Hemopurifier for Treating Ebola in America
Author: Aethlon Medical, Inc.
Published: 2014/11/26 - Updated: 2020/11/17
Topic: Ebola Virus - Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main
Synopsis: Aethlon Medical, Inc. announces first shipment of Hemopurifier therapy as a candidate to treat future Ebola virus infections in the United States. In the United States, Hemopurifier therapy is available to treat Ebola patients through FDA expanded access "emergency use" provisions to address life threatening circumstances for which an alternative therapy is not available.
Introduction
Aethlon Medical, Inc., the pioneer in developing targeted therapeutic devices to address infectious disease and cancer, today announced the first shipment of Hemopurifier therapy as a candidate to treat future Ebola virus infections in the United States. The Aethlon Hemopurifier is a first-in-class bio-filtration device that targets the rapid elimination of viruses and immunosuppressive proteins from the circulatory system of infected individuals.
Main Item
Aethlon disclosed that four Hemopurifiers have been shipped to the Bio-containment Unit at the Nebraska Medical Center (NMC) in Omaha as a therapeutic option to be stockpiled for Ebola patients that may be treated at the NMC.
Aethlon further disclosed that it has provided onsite training to NMC clinical personnel related to the implementation of Hemopurifier therapy within the dialysis infrastructure already located at the center.
The Nebraska Bio-containment Unit was commissioned by The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in 2005. It is a joint project involving Nebraska Medicine, Nebraska Health and Human Services, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. It was designed to provide the first line of treatment for people affected by bio-terrorism or extremely infectious naturally occurring diseases such as Ebola. It's the largest facility of its kind in the U.S.
Aethlon previously reported the successful administration of Hemopurifier therapy to a Ugandan doctor who was infected with Ebola virus and treated at the Frankfurt University Hospital in Germany. At the time Hemopurifier therapy was administered, the doctor was unconscious and suffered from multiple organ failure. His viral load prior to the administration of a single 6.5-hour Hemopurifier treatment was measured at 400,000 virus copies per milliliter of blood (copies/ml). Post-treatment viral load was measured at 1,000 copies/ml and never again rose above that level. Viral load became undetectable five days after therapy. The treatment was well tolerated with no adverse events reported. Additionally, a post-treatment elution protocol verified that 242 million Ebola viruses were captured within the Hemopurifier during treatment. The doctor has since made a full recovery and has returned home to his family in Uganda.
In the United States, Hemopurifier therapy is available to treat Ebola patients through FDA expanded access "emergency use" provisions to address life threatening circumstances for which an alternative therapy is not available. At present, no antiviral therapy or vaccine has proven to be effective against Ebola virus infection in humans. Aethlon disclosed that it provided Hemopurifiers to the NMC on a humanitarian basis and therefore will not generate revenues as a result of its initial shipment.
Aethlon will soon begin the first U.S. clinical Hemopurifier studies following the United States Food and Drug Administration's (FDA)'s approval of an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE). The study will contribute safety data to advance the device as a broad-spectrum countermeasure against bio-terror and pandemic threats, including Ebola and chronic viral pathogens such as HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV).
The NMC has treated three Ebola patients since the current outbreak, details can be found online at: nebraskamed.com/biocontainment-unit
Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Aethlon Medical, Inc. and published on 2014/11/26, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, Aethlon Medical, Inc. can be contacted at aethlonmedical.com NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.