CLEVELAND, Sept. 5, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Athersys, Inc. (OTCBB:AHYS) today announced that it has completed its planned name change from BTHC VI, Inc. (OTCBB:BVIC). Effective September 6, 2007, the company's new ticker symbol on the Over the Counter Bulletin Board is AHYS. The new CUSIP number is 04744L106 following the name change, ticker change and reverse merger.
On June 8, 2007, Athersys, Inc. completed a reverse merger with BTHC VI, Inc. The transaction was completed by the merger of a wholly-owned subsidiary of BTHC and Athersys, with Athersys remaining as the surviving company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of BTHC. As a result of the merger, the operations of Athersys and its affiliates constitutes the sole business of the company, and the officers, directors and employees of Athersys have replaced all of the former officers and directors of BTHC. The company maintains its principal operations in Cleveland, Ohio.
About Athersys, Inc.
Athersys is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of therapeutic product candidates designed to extend and enhance the quality of human life. The company's lead product candidate, ATHX-105, is an oral, selective 5HT2c receptor agonist in Phase I clinical trials for the treatment of obesity. The company is developing other orally active pharmaceutical product candidates for the treatment of metabolic and central nervous system disorders, utilizing proprietary technologies, including Random Activation of Gene Expression (RAGE). Athersys is also developing MultiStem(r), a patented adult-derived, "off the shelf" stem cell product platform for multiple disease indications. The company is collaborating with Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to develop MultiStem to treat damage caused by myocardial infarction and peripheral vascular disease. The company is independently developing MultiStem for bone marrow transplantation/oncology support, ischemic stroke and other indications.