ATHX

Athersys, Inc.

A biotechnology company that grows special stem cells, called MultiStem, from the bone marrow of healthy adult donors to make an "off-the-shelf" therapy for critical-care conditions like stroke, heart attack, and lung injury. Founded in 1995 in Cleveland, it first tried to build a synthetic human chromosome for gene therapy before switching to regenerative medicine. Its cells act as a temporary "living drug" that calms inflammation and helps the body heal, then clears out on their own.