POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Research News & Studies => Topic started by: sam66 on December 15, 2011, 08:42:02 pm
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" SAN DIEGO, Dec. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Aethlon Medical, Inc. (OTCBB:AEMD), the pioneer in developing therapeutic filtration devices to address infectious disease and cancer, announced today that researchers have discovered that the Aethlon Hemopurifier® is able to capture particles known as Nef protein exosomes, which contribute to the progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The Aethlon Hemopurifier® is a first-in-class therapeutic device that selectively targets the clearance of viruses, immunosuppressive proteins, and disease enhancing exosomes from the entire circulatory system.
Nef or "Negative Factor" protein is a highly abundant HIV accessory protein that plays an essential role in AIDS progression, yet has eluded HIV drug discovery efforts. Nef protein is secreted from infected cells in small membrane-bound packages called "exosomes." These exosomes fuse with non-infected cells and cause a variety of effects, including programmed cell death of CD4+ immune cells, the hallmark of AIDS. The Hemopurifier® provides a strategy to address Nef exosomes, which are present in the blood of HIV infected individuals. In an ex vivo validation study conducted by researchers at Morehouse School of Medicine, a small-scale Hemopurifier® reduced the presence of Nef exosomes in cell-culture fluids by greater than 85% in less than 24 hours. The outcome represents the first demonstration that a medical device can selectively target Nef exosomes.
In a previous proof-of-principle study, an HIV-infected dialysis patient diagnosed with AIDS received Hemopurifier® therapy during his normal dialysis treatment, resulting in the administration of three weekly Hemopurifier® treatments over the period of one month. The study was conducted in the absence of any antiviral drug administration. In addition to demonstrating treatment safety in an immune-compromised AIDS patient, HIV viral load of the patient was reduced from 102,759 iu/ml at the beginning of treatment one to a final value of 7,978 iu/ml at the end of treatment twelve, representing a 92% reduction. Viral load remained 56% below initial testing values when measured 14-days after last Hemopurifier(r) therapy. Additionally, CD4 t-cell to lymphocyte ratios increased from 13.5% to 18.05% during the study. A ratio below 15% represents a clinical definition of AIDS. The study was conducted at the Sigma New Life Hospital in India.
PR Newswire
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aethlon-medical-announces-hiv-aids-research-discovery-135497483.html
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Sounds like this might be a good way to to get viral loads down quickly without side affects from meds. A couple things come to mind however. Since it really only filters the circulatory system, it can't reach the HIV reservoirs that are difficult for even drugs to reach. Second I wonder if if this could be done in conjunction with lower doses of ARV's. It might allow some to tolerate meds they are having trouble with better or at least allow them to slowly build up to full dosage, while still getting their VL's down quickly.