PRESS RELEASE
Published on February 23, 2006
EXHIBIT 99.1
aethlon Medical, Inc.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact:
Jeff Richardson
Senior Director, Communications
858.459.7800 x302
jrichardson@aethlonmedical.com
James A. Joyce
Chairman, CEO
858.459.7800 x301
jj@aethlonmedical.com
AETHLON MEDICAL EXPANDS DEVICE PIPELINE
TO INCLUDE THE TREATMENT OF CANCER
San Diego, CA, February 23, 2006 - Aethlon Medical, Inc., (OTCBB:AEMD) a pioneer
in developing therapeutic devices for infectious disease, announced that it will
expand the applications of its Hemopurifier technology to include the treatment
of Cancer. Related to this announcement, Aethlon disclosed that it has executed
an option with the Trustees of Boston University that allows Aethlon the right
to exclusively license a recently filed patent entitled: "Method to Prevent
Proliferation and Growth of Metastases".
Cancer Treatment Strategy
Aethlon Medical plans to combine the core principles of its Hemopurifier
platform technology with intellectual property developed by researchers at
Boston University as a means to help prevent the spread of cancer following
surgery. When cancer has spread from a primary site to other sites in the body
(metastasized) then surgical removal of the tumor from the primary site is
associated with the rapid growth of existing metastases and often the appearance
of new ones. When a patient is evaluated and metastases are found, removal of
the primary tumor is often no longer considered a viable course of treatment.
Studies have shown that surgery causes a highly significant elevation of
circulating growth factors and related agents associated with the wound healing
process. The agents of interest such as vascular endothelial growth factor
(VEGF) promote the growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis), which provide
nutrition and oxygen to the cancerous cells, allowing them to multiply and the
tumors to grow. The use of inhibitors of VEGF and other growth factors has
proved effective in controlling the growth and spread of many types of cancer;
however, using these agents following surgery would interfere with the healing
process.
The post-surgery deployment of the Hemopurifier with immobilized growth factor
affinity agents offers the potential to control the levels of growth factors in
circulation during this critical period while not significantly affecting local
levels near the surgical wound. The treatment goal will be to block the surge in
circulating growth factors, which occurs over a few days following surgery,
without negatively affecting wound healing. Patients would then be able to
return to the use of antiangiogenic drugs or other cancer therapies.
If successful, the Hemopurifier to treat cancer will make it possible to provide
surgical interventions in cases where surgery is not presently considered, and
will add a significant margin of safety in cases where surgery is considered a
viable treatment option.
About Aethlon Medical
Aethlon Medical is developing the first medical device to treat infectious
disease. The device, known as the Hemopurifier(TM), is a broad-spectrum
treatment countermeasure against drug and vaccine resistant bioweapons,
naturally evolving pandemic threats such as H5N1 Avian Flu, and chronic
infectious disease targets including Hepatitis-C (HCV) and the Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). More information on Aethlon Medical and the
HemopurifierTM technology can be found 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.