LA JOLLA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 29, 2004--Aethlon Medical Inc. (OTCBB:AEMD - News) announced today that it is developing pathogen filtration devices to treat infectious agents used in biological warfare and terrorism. The announcement was made during a presentation this evening at the "6th International Conference on Dialysis" in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
"We are developing wearable devices that can be deployed by our armed forces as a post-exposure therapeutic during battlefield events, as well as dialysis based treatments for civilian populations," stated James A. Joyce, chairman and CEO of Aethlon Medical.
Aethlon will focus its biodefense strategy on "Category A" agents that are considered by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to be the worst bioterror threats. These agents include the viruses that cause Smallpox, hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola and Marburg, the Anthrax bacteria and Botulinum toxin. Each treatment device will be based on the same proprietary Hemopurifier(TM) filtration technology that is utilized in advancing Aethlon's HIV/AIDS, and Hepatitis-C treatments.
Aethlon plans to implement a regulatory strategy for these treatments pursuant to a recent rule implemented by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for medical countermeasures to weapons of mass destruction. Under this rule, in situations where it is deemed unethical to conduct efficacy studies in humans, a treatment can be reviewed for approval on the basis of efficacy in the most relevant animal species and safety data in humans.
"The deliberate introduction of biowarfare pathogens is inevitable," stated Joyce. "We have great hope that our treatments will prove to be effective countermeasures against a wide range of threats, especially those without an existing treatment."
About Aethlon Medical
Aethlon Medical is pioneering the development of viral filtration devices that reduce the presence of infectious disease and toxins in the body. To date, the company has published pre-clinical results of its Hemopurifier(TM) to treat HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis-C (HCV). The HIV-Hemopurifier removed 55% of HIV from human blood in three hours, and in excess of 85% in twelve hours. The HIV-Hemopurifier also cleared 90% of toxic proteins (gp-120) known to deplete immune cells in one hour. The HCV-Hemopurifier was documented to remove 58% of the Hepatitis-C virus from infected blood in two hours. The Hemopurifier(TM) is a proprietary platform technology that converges the established principles of affinity chromatography and hemodialysis as a means to augment the immune response of clearing viruses and toxins from human blood before cell and organ infection can occur. For additional information, visit the company's Web site 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., La Jolla James A. Joyce, 858-456-5777 jj@aethlonmedical.com
Source: Aethlon Medical Inc.