Athersys, Inc. (ATHX) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer to Ring The NASDAQ Stock Market Closing Bell


ADVISORY, April 7, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --



 What:
 Gil Van Bokkelen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Athersys,
 Inc. (ATHX), will preside over the Closing Bell.

 Where:
 NASDAQ MarketSite - 4 Times Square - 43rd & Broadway - Broadcast Studio

 When:
 Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at 3:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET

 Contacts:
 Lisa Wilson
 (917) 543-9932
 lwilson@insitecony.com

 NASDAQ MarketSite:
 Robert Madden
 (646) 441-5045
 Robert.Madden@NASDAQOMX.com

Feed Information:

The Closing Bell is available from 3:50 p.m. to 4:05 p.m. on AMC-3/C-3 (ul 5985V; dl 3760H). The feed can also be found on Ascent fiber 1623. If you have any questions, please contact Robert Madden at (646) 441-5045.

Radio Feed:

An audio transmission of the Closing Bell is also available from 3:50 p.m. to 4:05 p.m. on uplink IA6 C band / transponder 24, downlink frequency 4180 horizontal. The feed can be found on Ascent fiber 1623 as well.

Webcast:

A live webcast of the NASDAQ Closing Bell will be available at: http://www.nasdaq.com/about/marketsitetowervideo.asx

Photos:

To obtain a high-resolution photograph of the Market Close, please go to http://www.nasdaq.com/reference/marketsite_events.stm and click on the market close of your choice.

About Athersys, Inc. (ATHX):

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 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/oncology support, ischemic stroke and other indications. The Company 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 Random Activation of Gene Expression (RAGE). More information is available at www.athersys.com.

About NASDAQ OMX:

The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. is the world's largest exchange company. It delivers trading, exchange technology and public company services across six continents, with over 3,800 listed companies. NASDAQ OMX Group offers multiple capital raising solutions to companies around the globe, including its U.S. listings market; NASDAQ OMX Nordic, NASDAQ OMX Baltic, NASDAQ OMX First North; and the U.S. 144A sector. The company offers trading across multiple asset classes including equities, derivatives, debt, commodities, structured products and ETFs. NASDAQ OMX Group technology supports the operations of over 70 exchanges, clearing organizations and central securities depositories in more than 50 countries. NASDAQ OMX Nordic and NASDAQ OMX Baltic are not legal entities but describe the common offering from NASDAQ OMX Group exchanges in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Iceland, Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius. For more information about NASDAQ OMX, visit http://www.nasdaqomx.com.

NDAQA