Athersys finishes enrolling heart attack patients for stem cell therapy study

Biopharmaceutical company Athersys Inc. has finished enrolling patients for a Phase 1 clinical trial of its MultiStem adult stem cell therapy to treat heart attack victims. The company expects to begin reporting safety and maximum-tolerated dose results by mid-year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Biopharmaceutical company Athersys Inc. has finished enrolling patients for a Phase 1 clinical trial of its MultiStem adult stem cell therapy to treat heart attack victims.

Athersys expects to begin getting results of the trial to determine safety and maximum-tolerated dose by mid-year after it does four months of follow-up with patients and analyzes its results, the company said in a release.

“Myocardial infarction remains one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States,” said William “B.J.” Lehmann, president and chief operating officer  of Athersys, in the release. Lehmann is presenting today at the 5th Annual Stem Cell Summit in New York City.

Athersys plans to use catheters to deliver its MultiStem therapy to the damaged regions of patients’ hearts during its studies at several U.S. cardiovascular treatment centers, including the Cleveland Clinic, Columbia University Medical Center and Henry Ford Health System.

“Based on our preclinical work and data, we believe that MultiStem has the potential to improve heart function in patients following heart attacks in multiple ways,” including an increase in the volume of blood the heart can pump, a reduction of inflammation and increased growth of new blood vessels, Lehmann said.

Athersys is developing MultiStem for heart attack patients with Angiotech Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Vancouver, British Columbia. Angiotech is a specialty pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and markets innovative treatments for diseases or complications associated with medical device implants, surgeries and acute injuries.

Last week, Athersys said it had received two more U.S. and European patents for its MultiStem product, extending protection of how the therapy is made and used. In December, the company said it would partner with Pfizer Regenerative Medicine to develop and market a MultiStem treatment for inflammatory bowel disease patients.

Athersys shares were up more than 2 percent to $3.82 in early morning trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

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