Athersys Director Jane Wasman Appointed Board Chair

Athersys, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATHX), a regenerative medicine company developing MultiStem (invimestrocel) for critical care indications, announces changes to its Board of Directors following the Company’s recent 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Current Director Jane Wasman, JD, has been appointed Board Chair, effective September 28, 2023. Ms. Wasman has served as a Director of the Company since November 2020, currently serving as Chair of Athersys’ Audit Committee and previously serving as Chair of its Nominations, Governance & Compliance Committee.

“We are delighted that Jane will now be chairing Athersys’ board. She brings a wealth of expertise in strategic, operational, business development and corporate governance matters to Athersys. With Athersys’ multiple late-stage programs, including our most advanced Phase 3 MASTERS-2 trial evaluating MultiStem in treating ischemic stroke, Jane’s background in the life sciences industry is a valued resource as we progress towards completing our pivotal study,” added Dan Camardo, Chief Executive Officer of Athersys.

“On behalf of the Athersys Board of Directors and the company’s employees, I am honored to assume the responsibilities of Board Chair and to help guide our various initiatives to drive shareholder value,” said Ms. Wasman.

Ms. Wasman is Founder and President of JWasman Advisors, a consulting firm focused on strategic, operational and corporate governance matters for biopharma and life sciences organizations. She also is chair of the board of directors of Sellas Life Sciences (Nasdaq: SLS) and a member of the board of directors of Rigel Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: RIGL). Additionally, she co-founded and co-chairs the NY Hub of BioDirector, an organization supporting board effectiveness and diversity. Previously, she served as President, International and General Counsel at Acorda Therapeutics, where she was responsible for global strategic development, leading long-range planning and development in addition to international expansion, as well as the legal and compliance functions. Prior to joining Acorda, Ms. Wasman held various leadership positions at Schering-Plough Corporation, including Vice President and Associate General Counsel. Ms. Wasman graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University and earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School.