Athersys to Participate in four Events at the International Society of Cell and Gene Therapy Conference

CLEVELAND, May 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Athersys, Inc. ATHX announced today its participation in several sessions at this year's International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy (ISCT) conference taking place May 29 – June 2, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. ISCT 2019 is the largest global translation-focused cell and gene therapy (CGT) meeting and is expected to draw delegates from more than 50 countries. Athersys will play an active role in the meeting, beginning with a presentation on May 29, 2019 during the Clinical Trial Part 1 Session: MSC Sources, Applications and "Off the Shelf" Products. Dr. Robert Mays, Vice President of Regenerative Medicine and Head of Neuroscience Programs at Athersys, will give a presentation titled "Clinical Development of MultiStem®, an Adult Stem Cell Therapy, for Treatment of Acute Injuries of the Central Nervous System".

On May 30, 2019, Dr. Manal Morsy, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Regulatory Affairs at Athersys, will share her regulatory experience and expertise as a panel participant, titled "Regulatory Impact on Global Commercialization of Cell & Gene Therapies".

On May 31, 2019, Dr. Mays, who is the Chairman of the Neuroscience committee for ISCT, will take the podium again during a session update for CGT clinical trial and acute central nervous system injuries.  The title of his presentation is "Translationally Conserved Mechanisms of Benefit Underlying MultiStem Cell Therapy for Treating Acute Neurological Injury". Later the same day, Dr. Anthony Ting, Vice President of Regenerative Medicine and Head of Cardiopulmonary Programs at Athersys will chair a Plenary session titled "Understanding the Challenges to Harmonizing CGT Clinical Trials Across Multiple Countries".

About ISCT

The mission of ISCT is to drive translation of all cellular therapies for the benefit for patients worldwide, with a vision to improve patients' lives through safe and effective cellular therapies. Established in 1992, ISCT is a growing global society of clinicians, regulators, researchers, technologists and industry partners. ISCT is the global leader focused on pre-clinical and translational aspects of developing cell-based therapeutics, thereby advancing scientific research into innovative treatments for patients. ISCT offers a unique collaborative environment that addresses three key areas of translation: Academia, Regulatory and Commercialization. Through strong relationships with global regulatory agencies, academic institutions and industry partners, ISCT leads the advancement of research into standard of care.

About Athersys

Athersys is an international biotechnology company engaged in the development of therapeutic products designed to extend and enhance the quality of human life. The Company is developing its MultiStem® cell therapy product, a patented, adult-derived "off-the-shelf" stem cell product, initially for disease indications in the neurological, cardiovascular, and inflammatory and immune disease areas, and has several ongoing clinical trials evaluating this potential regenerative medicine product. Athersys has forged strategic partnerships and a broad network of collaborations to further advance MultiStem cell therapy toward commercialization. More information is available at www.athersys.com.

William (B.J.) Lehmann
President and Chief Operating Officer
Tel: (216) 431-9900
bjlehmann@athersys.com

Karen Hunady
Director of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
Tel: (216) 431-9900
khunady@athersys.com

David Schull
Russo Partners, LLC
Tel: (212) 845-4271 or (858) 717-2310
David.schull@russopartnersllc.com