FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Van Bokkelen Gil   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ATHERSYS, INC / NEW [ATHX] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chairman and CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) 3201 CARNEGIE AVENUE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 06/15/2018 (Street) CLEVELAND, OH 44115-2634 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 06/15/2018   F   11,983 (1) D $ 2.32 1,209,236 D   Common Stock 06/18/2018   A   147,600 (2) A $ 0 1,356,836 (3) D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Incentive Stock Option (right to purchase)

$ 2.31

06/18/2018

A

350,400

(4)

06/18/2028

Common Stock

350,400

$ 0

350,400

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Van Bokkelen Gil 3201 CARNEGIE AVENUE CLEVELAND, OH 44115-2634	X		Chairman and CEO

Signatures

/s/ Laura K. Campbell, as attorney-in-fact for Gil Van Bokkelen		06/19/2018
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Shares withheld from the quarterly vesting of annual restricted stock unit awards related to the minimum tax withholding obligation.
(2)	Award of annual restricted stock units, each of which represents a contingent right to receive one share of Athersys, Inc. common stock after vesting. The restricted stock units vest ratably on a quarterly basis over a three-year period.
(3)	Securities beneficially owned are comprised of: (1) 905,664 shares of common stock owned and (2) unvested restricted stock units aggregating 451,172 related to annual awards, which vest quarterly over a three or four-year period from grant date.
(4)	Award of an annual stock option. The option vests ratably on a quarterly basis over a three-year period.

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