with Aethlon Medical on pre-clinical testing of the
Hemopurifier(R) against the highly fatal H5N1 Avian Flu Virus (bird
flu). In those studies, the Hemopurifier(R) proved effective in
removing up to 99.4% of infectious H5N1 from cell culture fluids
during a six-hour testing periods.
WNV first appeared in the Western hemisphere in 1999, and is
believed to have entered via an infected bird or mosquito, the primary
vector for human infection. Incidence of infection within the U.S. has
since increased with approximately 3,600 cases reported in 2007, 33
percent of which were the more severe neuro-invasive forms, and these
resulted in 121 fatalities. It is further believed that there is a
significant underreporting of the number of actual cases. The cost of
West Nile related health care in the U.S. exceeded $200 million in the
2002 alone.
About Battelle Biomedical Research Center
Battelle is the world's largest non-profit independent research
and development organization, providing innovative solutions to the
world's most pressing needs through its four global businesses:
laboratory management, national security, energy technology and health
and life sciences. It advances scientific discovery and application by
conducting $4 billion in global R&D annually through contract
research, laboratory management and technology commercialization.
Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Battelle oversees 20,400 employees in
more than 120 locations worldwide, including seven national
laboratories that Battelle manages or co-manages for the U.S.
Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Battelle is also one of the nation's leading charitable trusts
focusing on societal and economic impact and actively supporting and
promoting science and math education. For more information, visit
www.battelle.org.
About Aethlon Medical
Aethlon Medical is the developer of the Hemopurifier(R), a
first-in-class medical device designed to treat infectious disease.
The Hemopurifier(R) provides real-time therapeutic filtration of
infectious viruses and immunosuppressive particles, and is positioned
to address the treatment of drug and vaccine resistant viruses. The
device also holds promise in cancer care, as research studies have
verified the Hemopurifier(R) able to capture immunosuppressive
particles that are secreted by tumors. The Hemopurifier(R) is targeted
for use a stand-alone therapeutic, and as an adjunct treatment to
enhance clinical benefit of established and candidate therapies.
Pre-clinical studies conducted by researchers representing leading
government and non-government health organizations both in the United
States and abroad have documented the effectiveness of the
Hemopurifier(R) in capturing pandemic threats, including H5N1 Avian
Influenza (bird flu), and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) from
circulation. Studies are also being conducted to support the use of
the Hemopurifier(R) as a broad-spectrum treatment countermeasure
against bioterror threats, including Smallpox, and Ebola, Marburg, and
Lassa hemorrhagic fever. Regulatory and commercialization initiatives
in the United States are presently focused on bioterror threats, while
international initiatives are directed toward naturally evolving
pandemic threats, and chronic infectious disease conditions including
the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis-C (HCV). Aethlon
has previously demonstrated safety of the Hemopurifier(R) in a
24-treatment human study at the Apollo Hospital in Delhi, India, and
is currently conducting further human studies at the Fortis Hospital,
also located in Delhi. The Company has submitted an Investigational
Device Exemption (IDE) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
related to advancing the Hemopurifier(R) as a broad-spectrum treatment
countermeasure against category "A" bioterror threats. Additional
information regarding Aethlon Medical and its Hemopurifier(R)
technology is available online at www.aethlonmedical.com.
Certain of the statements herein may be forward-looking and
involve risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements
involve assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors which may cause the actual results, performance or
achievements of Aethlon Medical, Inc to be materially different from
any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied
by the forward-looking statements. Such potential risks and
uncertainties include, without limitation, the Company's ability to
raise capital when needed, the Company's ability to complete the
development of its planned products, the ability of the Company to
obtain FDA and other regulatory approvals permitting the sale of its
products, the Company's ability to manufacture its products and
provide its services, the impact of government regulations, patent
protection on the Company's proprietary technology, product liability
exposure, uncertainty of market acceptance, competition, technological
change, and other risk factors. In such instances, actual results
could differ materially as a result of a variety of factors, including
the risks associated with the effect of changing economic conditions
and other risk factors detailed in the Company's Securities and
Exchange Commission filings.
CONTACT: Aethlon Medical, Inc.
Cynthia Bond
Director of Investor Relations
858.735.0069
cbond@aethlonmedical.com
Jeff Richardson
Senior Director, Communications
858.459.7800 x302
jrichardson@aethlonmedical.com
SOURCE: Aethlon Medical, Inc.
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