Athersys Licenses its Animal Health Assets to Ardent Animal Health

Athersys, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATHX), a cell therapy and regenerative medicine company developing MultiStem (invimestrocel) for critical care indications, and Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cell (MAPC) technology for equine, canine, and feline health applications, announces the signing of a licensing agreement with Ardent Animal Health (Ardent). Ardent is a privately held veterinary biotechnology company developing regenerative medicine and cancer therapies for animals.

Under the terms of the agreement, Athersys will receive an initial fee from Ardent in exchange for an exclusive license to Athersys’ Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cell (MAPC) technology for non-human mammal applications in the United States. The agreement includes pre- and post-regulatory approval milestone payments to Athersys, including payments on conditional and full product approval for each species/indication combination. Athersys will also receive tiered, double-digit royalties on commercial sales.

Athersys has also granted Ardent rights of first refusal to be the exclusive distributor for Athersys’ novel cryogenic storage system, the Secure Integrated Freezer Unit (SIFU) in the United States animal health space.

“We’re excited to announce this agreement with Ardent based on their proven capabilities in developing stem cell-based treatment options for animals. This agreement recognizes the progress we’ve made in preclinical research and manufacturing of MAPC for animal health and provides Ardent a solid foundation to build on,” stated Dan Camardo, Chief Executive Officer of Athersys.

“We look forward to this partnership with Athersys as we develop innovative and life-changing treatments for animals. Through partnerships like this and with the strong results generated to date with MAPC, we’re better able to advance stem cell therapy for joint disease and other areas of unmet need in animal health,” added Thomas Masterson, President of Ardent.

About Ardent Animal Health

Ardent Animal Health is a veterinary biotechnology company based in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 2016, its mission is to improve the lives of pets and people. Ardent’s pipeline includes novel cancer and regenerative medicine treatments for veterinary patients suffering from cancer and other inflammatory diseases. Ardent is a synonym for passionate, fiery and committed, which manifests through Ardent’s worldwide referral network providing advanced care for complicated diseases. Ardent is a Breakthru Portfolio company (see www.realbreakthru.com). For more information, please visit https://ardentanimalhealth.com/.