Scimitar Equity Blog

Athersys, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHX) will host its 2nd Annual Investor/R&D Day which will be held at the Intercontinental Hotel on Friday, 5/14/10 in New York City. The meeting will begin at 8:30 to 11:30 am ET.  The investor day will feature a series of presentations which will provide an overview of relevant clinical areas and therapeutic target markets, a description of the results of its programs:

• Cardiovascular Disease: conducting a Phase I clinical trial in which MultiStem^®, a patented and proprietary stem cell therapy being developed is being administered to patients who have suffered from acute myocardial infarction.  ATHX is engaged in research involving MultiStem and peripheral vascular disease and other cardiovascular applications,
• Neurological Disease: received authorization from the FDA to undertake a Phase I clinical trial in which MultiStem is administered to patients who have suffered from an ischemic stroke and is also conducting collaborative research involving neonatal hypoxic ischemia, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury,
• Immune System Modulation: conducting a Phase I clinical trial in which MultiStem is administered to leukemia or lymphoma patients for cancer treatment support, such as to reduce or prevent graft versus host disease (GvHD) in leukemia patients,
• Obesity: developing a portfolio of compounds for the treatment of obesity that are designed to act by stimulating the 5HT2c receptor in the brain that regulates appetite and food intake. Importantly, the Company has successfully developed compounds that are both potent and highly selective, and that do not exhibit activity at other serotonin receptors that are known to cause safety and tolerability issues, or that could limit efficacy,
• Other small molecule programs: developing potent, selective pharmaceuticals that have potential to treat conditions and disorders that affect cognition, attention, and wakefulness. These compounds act at the H3 receptor in the brain, which plays a key role in regulating cognitive function.   In addition, ATHX is focused on the interplay between small molecules and stem cells, and how they may play a role in modulating key aspects of stem cell biology and the manufacturability and performance of its cell-based products. 

 Athersys is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of therapeutic product candidates designed to extend and enhance the quality of human life. ATHX is developing MultiStem^®, a patented, adult-derived “off-the-shelf” stem cell product platform for multiple disease indications, including damage caused by myocardial infarction, bone marrow transplantation and oncology treatment support, ischemic stroke, and inflammatory bowel disease. ATHX is also developing a portfolio of other therapeutic programs, including orally active pharmaceutical product candidates for the treatment of metabolic and central nervous system disorders, utilizing proprietary technologies, including Radom Activation of Gene Expression (RAGE^®). 

Athersys has forged several key strategic alliances and collaborations with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as world-renowned research institutions in the US and EU. Investors, analysts and media interested in attending the investor day event should contact Bill Bunting, In-Site Communications, via telephone at (212) 759-3929 or email at bbunting@insitecony.com, or register through the website at www.Athersys.com.