Aethlon Announces Appointment of Charles J. Fisher, Jr., M.D. as Chief Executive Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

Aethlon Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEMD) appointed Dr. Charles J. Fisher, Jr. as CEO effective October 30, 2020, succeeding Dr. Timothy Rodell, who will transition to a consultancy role. Dr. Fisher has significant experience, including leadership roles at Eli Lilly and Abbott Laboratories, and is expected to enhance Aethlon's product development, particularly the Hemopurifier, aimed at treating life-threatening viral infections and cancer. The company is now initiating clinical trials for the Hemopurifier in patients with COVID-19 and advanced cancer.

Positive

• Appointment of Dr. Charles J. Fisher, Jr. as CEO brings extensive experience in drug development and clinical trials.
• Initiation of patient enrollment for clinical trials of the Hemopurifier targeting COVID-19 and advanced cancer.

Negative

• Transition of leadership may raise continuity concerns during the company's strategic shift.

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Aethlon Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEMD), a medical technology company focused on developing products to diagnose and treat life and organ threatening diseases, announced today the appointment of Charles J. Fisher, Jr., M.D., as Chief Executive Officer, effective as of October 30, 2020.  Dr. Fisher joined Aethlon as a member of Aethlon's Board of Directors and has served as Chairman of the Board since November 2017.  Mr. Ed Broenniman replaced Dr. Fisher as the Chairman of the Board effective as of October 30, 2020.  Dr. Fisher brings an impressive record of results in global, strategic and operational roles to Aethlon.  Dr. Fisher succeeds Dr. Timothy Rodell, who will serve as a consultant to Aethlon during the transition.

Dr. Fisher's experience as Head, Section of Critical Care Medicine at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation and his research in sepsis, inflammation, host defense and endothelial dysfunction led to his recruitment to Eli Lilly & Co., where he led the Xigris (activated Protein C) Global Product Team and successfully registered the first drug approved for the treatment of sepsis. Dr. Fisher served as Vice President for Global Pharmaceutical Development at Abbott Laboratories where, among other accomplishments, he guided the registration of Humira.  Dr. Fisher also served as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Cardiome Pharma, where he led multiple clinical trials for Brinavess, resulting to its approval in Europe and a global strategic transaction with Merck and Co. for $800 million US dollars.  Additionally, Dr. Fisher has served as a member of the Defense Science Research Council and on DARPA panels, including one focused on universal host defense.  Aethlon's Board of Directors believes these experiences will enable Dr. Fisher to guide Aethlon's development and commercialization of the Hemopurifier.

"We are delighted to begin our next chapter at Aethlon with Dr. Fisher as our CEO," said Mr. Broenniman, Chairman of Aethlon's Board of Directors.  "Chuck's depth and breadth of experience in financing, structuring corporate deals, clinical development and regulatory strategy, both in the U.S. and internationally, will be of great value as we prepare Aethlon for the next phase of development."

"I am both honored and excited to take over this role at Aethlon at this time," said Dr. Fisher. "I believe the Aethlon Hemopurifier has great potential for treating life-threatening viral infections including Covid-19 and potentially cancer.  We are now open to enrolling patients in our first clinical trial in advanced and/or metastatic head and neck cancer at the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Pittsburgh, PA. Also under an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) we are now opening sites for our trial to treat patients with SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 infection.  I look forward to working with the team at Aethlon and its collaborators to continue to advance the science and in an effort to bring important treatments to patients and create value for shareholders."

"I'm proud to have led Aethlon for the past 2 years", said Dr. Rodell.  "I am pleased to hand the reins to Chuck to lead the next phase of Aethlon's growth, and I wish him and the leadership team every success."

Dr. Fisher commented, "On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to thank Tim for his leadership, commitment and accomplishments as Chief Executive Officer.  We wish him continued success in his future endeavors."

About Aethlon and the Hemopurifier®

Aethlon is focused on addressing unmet needs in global health. The Aethlon Hemopurifier is a clinical-stage immunotherapeutic device designed to combat cancer and life-threatening viral infections. In cancer, the Hemopurifier is designed to deplete the presence of circulating tumor-derived exosomes that promote immune suppression.

These tumor derived exosomes also seed the spread of metastases and inhibit the benefit of leading cancer therapies. The Hemopurifier® is an FDA designated "Breakthrough Device" related to the treatment of individuals with advanced or metastatic cancer who are either unresponsive to or intolerant of standard of care therapy, and with cancer types in which exosomes have been shown to participate in the development or severity of the disease cancer. The Hemopurifier also holds a Breakthrough Device designation related to life-threatening viruses that are not addressed with approved therapies.  Under the Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application approved by FDA in October 2019 the FDA has also approved an amendment to the Company's open IDE for the Hemopurifier in life threatening viral infections, to allow for the treatment of patients with SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 infection.  This will allow for up to 40 of these patients to be treated under a New Feasibility Study protocol at up to 20 clinical sites in the U.S.

Aethlon also owns 80% of Exosome Sciences, Inc., which is focused on the discovery of exosomal biomarkers to diagnose and monitor cancer and neurological disease progression. Additional information can be found online at www.AethlonMedical.com and www.ExosomeSciences.com.

Forward Looking Statement. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that involve risks and uncertainties.  Statements in this press release containing words such as "may," "might", "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "project," "will," "projections," "estimate," or similar expressions constitute forward-looking statements.  Such forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in the forward-looking statements.  Factors that may contribute to such differences include, without limitation, the Hemopurifier's potential for treating life-threatening viral infections, including Covid-19 and potentially cancer, the Company's ability to enroll patients in and successfully complete trials in advanced and/or metastatic head and neck cancer, the Company's ability to enroll patients in a new Feasability Study and successfully treat patients with SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 infection under the Company's IDE application, and other potential risks.  The foregoing list of risks and uncertainties is illustrative, but is not exhaustive. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements can be found under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2030, and in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020.  Any forward-looking statements that the Company makes in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as may be required by law, the Company does not intend, nor does it undertake any duty, to update this information to reflect future events or circumstances.

Company Contact:

Jim Frakes, CFO
jfrakes@aethlonmedical.com
858-459-7800 extension 3300

Media Contact:
Tony Russo, Ph.D.
Russo Partners, LLC
tony.russo@russopartnersllc.com
212-845-4251

Investor Contact:
Susan Noonan
S.A. Noonan Communications, LLC
susan@sanoonan.com
212-966-3650

 

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SOURCE Aethlon Medical, Inc.

FAQ

What is the significance of Dr. Charles J. Fisher's appointment as CEO of Aethlon Medical?

Dr. Fisher's appointment is significant due to his extensive background in clinical development and drug registration, which could positively impact Aethlon's product strategy.

What clinical trials is Aethlon Medical currently initiating under Dr. Fisher's leadership?

Aethlon Medical is initiating clinical trials for the Hemopurifier device in patients with COVID-19 and advanced head and neck cancer.

Who did Dr. Charles J. Fisher replace as CEO of Aethlon Medical?

Dr. Charles J. Fisher replaced Dr. Timothy Rodell as CEO, with Dr. Rodell transitioning to a consultant role.

What experience does Dr. Charles J. Fisher bring to Aethlon Medical?

Dr. Fisher brings a wealth of experience in critical care medicine, pharmaceutical development, and regulatory strategy from his previous roles at Eli Lilly, Abbott Laboratories, and Cardiome Pharma.