Athersys is committed to establishing partnerships with leading corporate, academic, and clinical centers around the world, in order to enable the company to expand its capital resources, develop and apply its technologies and product candidates, as well as accelerate its ability to efficiently develop and commercialize products across a broad geographic territory.

Alliances With Leading Academic & Clinical Centers - Athersys has established multiple research and development partnerships that apply its unique technology platforms principally for product discovery and development. Examples of such collaborative relationships include the Cleveland Clinic, University of Minnesota, Medical College of Georgia, University of Oregon Health Sciences Center, and Case Western Reserve University, among others. A major focus of these partnerships is on applying the MultiStem^® platform in specific disease models to determine potential therapeutic utility.

Athersys is also a founding partner of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine (CSCRM), a multi-institutional collaboration also involving the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, and Case Western Reserve University, and the Ohio State University.

Technology Based Partnerships - Additionally, the Company has established multiple commercial relationships to leverage its technology platforms, including with Bristol-Myers-Squibb, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, among others.

Product Based Partnerships - Athersys has established a product development and commercialization collaboration with Angiotech Pharmaceuticals focused on applying MultiStem to the treatment of cardiovascular disease. The partnership will initially focus on Myocardial Infarction, with Athersys having lead responsibility for preclinical and early clinical development and manufacturing of the MultiStem product, and Angiotech taking the lead on pivotal and later clinical trials and commercialization.

As the product development programs at Athersys continue to advance and mature, the Company intends to establish commercial partnerships in certain areas with leading pharmaceutical and medical device companies. The primary objective of such partnerships will be to: (1) add to the capital resources of the Company; (2) accelerate product development efforts, and; (3) to maximize shareholder value.