SAN DIEGO, May 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Aethlon Medical, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AEMD), the pioneer in developing therapeutic filtration devices to address infectious disease and cancer, announced today that it plans to initiate patient recruitment for a cancer immunotherapy study by year end. The pilot study seeks to demonstrate an improved immune function in cancer patients as a result of the Aethlon Hemopurifier® removing tumor-secreted exosomes from the circulatory system. Exosomes induce T-cell apoptosis (programmed cell death), and block T-cell signaling, proliferation, and cytokine production in cancer patients. The Hemopurifier® is the first-in-class medical device to selectively remove infectious viruses and immunosuppressive proteins from the circulatory system.

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“The FDA’s landmark approval of Provenge from Dendreon Corp last week has opened the door for immunotherapeutic strategies to address cancer,” stated Aethlon Chairman and CEO, Jim Joyce. “In this regard, we are going to expand our clinical programs beyond infectious disease as we believe our Hemopurifier® is the sole treatment strategy to directly inhibit exosomes from destroying immune cells needed to combat cancer,” stated Joyce.

On April 29th, Provenge became the first immunotherapy approved in the United States. The drug, which targets to enhance patient immune response will be marketed as a treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer that have grown resistant to standard hormone therapy. Cancer treatments that improve the ability of the immune system to attack cancer have been a hope for decades, as the strategy promises for fewer side effects than chemotherapy and invasive procedures. Analysts believe the approval of Provenge will usher in the establishment of a cancer immunotherapy industry.

Researchers recently discovered that the Aethlon Hemopurifier®, which is being advanced to market as an adjunct therapy to improve Hepatitis-C virus (HCV) treatment outcomes, is effective in capturing particles that suppress the immune system of cancer patients. These particles, known as exosomes, are released by solid tumors, lymphomas, and leukemia. High concentrations of circulating exosomes correlate with reduced T-cell production and tumor progression in cancer patients. The ability to preserve immune cells by inhibiting the immunosuppressive activity of exosomes is an unmet medical need that would likely improve patient responsiveness to chemotherapy and other cancer treatment strategies. Like other human studies initiated by Aethlon, the pilot study will be conducted in India, which provides both a proof-of-concept and early commercialization pathway. Treatment data points that verify improved immune function in Hemopurifier® treated patients will be the basis for Aethlon to pursue clinical programs in the United States and the European Union. Aethlon will disclose the site of the pilot study along with treatment protocols in the coming months.

In the interim, Aethlon has initiated in vitro research studies aimed at determining the capability of the Hemopurifier® to capture immunosuppressive exosomes associated with breast cancer and lymphoma. An in vitro study, under the collaboration of Douglas D. Taylor, Ph.D., Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women’s Health at the University of Louisville, has been initiated to determine the capability of the Hemopurifier® to capture immunosuppressive exosomes associated with breast cancer. Dr. Taylor previously conducted studies that validated the Hemopurifier® was effective in capturing immunosuppressive exosomes associated with ovarian cancer. An in vitro study, under the collaboration of Andrew Raubitschek, M.D., Chair of the Department of Cancer Immunotherapeutics & Tumor Immunology at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope in California, has been initiated to determine the capability of the Hemopurifier® to capture lymphoma related exosomes. Dr. Raubitschek is also Co-leader for the Cancer Immunotherapeutics Program at the Comprehensive Cancer Center and Chief of Radioimmunotherapy and Professor, Radiation Oncology also at the City of Hope.

About Aethlon Medical

Aethlon Medical, Inc. creates diagnostic and therapeutic device solutions for infectious disease and cancer. Our lead product, the Hemopurifier® is the first-in-class medical device to selectively capture circulating viruses and immunosuppressive proteins prior to cell and organ infection. Human studies have documented the ability of our Hemopurifier® to reduce viral load in patients infected with Hepatitis-C virus (HCV) and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Our primary clinical and commercialization focus is to establish the Hemopurifier® as an adjunct therapy to enhance and prolong the benefit of traditional infectious disease drug regimens.

The Hemopurifier® is also a broad-spectrum treatment candidate against drug resistant bioterror and pandemic threats. Third party research institutes have verified the capability of the device to capture Dengue Hemorrhagic Virus, Ebola Hemorrhagic Virus, Lassa Hemorrhagic Virus, West Nile Virus, H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus, 2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus, the reconstructed Spanish Flu of 1918 Virus, and Monkeypox Virus, which serves as a model for human Smallpox infection.

Additional information regarding Aethlon Medical can be accessed 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 capability of the Hemopurifier® to reduce viral loads and other disease conditions or to identify or treat disease conditions such ascancer, including the ability to capture exosomes and the impact that potential ability may have on disease conditions, 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 either internally or through outside companies 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.

SOURCE Aethlon Medical, Inc.