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Aethlon Medical Expands Device Pipeline to Include the Treatment of Cancer
SAN DIEGO---Feb. 23, 2006--Aethlon Medical, Inc. (OTCBB: AEMD), a pioneer in
developing therapeutic devices for infectious disease, announced that it
will expand the applications of its Hemopurifier technology to include the
treatment of Cancer. Related to this announcement, Aethlon disclosed that it
has executed an option with the Trustees of Boston University that allows
Aethlon the right to exclusively license a recently filed patent entitled:
"Method to Prevent Proliferation and Growth of Metastases."
Cancer Treatment Strategy
Aethlon Medical plans to combine the core principles of its Hemopurifier
platform technology with intellectual property developed by researchers at
Boston University as a means to help prevent the spread of cancer following
surgery. When cancer has spread from a primary site to other sites in the
body (metastasized) then surgical removal of the tumor from the primary site
is associated with the rapid growth of existing metastases and often the
appearance of new ones. When a patient is evaluated and metastases are
found, removal of the primary tumor is often no longer considered a viable
course of treatment.
Studies have shown that surgery causes a highly significant elevation of
circulating growth factors and related agents associated with the wound
healing process. The agents of interest, such as vascular endothelial growth
factor (VEGF), promote the growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis), which
provide nutrition and oxygen to the cancerous cells, allowing them to
multiply and the tumors to grow. The use of inhibitors of VEGF and other
growth factors has proved effective in controlling the growth and spread of
many types of cancer; however, using these agents following surgery would
interfere with the healing process.
The post-surgery deployment of the Hemopurifier with immobilized growth
factor affinity agents offers the potential to control the levels of growth
factors in circulation during this critical period while not significantly
affecting local levels near the surgical wound. The treatment goal will be
to block the surge in circulating growth factors, which occurs over a few
days following surgery, without negatively affecting wound healing. Patients
would then be able to return to the use of antiangiogenic drugs or other
cancer therapies.
If successful, the Hemopurifier to treat cancer will make it possible to
provide surgical interventions in cases where surgery is not presently
considered, and will add a significant margin of safety in cases where
surgery is considered a viable treatment option.
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 such as H5N1 Avian Flu, and chronic
infectious disease targets including 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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