Aethlon Medical Announces Dengue Virus Study Approval, Chikungunya Virus Capture Data and Completion of U.S. Principal Investigator Training

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Aethlon Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEMD), today announced that a human treatment study entitled: "A Clinical Safety Study of the Aethlon Hemopurifier® in Patients with Dengue Virus Infection," has been approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) at the MAX Super Specialty Hospital in Delhi, India. The Aethlon Hemopurifier is a leading broad-spectrum treatment countermeasure against viral pathogens that are untreatable with or resistant to antiviral drug therapies.

Dengue infects about 390 million people a year world-wide, 96 million of whom require treatment, according to the World Health Organization. About 12,500 people die from dengue every year.  Initiation of the Aethlon Dengue study is expected this summer, pending final documentation and clearance from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).  In 2015, the Dengue outbreak in the Delhi region was considered the worst in 20 years.

Aethlon also disclosed that in vitro studies conducted by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) have validated the rapid capture of Chikungunya virus by small-scale versions of the Aethlon Hemopurifier. The NIV is a leading infectious disease research center in India, and is designated as a collaborating laboratory of the World Health Organization (WHO).  Details of the Chikungunya study along with other Hemopurifier in vitro virus validations can be accessed online at: www.aethlonmedical.com/knowledge-center/special-reports/.

Like Dengue, Chikungunya has emerged to become a global threat that remains unaddressed with proven antiviral drug therapies.  Both viruses are transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which also transmits Zika, a virus that was declared a global health threat by the WHO on February 1st, 2016. Zika is the most recent of four significant arboviruses that have spread to the Western Hemisphere.  It follows Dengue, which first emerged aggressively in the 1990s; West Nile virus, which emerged in 1999; and Chikungunya, which emerged in 2013. "Arbovirus" is a descriptive term applied to hundreds of predominantly RNA viruses that are transmitted by arthropods, notably mosquitoes and ticks.  To date, Aethlon's in vitro capture validations of arthropod-borne viruses include: Chikungunya, Dengue and West Nile Virus. 

Aethlon Medical also announced that it completed training its new principal investigator, Dr. Ronald Ralph, and additionally trained two sub-principal investigators at its FDA approved feasibility study being conducted at DaVita Med Center Dialysis in Houston, Texas.  As a result, continued patient enrollment of the 10-patient study is underway. In the United States, the study supports the advancement of Hemopurifier therapy as a broad-spectrum countermeasure against bioterror and pandemic threat viruses. Upon successful completion, the study also provides a potential pathway into pivotal studies of chronic or latent viral pathogens where it is feasible to conduct controlled efficacy studies.

About Aethlon Medical, Inc.

Aethlon Medical creates affinity biofiltration devices to treat life-threatening diseases. The Aethlon Hemopurifier® is a leading broad-spectrum treatment countermeasure against infectious viral pathogens.  The device, which has been successfully administered to individuals infected with HIV, Hepatitis C (HCV) and Ebola virus, is currently the subject of FDA approved clinical studies. Aethlon is also studying the potential use of the Hemopurifier® to address exosomes secreted by tumors to promote the spread of metastasis and suppress the immune system of cancer patients.  The Company provides government contracting services to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) related to the development of a biofiltration device to treat sepsis and maintains majority ownership of Exosome Sciences, Inc., which is focused on the discovery of exosomal biomarkers to diagnose and monitor Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and other neurological disorders.  Additional information can be found online at www.AethlonMedical.com or you can connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+.

Contacts:

Mike Smargiassi/Brad Edwards
Brainerd Communicators, Inc
212-986-6667
smarg@braincomm.com

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SOURCE Aethlon Medical, Inc.