Patient Declared Ebola-Free After Treatment With Investigational Device
By Chuck Seegert, Ph.D.
A patient treated in Germany for Ebola is on the road to recovery. Among other treatments, the patient underwent therapy from an Aethlon Hemopurifier, a device that filters virus particles and other detrimental cell products from the patient’s blood.
The deadly West African Ebola outbreak began several months ago and has claimed thousands of lives. Raging through Sierra Leone, Giunea, and Liberia, the disease has tested the strength of healthcare and security precautions around the world, with cases being reported in the United States and Europe. Historically, there has been no effective treatment for the disease, which kills more than half of the people infected with it.
Recently, however, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that an Ebola patient being treated in Germany has been declared virus-free. At one point, the patient had suffered multiple organ failures, but he is currently on the road to recovery.
“We’ve really only known for a few days that he is out of the woods — 10 days ago we weren’t 100% sure,” said Dr. Timo Wolf, the lead physician overseeing his treatment, according to the WSJ.
One of the methods used to treat the patient was the Aethlon Hemopurifier, according to a press release from the company.
"In the coming days, we will disclose the venue of a public presentation that will report treatment data including the quantification of viral load reduction and viruses captured by our Hemopurifier during the treatment of this patient," stated Aethlon founder and CEO, Jim Joyce, in the press release.
The Hemopurifier works by passing the patient’s blood through porous membranes that capture viral particles and viral fragments using biomarkers specific to the disease, according to a recent article from Med Device Online. The method, originally tested for Hepatitis C and HIV, was shown to reduce viral load by up to 50 percent after a 4-hour treatment.
The success of the patient’s treatment has led to optimistic statements by some of the staff treating him. With enough resources and the right people, some feel that Ebola can now be conquered.
“Ebola isn’t an incurable disease,” said professor Oliver Keppler, director of the University Hospital Frankfurt’s virology institute, according to the WSJ.
Image Credit: Aethlon Hemopurifier. (PRNewsFoto/Aethlon Medical, Inc.): http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090325/LA88762LOGO-b