Athersys Reports Updates on Timing for Japan ARDS and Stroke Programs From Healios K.K.

CLEVELAND–(BUSINESS WIRE)–$ATHX #ARDS–Athersys reports that HEALIOS K.K. (Healios), its development and commercial partner in Japan, provided an update earlier this morning regarding its clinical programs for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and ischemic stroke involving MultiStem^� (HLCM051, invimestrocel) in its FY2021 Q3 financial results presentation.

Healios noted that following its third quarter 2021 announcement of topline data from its ONE-BRIDGE clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of MultiStem cell therapy in patients with ARDS, it has continued to consult with the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) regarding preparations for filing for regulatory approval for MultiStem for the treatment of ARDS. Currently, Healios is targeting the filing of the application for this orphan regenerative medicine product for Q4 2021/Q1 2022.

Healios also provided an update regarding the timing of disclosure of topline data from its double-blind, placebo-controlled TREASURE study to evaluate MultiStem treatment in ischemic stroke patients. As a result of advice from the PMDA, Healios now plans to disclose topline results from the study after data has been collected from the one-year follow-up visit of the last patient enrolled. Healios expects this last follow-up visit to take place in March 2022. Unblinding for data analyses will occur after the collection of information from the last patient follow-up visit.

The update on timing suggests that one-year topline data should be available in the second quarter of 2022. As previously reported, based on results from the MASTERS-1 study for patients who received cell therapy within 36 hours of stroke, recovery outcomes for MultiStem-treated subjects compared to placebo were good at 90 days but even better at one year, including for Excellent Outcome and the mRS “shift” analysis.

Athersys plans to cover these and other updates in its Q3 financial results and corporate update call, which is scheduled for Monday, November 15th, at 4:30 pm EST. Please refer to the Company’s Q3 earnings date announcement to register for the call: https://www.athersys.com/investors/press-releases/press-release-details/2021/Athersys-to-Host-Third-Quarter-Financial-Results-Call/default.aspx.

About Athersys

Athersys is a 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 neurological, inflammatory and immune, cardiovascular, and other critical care indications and has several ongoing clinical trials evaluating this potential regenerative medicine product. Athersys has forged strategic partnerships and a broad network of collaborations to further advance MultiStem cell therapy toward commercialization. Investors and others should note that we may post information about the Company on our website at www.athersys.com and/or on our accounts on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or other social media platforms. It is possible that the postings could include information deemed to be material information. Therefore, we encourage investors, the media and others interested in the Company to review the information we post on our website at www.athersys.com and on our social media accounts. Follow Athersys on Twitter at www.twitter.com/athersys.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the expected timetable for development of our product candidates, our growth strategy, and our future financial performance, including our operations, economic performance, financial condition, prospects, and other future events. We have attempted to identify forward-looking statements by using such words as “anticipates,” “believes,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “should,” “suggest,” “will,” or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and are largely based on our current expectations. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors could affect the accuracy of these statements. Some of the more significant known risks that we face are the risks and uncertainties inherent in the process of discovering, developing, and commercializing products that are safe and effective for use as therapeutics, including the uncertainty regarding market acceptance of our product candidates and our ability to generate revenues. The following risks and uncertainties may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to differ materially from any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements: our ability to raise capital to fund our operations, including but not limited to, the timing and nature of results from MultiStem clinical trials, including the MASTERS-2 Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the administration of MultiStem for the treatment of ischemic stroke, and the Healios TREASURE and ONE-BRIDGE clinical trials in Japan evaluating the treatment in stroke and ARDS patients, respectively, including the timing of the release of data by Healios from its clinical trials, which could be delayed by, among other things, the regulatory process with the PMDA; the success of our MACOVIA clinical trial evaluating the administration of MultiStem for the treatment of COVID-19 induced ARDS, and the MATRICS-1 clinical trial being conducted with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston evaluating the treatment of patients with serious traumatic injuries; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our ability to complete planned or ongoing clinical trials; the possibility that the COVID-19 pandemic could delay clinical site initiation, clinical trial enrollment, regulatory review and the potential receipt of regulatory approvals, payment of milestones under our license agreements and commercialization of one or more of our product candidates, if approved; the availability of product sufficient to meet commercial demand shortly following any approval, such as in the case of accelerated approval for the treatment of COVID-19 induced ARDS; the impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition from the ongoing and global COVID-19 pandemic, or any other pandemic, epidemic or outbreak of infectious disease in the United States; the possibility of delays in, adverse results of, and excessive costs of the development process; our ability to successfully initiate and complete clinical trials of our product candidates; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the production capabilities of our contract manufacturing partners and our MultiStem trial supply chain; the possibility of delays, work stoppages or interruptions in manufacturing by third parties or us, such as due to material supply constraints, contamination, operational restrictions due to COVID-19 or other public health emergencies, labor constraints, regulatory issues or other factors which could negatively impact our trials and the trials of our collaborators; uncertainty regarding market acceptance of our product candidates and our ability to generate revenues, including MultiStem cell therapy for neurological, inflammatory and immune, cardiovascular and other critical care indications; changes in external market factors; changes in our industry’s overall performance; changes in our business strategy; our ability to protect and defend our intellectual property and related business operations, including the successful prosecution of our patent applications and enforcement of our patent rights, and operate our business in an environment of rapid technology and intellectual property development; our possible inability to realize commercially valuable discoveries in our collaborations with pharmaceutical and other biotechnology companies; our ability to meet milestones and earn royalties under our collaboration agreements, including the success of our collaboration with Healios; our collaborators’ ability to continue to fulfill their obligations under the terms of our collaboration agreements and generate sales related to our technologies; the success of our efforts to enter into new strategic partnerships and advance our programs, including, without limitation, in North America, Europe and Japan; our possible inability to execute our strategy due to changes in our industry or the economy generally; changes in productivity and reliability of suppliers; the success of our competitors and the emergence of new competitors; and the risks mentioned elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 under Item 1A, “Risk Factors” and our other filings with the SEC. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained on our website and/or on our accounts on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or other social media platforms, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts

Ivor Macleod

Chief Financial Officer

Tel: (216) 431-9900

ir@athersys.com

Karen Hunady

Director of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations

Tel: (216) 431-9900

khunady@athersys.com

David Schull

Russo Partners, LLC

Tel: (212) 845-4271 or (858) 717-2310

David.schull@russopartnersllc.com