Aethlon Medical Receives National Cancer Institute Award

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Aethlon Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEMD), a therapeutic technology company focused on unmet needs in global health and biodefense, announced today that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has awarded the Company a government grant (number 1R43CA232977-01). The title of this SBIR Phase I grant is "The Hemopurifier Device for Targeted Removal of Breast Cancer Exosomes from the Blood Circulation."

The Aethlon Hemopurifier is a first-in-class therapeutic technology designed for the rapid depletion of circulating viruses and cancer promoting exosomes. The FDA has designated the Hemopurifier as a "Breakthrough Device" for the treatment of life-threatening viruses for which there are no approved therapies.

The NCI Phase I grant period runs from September 14, 2018 and runs through August 31, 2019.  The total amount of the firm grant is $298,444. The grant calls for two subcontractors to work with the Company. The subcontractors under Aethlon Medical on the grant are University of Pittsburgh and Massachusetts General Hospital. Upon the completion of the Phase 1 grant, the Company will have additional funding opportunities under this program.

A Summary of The Aethlon Medical NCI Program Abstract Follows:

"An overarching challenge in breast cancer oncology is the urgency to revolutionize treatment regimens by replacing them with ones that are more effective, less toxic, and improve the rates of survival. Recent years have seen exponential interest in tumor-derived exosomes; nano-sized (30-150 nm) vesicles shed in large quantities by tumor cells and laden with oncogenic cargo from their parent tumor cell. Research studies have shown that breast cancer cells produce copious quantities of exosomes that are released systemically and mediate tumor- associated immune suppression, resistance to therapies, tissue invasion, and metastasis. Breast cancer exosomes express oncoproteins on their surfaces that have been shown to exert direct actions in interfering with the activity of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, and countering chemotherapeutic agents. These lines of evidence strongly support the development of strategies to limit the effects of tumor-derived exosomes, however, no such targeted therapeutic strategy exists. The proposed research entails an ex vivo evaluation of a medical device, the Hemopurifier, as a strategy for the capture and removal of exosomes from the plasma of breast cancer patients…"

Update on Additional Exosome-Related Activities

Since the beginning of 2018, the Company completed a separate Phase 1 NCI contract that demonstrated in vitro capture of metastatic melanoma exosomes by the Hemopurifier. A related Phase II request for proposal by the NCI is expected at the end of September 2018 and the Company plans to apply for that award as well.

Additionally, in a clinical collaboration with the University of California Irvine Cancer Institute, the Hemopurifier was demonstrated (in vitro) to capture exosomes from the blood plasma of breast cancer, esophageal cancer and ovarian cancer subjects.

About Aethlon Medical, Inc.

Aethlon Medical is focused on addressing unmet needs in global health and biodefense. The Aethlon Hemopurifier® is a first-in-class therapeutic device designed for the rapid depletion of circulating viruses and cancer promoting exosomes. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated the Hemopurifier® as a Breakthrough Device related to the treatment of life-threatening viruses that are not addressed with approved therapies.

In collaboration with leading government and non-government research institutes, Aethlon has validated the ability of the Hemopurifier® to capture a broad-spectrum of pandemic influenza viruses, mosquito-borne viruses and deadly hemorrhagic viruses. Based on its use to treat Ebola virus, the Hemopurifier® was named a "Top 25 Invention" and one of the "Eleven Most Remarkable Advances in Healthcare," by TIME Magazine.

Aethlon is also investigating the potential therapeutic use of the Hemopurifier® to reduce the presence of tumor-derived exosomes, which contribute to immune-suppression and the spread of metastasis in cancer patients. Additionally, Aethlon is the majority owner of Exosome Sciences, Inc. (ESI), which is focused on the discovery of exosomal biomarkers to diagnose and monitor cancer and neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Additional information can be found online at www.AethlonMedical.com and www.ExosomeSciences.com. You can also connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that involve risks and uncertainties. Statements containing words such as "may," "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "project," "will," "projections," "estimate," or similar expressions constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Factors that may contribute to such differences include, without limitation, the Company's ability to maintain its listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, or any other national securities exchange, that the Company or its subsidiary will not be able to commercialize its products, that the FDA will not approve the initiation or continuation of the Company's clinical programs or provide market clearance of the Company's products, the Company's ability to raise capital when needed, the Company's ability to complete the development of its planned products, the Company's ability to manufacture its products either internally or through outside companies, 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. The foregoing list of risks and uncertainties is illustrative, but is not exhaustive. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements can be found under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2018, and in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as may be required by law, the Company does not intend, nor does it undertake any duty, to update this information to reflect future events or circumstances.

Company Contact:

Jim Frakes, CFO
jfrakes@aethlonmedical.com 
858-459-7800 extension 3300

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SOURCE Aethlon Medical, Inc.