Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Athersys, Inc. (ATHX) Awarded Patent Protection for MultiStem Product Platform, adding to Current IP Portfolio

Clinical stage biopharmaceutical company Athersys Inc. today announced it has been granted a patent that covers the company’s proprietary cell therapy product, MultiStem®.

MultiStem is an investigational stem cell therapy with demonstrated therapeutic potential to treat a broad range of indications in the cardiovascular, neurological, and inflammatory and immune condition disease areas.

The patent covers the use of non-embryonic multipotent stem cells for the treatment of cardiovascular conditions, including heart attack and congestive heart failure. The patent also provides protection for several techniques of stem cell delivery for the treatment of such conditions.

“Cardiovascular disease represents an important opportunity area for MultiStem therapy, and the ’881 patent provides the company with additional protection for its product candidates in this high value area,” William (B.J.) Lehmann, president and COO of Athersys stated in the press release. “Additionally, this and the other patents granted over the past year further expand and strengthen our stem cell intellectual property estate.”

In 2011, Athersys was issued more than 25 patents in the U.S. and other countries. These patents cover non-embryonic multipotent stem cells, as well as their production and usage. Athersys also announced the issuance in 2011 of more than 25 patents in the U.S. and other countries covering non-embryonic multipotent stem cells, their production, and usage.

Athersys’ intellectual property portfolio consists of more than 50 granted patents and more than 160 global patent applications around its stem cell technology and MultiStem product platform.

For more information, visit www.athersys.com

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