CLEVELAND, March 19, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Athersys, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATHX) announced today that it will be participating in the 12th annual BIO Asia International Conference to be held on March 24-25, 2015 at the Grand Hyatt, Tokyo, Japan. Athersys is additionally a conference sponsor.
Gil Van Bokkelen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, will be participating on two panels, "Accelerating Innovation: Lessons from Regenerative Medicine Policy Reforms" on Tuesday, March 24th from 4:00 - 4:55 PM, and "Emerging Deal Making Trends" on Wednesday, March 25th from 9:00 – 9:55 AM, both of which will take place in the Coriander conference room of the hotel. In addition, Dr. Van Bokkelen will be making a corporate presentation on Tuesday, March 24th at 1:45 PM in the Drawing Room.
The BIO Asia International Conference, co-hosted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), BioCentury and the Japan Bioindustry Association (JBA), brings together the global biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry to explore licensing and research collaborations in the current Asia-Pacific business and policy environments.
The conference is an exclusive, customized partnering forum featuring private, pre-arranged one-on-one meetings between senior-level executives, using BIO's proprietary, state-of-the-art computer software. The format and selective nature of the conference makes this the premier dedicated biotech partnering event in Asia and an unrivaled opportunity to meet with the leading industry organizations in one place, at one time.
The conference will provide an international stage for Athersys to discuss the recently announced collaboration with Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. to develop its proprietary MultiStem® cell therapy for ischemic stroke in Japan, and to explore other partnering opportunities with leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Representation at the conference includes major organizations from both North American and Asia, including Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Amgen, Glaxo SmithKline, Daiichi Sankyo, Takeda, Eli Lily and many more.
About Athersys
Athersys is an international biotechnology 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 its MultiStem® cell therapy product, a patented, adult-derived "off-the-shelf" stem cell product, initially for disease indications in the cardiovascular, neurological, inflammatory and immune disease areas, and has several ongoing clinical trials evaluating this potential regenerative medicine product. Athersys has forged strategic partnerships and collaborations with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as world-renowned research institutions to further develop its platform and products. More information is available at www.athersys.com.