• Aethlon Medical (San Diego) reported results of the "first-in-man" study of the Aethlon Hemopurifier to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the disease that causes AIDS. In the study, viral load was reduced by 92% in an HIV-infected individual who received a total of 12 Hemopurifier treatments administered thrice weekly over the span of one month. The Hemopurifier is a therapeutic filtration device that serves as an artificial adjunct to the immune system. In HIV care, the Hemopurifier targets the clearance of all circulating strains of infectious HIV, including varieties that cause patients to fail antiviral drug regimens.

• Applied Biosystems (Carlsbad, California) reported the introduction of a new line of genotyping assays that enable researchers to more closely study the role that DNA copy number structural variation plays in human health and disease. The TaqMan Copy Number Assays are designed to detect and quantify copy number variations (CNVs), which are one of the most frequently occurring forms of structural change within a genome. These assays will enable pharmaceutical, clinical and academic researchers to accurately detect CNVs, which are changes in the number of copies of a gene, a part of a gene, or a large stretch of DNA that occur throughout a genome.

• Atherotech (Birmingham, Alabama) reported the addition of apolipoprotein A (apoAI) to its VAP Cholesterol Test. The VAP (Vertical Auto Profile) Test is the only single cholesterol test that routinely reports apoAI, apoB, and the apoB/apoAI ratio. With the addition of this new marker, the VAP Test now reports apoAI and the apoB/apoAI ratio, increasing its clinical utility in the assessment of risk for heart disease, diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases. The new, clinically validated heart disease risk marker is included with the VAP cholesterol test. ApoAI is the main protein component of protective HDL cholesterol while apolipoprotein BI00 (apoB) particles are the main component of atherogenic (bad) LDL cholesterol. In general, the lower the apoB/apoAI value, the lower your risk for heart disease. A ratio of 1 to 2 is considered low risk, while a ratio approaching 1 to 1 would be considered high risk, and anything over that where the small LDL particles would dominate would be very high risk.

• CPC of America (Las Vegas) said it is pursuing the development of proprietary polyethylene glycol (PEG) synthetic sealants as part of its global commercialization strategy for MedClose. MedClose is an investigational-stage vascular closure system that is intended to seal arterial puncture sites following diagnostic or interventional catheterization procedures. CPC said it will develop synthetic PEG sealants as platform technologies for the MedClose vascular closure system using ultra-pure functionalized, biocompatible and biodegradable polymers. The sealants will have adjustable physical properties, making it possible to fine tune' the gel time and strength for varied clinical applications. The proprietary compounds will be sourced from multiple suppliers, providing flexibility and accessibly for global commercialization and cost savings.

• I-Flow (Lake Forest, California), through its AcryMed subsidiary, has received FDA clearance for its stabilized antimicrobial wound gel. The product, as yet unnamed, has been FDA cleared for both over-the-counter and prescription-only marketing and distribution. The new stabilized antimicrobial wound gel contains antimicrobial silver in an amorphous gel. AcryMed says that it pioneered the introduction of silver antimicrobial gels for controlling bioburden in wounds.