Aethlon Medical, Inc. announced the publication of a pre-print manuscript featuring data that demonstrated Aethlon's proprietary GNA affinity resin was able to bind seven clinically relevant SARS-CoV-2 variants in vitro, including the Delta and Omicron variants. Viral capture efficiency with the GNA affinity resin ranged from 53% to 89% for all variants tested. The GNA affinity resin is a key component of the Aethlon Hemopurifier®.

The manuscript is titled "Removal of Clinically Relevant SARS-CoV-2 Variants by An Affinity Resin Containing Galanthus nivalis Agglutinin" and was published in bioRxiv. The Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has now exceeded two years in duration. The pandemic has been characterized by a succession of variants containing mutations to the spike protein, affecting the infectiousness and virulence of the virus and the efficacy of vaccines and monoclonal antibody therapies.

Resistance to vaccination and limitations in the current available treatments require the ongoing development of therapies, especially for those with severe disease. The Aethlon Hemopurifier® is an investigational immunotherapeutic device that is designed to remove viruses and exosomes from the blood. In this in vitro study, known concentrations of seven clinically relevant SARS-CoV-2 variants were passed three times over columns containing one gram of GNA affinity resin.

% decrease in viral titer was compared with a control sample. Viral capture efficiency with the GNA affinity resin ranged from 53% to 89% for all variants tested. Extrapolation of these data would indicate that the binding capacity of the Aethlon Hemopurifier for viral loads observed in adult patients with severe COVID-19 infection would be more than sufficient.