Athersys Inc-Publication In Cell Transplantation Indicates That MultiStem Could be Used In Treatment of Orphan Neurological Disorders; Announces Issuance Of U.S. Patent 7,927,587

Athersys Inc announced the publication in the scientific journal, Cell Transplantation, of an article that describes the results of a preclinical study evaluating the administration of MultiStem for the treatment of MPS-I (or Hurler's Syndrome). The article, authored by investigators at the University of Minnesota together with scientists from Athersys, describes preclinical study results suggesting that the stem cells could provide benefit to patients suffering from lysosomal storage disorders, such as Hurler's Syndrome. The published study demonstrates that an injection of MultiStem cells in neonatal MPS-I mice reduces the accumulation of GAGs in the brain thereby resulting in improvements in behavioral and motor function in the diseased mice. The results suggest that MultiStem treatment may have relevance for certain orphan genetic diseases such as lysosomal storage diseases, said Dr. Robert Mays, Head of Neuroscience at Athersys and one of the co-authors of the manuscript. The Company also announced the issuance of U.S. patent 7,927,587, which covers the use of non-embryonic, multipotent stem cells for the treatment of lysosomal storage diseases. The patent applies to Hurler's Syndrome and other lysosomal storage disorders, such as Fabry's disease, Gaucher's disease, Niemann-Pick disease and Batten's disease, among many others.