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LOS ANGELES, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 01/22/13 -- In 2012, many stem cell stocks experienced fast-paced growth as new and promising research continues to propel the industry forward.

Last July, we first wrote about Pluristem Therapeutics (NASDAQ: PSTI), a bio-therapeutics company engaged in the commercialization of non-personalized cell therapy products for the treatment of several severe degenerative, ischemic, and autoimmune disorders. Since the beginning of 2012, the company has seen a 33% increase in share price on mainly positive news regarding some patients showing signs of improvement after receiving treatment using Pluristem's PLX (PLacental eXpanded) cells.

Pluristem derives its platform from cells derived from the placenta. The placenta, or after-birth, is an organ commonly thought of as medical waste to be disposed of after childbirth. If Pluristem continues on its positive track, it could be a big winner this year, especially if it can secure orphan drug status for its treatment of Aplastic Bone Marrow.

Today, we focus on another company in the same industry with near term catalysts that we think has even larger upside potential in 2013.

Athersys, Inc is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with a growing pipeline of highly differentiated therapeutics to treat significant and life-threatening diseases. The company has established a diverse portfolio of product candidates. Its most advanced programs are in the area of regenerative medicine, which is focused on the development of therapeutic stem cells with the ability to reduce tissue damage and promote healing, or repair and replace diseased/damaged tissue.

The company is developing a patented and proprietary non-embryonic stem cell therapy called MultiStem for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, neurological conditions, inflammatory and immune conditions, as well as certain other potential applications. Over the past several years, the company has advanced multiple programs into clinical development and currently has four clinical stage programs involving MultiStem. These programs are exploring the potential use of MultiStem to treat:

•Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Pfizer partnership) •Ischemic stroke (ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial) •Complications associated with traditional bone marrow or hematopoietic stem cell transplants, such as Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) •Damage from acute myocardial infarction (i.e. heart attack)

Upcoming Catalyst:

In Q2, 2013, Athersys expects to release top line results for its Phase II study for patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. This is part of an ongoing partnership with Pfizer Inc. (PFE). As we have alluded to in previous articles, we often invest in small companies who have the opportunity to learn and work with reputable and successful companies such as Pfizer.