Athersys MultiStem Stem Cell Therapy Receives Orphan Drug Designation in Europe

Athersys

announced today that the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued a positive opinion (EMA/OD/146/13) for the Company's allogeneic, multipotent adult progenitor cell, or MultiStem® therapy, for the prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). The Company is developing its MultiStem cell therapy as a GvHD prophylaxis in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplant and is currently preparing for a Phase II/III clinical study in the area. The MultiStem therapy for the prevention of GvHD has also previously been granted orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).