Record Levels of Available Cash and Moderate R&D Development Will See Big Pharma M&A Activity Increase in 2013

NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 01/22/13 -- Lost revenues from expiring patents has played a major part in the Biotech Industry's success in recent years. A total of 676 takeovers of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies have occurred in the past three years, with an average premium of 38 percent, according to data collected by Bloomberg. Five Star Equities examines the outlook for companies in the Biotech Industry and provides equity research on Athersys, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHX) and StemCells, Inc. (NASDAQ: STEM).

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At the end of the third quarter five of the biggest drug makers in the U.S. held over $70 billion in cash, near cash and short-term investments. Major revenue losses from patent expirations have forced big pharmaceutical companies to look to biotech companies to help fill the void. Pfizer's Lipitor and Bristol-Myers' Plavix, which lost exclusivity in late 2011, had combined annuals revenues of $17 billion at their peaks.

"We're going through many cost-cutting programs, restructurings and portfolio arrangements," said Henry Gosebruch, Managing Director, Mergers & Acquisitions J.P. Morgan. "When you put that together with record levels of cash available and improving, but still moderate R&D productivity, we think there will be more big pharma M&A activity in 2013."

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Athersys is developing its MultiStem cell therapy product, a patented, adult-derived "off-the-shelf" stem cell product platform for disease indications in the cardiovascular, neurological, inflammatory and immune disease areas. The company currently has several clinical stage programs involving MultiStem, including for treating inflammatory bowel disease, ischemic stroke, damage caused by myocardial infarction, and for the prevention of graft versus host disease.

StemCells is engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of cell-based therapeutics and tools for use in stem cell-based research and drug discovery. The Company's lead therapeutic product candidate, HuCNS-SC cells, is currently in development as a potential treatment for a broad range of central nervous system disorders.

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