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Aethlon Medical Confirms Hemopurifier(R) Is a Treatment Candidate Against Swine Flu Virus

Posted on: Thursday, 30 April 2009, 06:15 CDT

SAN DIEGO, April 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Aethlon Medical, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AEMD) confirmed today that the Aethlon Hemopurifier(R) is a candidate to treat the H1N1 Swine flu virus. The Hemopurifier(R) is a first-in-class medical technology that assists the immune response in combating infectious disease through the selective adsorption of circulating viruses and immunosuppressive proteins. In the case of pandemic influenza, the Hemopurifier(R) has previously proven effective in capturing the reconstructed Spanish flu of 1918 virus (1918rv), the H5N1 avian influenza virus (Bird Flu), and would likely capture H1N1 swine flu as the technology selectively captures influenza viruses by hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) glycoproteins that coat the virus, even when influenza mutates to be resistant against drug and vaccine therapies. As an example, H5N1 bird flu virus was documented to be resistant against Tamiflu, the globally stockpiled antiviral treatment for influenza.

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"It is important that our shareholders understand we are fully cognizant of the potential opportunity associated with the emerging swine flu pandemic," stated Aethlon Chairman and CEO, Jim Joyce. "However, until this viral threat demonstrates resistance against Tamiflu treatment stockpiles, we shall remain focused on progressing our clinical and commercialization efforts against well-established infectious disease targets," concluded Joyce. Since the beginning of 2009, the Hemopurifier(R) has been demonstrated safe and effective in reducing patient viral load in both Hepatitis-C Virus (HCV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections. As a result, Aethlon believes the Hemopurifier(R) is the first therapeutic candidate to demonstrate viral reduction benefit against two different viral species in human studies. Such data further reinforces the position of the Hemopurifier(R) as a leading broad-spectrum countermeasure against drug and vaccine resistant viruses. Should H1N1 Swine Flu evolve to be highly virulent and resistant to treatment stockpiles, the Hemopurifier(R) is positioned to become a first-line treatment countermeasure to strengthen the clinical benefit of both established and candidate drug treatments. A report that reviews the application of the Hemopurifier(R) as a broad-spectrum countermeasure against bioterror and pandemic threats, including influenza, is available to be accessed online at www.aethlonmedical.com/pdfs/BroadSpectrumTreament120308.pdf

About Aethlon Medical

Aethlon Medical creates diagnostic and therapeutic filtration devices to improve the health of individuals afflicted with infectious disease and cancer. Aethlon's lead product, the Hemopurifier(R), is a first-in-class artificial adjunct to the immune system proven to capture infectious viruses and immunosuppressive particles from the human circulatory system. The device targets to inhibit disease progression of Hepatitis-C Virus (HCV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and serves as a broad-spectrum treatment countermeasure against bioterror and emerging pandemic threats. The Hemopurifier(R) also holds promise in cancer care, as research studies verify the Hemopurifier(R) effectively captures immunosuppressive exosomes that are secreted by tumors to kill-off immune cells. At present, over sixty-five (65) Hemopurifier(R) treatments (representing approximately 260 hours of treatment time) have been conducted in multi-site studies at the Apollo Hospital, Fortis Hospital, and Sigma New-Life Hospital in India. The studies enrolled end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients infected with either HCV or HIV. In addition to establishing treatment safety, robust viral load reductions have been reported in both HCV and HIV infected individuals.

Research studies have also demonstrated the Hemopurifier(R) is effective in capturing a broad-spectrum of viruses untreatable with drug therapy, including several of world's deadliest bioterror and pandemic threats. These include: Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF), Lassa hemorrhagic fever (LHF), H5N1 avian influenza (Bird Flu), the reconstructed 1918 influenza virus (r1918), West Nile virus (WNV), and Vaccinia and Monkeypox (MPV), which both serve as models for human smallpox infection. The studies were conducted with the assistance of researchers representing: The U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID); The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); The National Institute of Virology (NIV); The Battelle Biomedical Research Center (BBRC); and The Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research (SFBR).

Beyond therapeutic market opportunities, Aethlon is leveraging principles underlying the Hemopurifier(R) technology platform to establish a pipeline of clinical and research diagnostic products and services. 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(R) to reduce viral loads and other disease conditions, including H1N1 Swine Flu, 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.

SOURCE Aethlon Medical, Inc.

Source: PR Newswire

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