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Aethlon Medical Announces Avian Flu Treatment Application
SAN DIEGO----Feb. 8, 2006--Aethlon Medical, Inc., (OTCBB:AEMD), a pioneer in
developing therapeutic devices for infectious disease, announced today that
it is expanding the applications of its Hemopurifier(TM) treatment
technology to include the H5N1 strain of the Avian Flu Virus. The rapid
progression of H5N1 infection allows only a brief treatment window with
antiviral drugs. The Hemopurifier will target the direct capture of H5N1 and
modulation of the immune response as a means to treat when drugs are
ineffective or unavailable. In order to advance the H5N1 treatment
application, Aethlon will manufacture and ship the treatment devices to
established influenza researchers who will seek to establish the benefits of
the Hemopurifier as a treatment against Avian Flu.
The application of the Hemopurifier to treat Avian Flu is based on evolving
research that indicates a primary cause of death in H5N1 infection is the
release of inflammatory cells and chemicals known as a "Cytokine Storm." As
a result of cytokine storm, the immune system is hyper-activated to the
extent that the normal immune response of clearing viruses, toxins, and
infected cells becomes overshadowed by the destruction of healthy red blood
cells. Antiviral drugs are not able to shut off a cytokine storm once it has
been triggered. Thus, those individuals with robust immune systems are
actually at greater risk than the immune compromised individuals who are
most susceptible to regular seasonal flu strains. The hyper-activation of
the immune system as a result of cytokine storm also fueled the Spanish Flu
Pandemic of 1918. That pandemic is credited with killing between 20-50
million individuals in eighteen months.
The Hemopurifier offers the potential to provide the dual benefit of
clearing H5N1 and modulating the overproduction of cytokines. The
Hemopurifier is based on hemofiltration principals already indicated as a
treatment for sepsis and shock caused by cytokine overproduction. In
addition, the Hemopurifier design provides a mechanism to separate H5N1 from
circulation so that it can be captured by immobilized affinity agents that
bind to glycoproteins on the surface of the virus. Therefore, the
Hemopurifier combines the potential to tame the immune system without
destroying natural defenses, with the ability to reduce the body burden of
infectious H5N1 virus.
About Aethlon Medical
Aethlon Medical is developing the first medical device to treat infectious
disease. The device, known as the Hemopurifier(TM), is a broad-spectrum
treatment countermeasure against drug and vaccine resistant bioweapons,
naturally evolving pandemic threats, and chronic infectious disease targets
such as Hepatitis-C (HCV) and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). More
information on Aethlon Medical and the Hemopurifier(TM) technology can be
found 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.
Jeff Richardson, 858-459-7800 x302
jrichardson@aethlonmedical.com
James A. Joyce, 858-459-7800 x301
jj@aethlonmedical.com
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Source: Aethlon Medical, Inc.
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