Date: Thu, 18 Dec 1997 18:09:41 GMT Server: Stronghold/1.3.4 Ben-SSL/1.3 Apache/1.1.3 Content-type: text/html Content-length: 10673 Last-modified: Mon, 06 Oct 1997 14:21:28 GMT Basics
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the basics of the immune system

A healthy immune system is the most successful defense against disease.  However, at times the diseases are so devious that the immune system needs help.  This is where CEL-SCI Corporation’s products enter the picture.

The immune system is an immensely complicated system of checks and balances.  Here are some points that would help the reader understand the basic mechanisms.

The immune system is regulated by immune modulators such as cytokines (see CEL-SCI’s product Multikine).  The function of cytokines is mainly to act as messengers, but some cytokines are also known for their direct effect (e.g. antitumor effect).  Cytokines activate different types of cells in your body.  These cells then produce the immune responses needed to fight off the disease.

There are basically two types of immune responses.  The first one is called a “humoral immune response” and it produces antibodies.  Their function is to kill “free floating” disease causing agents (e.g. AIDS virus).  The second one is called “cellular immune response” and it produces killer T-cells.  Their function is to kill infected cells (e.g. cells infected with the HIV virus), which antibodies cannot do.

During the past few years, it has been suggested that the body gives preference to one of these immune responses over the other when it fights a disease.  Presumably, that is the case because disease causing agents generally are not responsive to one type of immune response but may be eliminated by the other type.  For example, the HIV virus hides in human cells and causes those cells to produce more HIV virus, finally overcoming the immune system.  More and more researchers now believe that you must induce a killer T-cell response against HIV to destroy those infected cells (see CEL-SCI’s HGP-30 AIDS vaccine).

However, viruses or other disease causing agents are often capable of tricking the body into making the wrong type of immune response so that the disease is not cleared.  Therefore, CEL-SCI has acquired the L.E.A.P.S. heteroconjugate technology.  This technology appears to have the ability to reprogram the immune system to better control or cure the disease.

CEL-SCI’s Three Basic Technologies

CEL-SCI has made substantial investments in three technologies that help the immune system fight disease more effectively.

    Multikine is a mixture of human cytokines that resembles a healthy person’s immune response. 

    This drug is currently in human testing with head and neck cancer, prostate cancer and AIDS.

    HGP-30 AIDS Vaccine  is a potential vaccine/treatment against HIV.  HGP-30 has been tested in over 60 patients.  It also is the only AIDS vaccine to ever have shown protection against challenge by a different strain of HIV then the strain from which HGP-30 is derived.

    L.E.A.P.S. Heteroconjugate is a technology that is intended to selectively stimulate the immune system to more effectively fight bacterial, viral, parasitic infections, cancer, and autoimmune diseases, when it cannot do so on its own. Administered like vaccines, L.E.A.P.S. heteroconjugates may provide an exciting new class of products to treat and/or prevent these diseases.  Early targets are AIDS, herpes simplex, malaria, and tuberculosis, diseases in dire need of effective treatments and vaccines.

 

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 Alexandria VA 22314
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66 Canal Center Plaza Suite 510
 Alexandria VA 22314
 USA
 Telephone: 703-549-5293
 Facsimile:  703-549-6269

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