Aethlon Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEMD) has expanded its equity incentive plan and is actively progressing clinical trials for its Hemopurifier device. Stockholders approved an amendment to the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan on September 27, 2024, increasing the number of shares authorized for issuance by 3 million. This decision, effective immediately, aims to enhance the company's ability to attract, retain, and incentivize key personnel through equity awards.
Equity Incentive Plan Expansion
The expansion of the equity incentive plan was initially approved by the Board of Directors on August 6, 2024, contingent on stockholder approval. The Amended 2020 Plan's full text is available as Exhibit 10.1 in the company's Form 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Hemopurifier Clinical Trials
Aethlon Medical has achieved full ethics approval from the Medanta Institutional Ethics Committee for a clinical trial in India using its Hemopurifier device on cancer patients. Patient recruitment is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of this year. Simultaneously, patient enrollment has commenced at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in Australia for a clinical trial evaluating the Hemopurifier in patients with solid tumors that have not responded to certain antibodies. This trial will assess the safety, feasibility, and optimal dosing of the Hemopurifier treatment.
The Hemopurifier is designed to remove extracellular vesicles from the bloodstream, which are implicated in therapy resistance and cancer spread.
Potential in Kidney Transplants
Preclinical studies indicate that the Hemopurifier may improve kidney transplant outcomes by removing harmful substances from preservation fluids, potentially adding a transplant indication to Aethlon's pipeline.
Financial Status
For the fiscal first quarter of 2025, Aethlon Medical reported a cash balance of $9.1 million and a net loss of $2.6 million. Increased clinical trial activities in Australia are anticipated to raise expenses. Despite the net loss, the company is advancing its Hemopurifier technology.
InvestingPro Insights
According to InvestingPro data, Aethlon Medical has a market capitalization of $6.17 million. InvestingPro Tips highlight that Aethlon is "quickly burning through cash" and "not profitable over the last twelve months." However, the company "holds more cash than debt on its balance sheet" and has seen a "significant return over the last week" and a "strong return over the last month," with a 1-month price total return at 18.87%. Investors should note that Aethlon's stock "price has fallen significantly over the last year," with a 1-year price total return of -80.28%, and that "stock price movements are quite volatile."
