Aethlon Medical Awarded Key Patent.

Business Editors &Health/Medical Writers

SAN DIEGO--(BW HealthWire)--Feb. 17, 2000

Aethlon Medical Inc.,(formerly known as Bishop Equities Inc.) (OTCBB:BSEQ) announced today that its Hemex subsidiary has been awarded a patent for a chemical process which is key to the function of two important products within its Hemopurifier(TM) line of extracorporeal treatment devices.

The DFO Hemopurifier is designed to use the chelator desferrioxamine to remove excess iron and aluminum intoxicants from the blood in a completely safe process outside the body. The newly-issued patent protects the process by which the desferrioxamine molecule is immobilized within the device, allowing treatment to take place with no side-effects from this otherwise toxic antidote. The DFO Hemopurifier has completed a Phase I clinical trial, and with FDA permission will begin a Phase II trial later this year.

The large number of patients potentially served by the DFO Hemopurifier include those suffering from a) Acquired iron overload as a result of transfusions, transplants, and similar procedures, b) Hemochromatosis, a genetic condition effecting over 1.2 milllion Americans who cannot process iron normally, c) Reperfusion injury, when blood flow is reintroduced to the heart after open heart surgery. The device also removes aluminum from the blood of those with hemodialysis-related aluminum intoxication, a rare condition in the U.S. but a serious issue in many other countries.

Other Hemopurifiers recently developed include products which treat lead poisoning, and remove toxic chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin. Future products in the development pipeline include Hemopurifiers designed to remove targeted viruses such as HIV and Hepatitis C from the blood.

Franklyn S. Barry, Jr., president and chief executive officer of Aethlon Medical, commented: &uot;the award of this new patent adds a strong layer of protection for this important product. We intend that the DFO Hemopurifier be our lead product, and this award insures that we can proceed with great confidence to develop and market this remarkable device. We are also pleased that the US Patent and Trademark Office agrees that the work of our scientists, particularly Dr. Clara Ambrus, was indeed worthwhile.&uot;

For more information on recent developments at the company, Aethlon Medical's Web site may be visited at http://www.aethlonmedical.com

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including technological advances in the medical field, product demand and market acceptance, US and foreign patent office acceptance, FDA and other regulatory acceptance, the effect of economic conditions, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and other risks detailed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by management of the company and are believed to be reasonable, though they are uncertain and difficult to predict. Actual results or experience could differ materially from the forward-looking statements.