CEL-SCI Announces Issuance of U.S. Patent for New Platform Technology to Treat Immune System-Based Diseases

VIENNA, Va., April 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CEL-SCI Corporation announces the issuance of a U.S. patent for a new platform technology. This technology can be used for the treatment of a number of major diseases including autoimmune disease, asthma, allergy and transplant rejection. This patent, U.S. Patent 7,199,216, is titled "Peptide constructs for treating autoimmune and related diseases."

This breakthrough T-cell modulation platform technology is called "AdapT," which stands for "Antigen Directed Apoptosis". AdapT technology uses proprietary two-peptide molecular constructs to selectively cause the death of only those immune T-cells that are involved in autoimmune disease, asthma, allergy, and transplant rejection, by having these disease causing T-cells undergo apoptosis (programmed cell death) and anergy (a state of immune unresponsiveness).

It has been well established in the scientific literature that at least two signals are required for T-cell activation and that, if only one signal is supplied to T-cells without the ability of the same T-cells to receive a second activation signal, these T-cells undergo "programmed cell death." The AdapT molecular constructs capitalize on this well known principle and "work" by engaging the antigen-specific T-cell receptor with one of its peptides and, at the same time, block and inhibit the second signal needed for the full activation of these disease causing T-cells. This single engagement (T-cell receptor occupation), in the absence of the required "second signal" for T- cell activation, causes these antigen-specific disease causing T-cells to self-destruct and die, thereby leading to the treatment and prevention of these debilitating diseases.

The advantage of the AdapT technology derives from its ability to selectively remove the disease causing T-cell clones from the host (humans and animals) following the administration of the AdapT construct(s). Current treatments of these diseases generally utilize non-specific immunosuppressants, immunomodulatory compounds or cytokines. The use of an antigen-specific technology to regulate the immune response and the T-cells causing disease has a distinct advantage over the use of non-specific immunosuppressants because the AdapT technology should limit or even eliminate the unwanted side effects of the currently available immunosuppressant drugs.

Dr. Eyal Talor, Senior Vice President of Research and Manufacturing at CEL-SCI and the inventor of this technology said, "The AdapT technology provides for a way to target only those T-cells that cause disease. This new approach should give us the ability to markedly decrease or completely retard the disease process, and at the same time avoid the negative effects on the healthy part of the immune system - thus, treating the disease and at the same time keeping the rest of the immune response intact."

CEL-SCI Corporation is developing new immune system based treatments for cancer and infectious diseases. The Company has operations in Vienna, Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland. The Company has received the go-ahead from the U.S. FDA and the Canadian Regulators to conduct a Phase III clinical trial in advanced primary head and neck cancer patients with its lead product Multikine(R). CEL-SCI's other products, which are currently in pre-clinical stage and have been funded with U.S. government support, have shown protection against a number of diseases in animal tests and are currently being tested against diseases associated with bio-defense and avian flu.

When used in this report, the words "intends," "believes," "anticipated" and "expects" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, an inability to duplicate the clinical results demonstrated in clinical studies, timely development of any potential products that can be shown to be safe and effective, receiving necessary regulatory approvals, difficulties in manufacturing any of the Company's potential products, inability to raise the necessary capital, inability to get American Stock exchange approval for any transaction and the risk factors set forth from time to time in CEL-SCI Corporation's SEC filings, including but not limited to its report on Form 10- K for the year ended September 30, 2006. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revision to these forward-looking statements, which may be made to reflect the events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

CONTACT: Gavin de Windt of CEL-SCI Corporation, +1-703-506-9460

Web site: http://www.cel-sci.com/