Innovative Medical Device Treats Human Immunodeficiency Virus

A therapeutic blood filtration device serves as an artificial adjunct to the immune system, removing the toxic proteins shed by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to kill-off immune cells, the characteristic modus operandi of AIDS.

The Aethlon Hemopurifier targets the clearance of all circulating strains of infectious HIV, including those varieties that cause patients to fail antiviral drug regimens. The device merges the principals of hollow-fiber dialysis and affinity chromatography, together with the discovery of agents that selectively bind envelope viruses. The result is an affinity treatment cartridge that separates and captures circulating viruses, viral proteins, and toxins before the occurrence of cell and organ infection. The treatment goal is to reduce viral load burden without drug toxicity so that the patient's natural immunity can recover to wage an effective battle against viral infection. The mechanical nature of the Hemopurifier also allows it to be deployed in conjunction with other therapies including drugs and vaccines. An additional benefit stems from treatment access, since the device has been designed for utilization in the global infrastructure of dialysis and continuous renal replacement machines already present in hospitals and clinics.

The mechanism of virus capture is via the polysaccharide chains that reside on the surface glycoproteins of envelope viruses. Since the polysaccharide portions of the viral glycoproteins are attached via normal host cell, they are highly invariant. This high abundance of polysaccharides is what also allows viruses to escape immune surveillance. Conversely, since the polysaccharide chains are nearly invariant, this also allows for the capture of all strains and clades of many viruses. Thus, lectin derived affinity agents immobilized within the Hemopurifier have been shown to inhibit the growth of all tested strains of HIV and can capture of inhibit the growth of other envelope viruses including hepatitis C virus (HCV), Measles, Mumps, Influenza, and Orthopox viruses. The device is also being studied as a broad-spectrum treatment countermeasure against bioterror threats, including Smallpox, Ebola, Marburg, and Lassa hemorrhagic fever. The Aethlon Hemopurifier is under development by Aethlon Medical (San Diego, CA, USA).

"Based on previous treatment outcomes in Hepatitis-C patients, we are cautiously optimistic that the data resulting from our first HIV study will also prove to be positive,” said Jim Joyce, Chairman and CEO of Aethlon Medical.

The "first-in-man” study of the device involved an HIV-infected individual who completed a twelve treatment administered thrice weekly over the course of 30-days, conducted at the Sigma New Life Hospital (Ludhiana, Punjab, India). Twelve treatments were completed without any observed adverse events, and the patient felt an improved sense of well being, including increased energy and appetite.

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