Whitefish, MT / May 14, 2014 / Pharmaceutical companies big and small are targeting a multitude of mechanisms of action to develop what they hope to be the next blockbuster cancer therapy. Immuno-oncology programs, namely PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors, are receiving the praise of analysts as Roche (OTCQX: RHHBY) races towards an FDA decision with MK-3465. Shares of Celldex Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CLDX) are chugging ahead by 25 percent on Wednesday after striking a deal with Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) to collaborate on the clinical development of BMY's PD-1 investigational drug nivolumab in combination with Celldex's CD27-targeting drug candidate varlilumab.
That's just the tip of the cancer iceberg that has the biotech sector buzzing recently. Also in the immune suppression space is AstraZeneca's (NYSE: AZN) MedImmune unit partnering with Incyte (NASDAQ: INCY) to couple MedImmune's MEDI4736 with Incyte's INCB24360 in another PD-L1 program. This pact was in the making against the backdrop of MedImmune working with Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) on an anti-CTLA-4 combination therapy as Pfizer wrangles with Parliament to try and acquire AstraZeneca for more than $100 billion.
Believe it or not, all of these new therapeutic targets have one thing in common: exosomes. Exosomes were historically thought of as simply cellular debris, but a growing body of evidence has proven the tiny microvesicles to be integral in cellular communication, including carrying and spreading diseased cells throughout the circulatory system. The capturing of exosomes has great implications in advancing treatments for many diseases, including cancer. On that point, Aethlon Medical (OTCQB: AEMD) has a platform technology to do just that. The company's flagship product, the Hemopurifier(R), is an extracorporeal filtration device utilizing a carbohydrate-binding protein to clear the bloodstream of exosomes (or other disease targets, as shown through a clinical trial demonstrating its potential for treating HIV or hepatitis C).
Aethlon Chairman and CEO Jim Joyce released a note to shareholders today effectively detailing how the Hemopurifier could serve as a valuable technology in the next generation of cancer therapies, certainly not confined to only the immuno-oncology aspect. The Aethlon chief notes a litany of companies and their oncology targets, such as CD20, HER2, EGFR and more, to demonstrate the broad spectrum of cellular pathways that the Hemopurifier could potentially address either independently or in conjunction with existing drugs and those in development.
Biotechnology investors are encouraged to read the complete CEO note here: http://aethlonmedical.investorroom.com/2014-05-14-Aethlon-Medical-AEMD-CEO-Note-Cancer-Treatment-Discovery-Exosomes-Transport-Pharmaceutical-Industry-Targets
Click here to sign up for free email updates on Aethlon Medical developments: http://www.emerginggrowthcorp.com/emailassets/aemd/aemd_landing.php
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SOURCE: Emerging Growth LLC