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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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Lehmann William JR   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ATHERSYS, INC / NEW [ATHX] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) President and COO (Last) (First) (Middle) 3201 CARNEGIE AVENUE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 06/17/2016 (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 06/17/2016   F   15,703 (1) D $ 2.16 279,017 D   Common Stock 06/20/2016   A   154,800 (2) A $ 0 433,817 D   Common Stock 06/20/2016   S   13,000 (3) D $ 2.1837 (4) 420,817 D   Common Stock 06/21/2016   S   12,000 (3) D $ 2.1622 (5) 408,817 (6) D

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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

Employee Stock Option (right to purchase)

$ 2.19

06/20/2016

A

361,200

(7)

06/20/2026

Common Stock

361,200

$ 0

361,200

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Lehmann William JR 3201 CARNEGIE AVENUE CLEVELAND, OH 44115-2634			President and COO

Signatures

/s/ Laura K. Campbell, as attorney-in-fact for William O. Lehmann		06/21/2016
**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 a June 2013 restricted stock unit award 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 four-year period.
(3)	Shares sold pursuant to a predefined Rule 10b5-1 trading plan for tax and planning purposes related to the quarterly vesting of a June 2013 restricted stock unit award.
(4)	The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $2.16 to $2.20, inclusive, in accordance with a previously established Rule 10b5-1 predefined trading plan enacted solely related to the tax obligation.
(5)	The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $2.135 to $2.20, inclusive, in accordance with a previously established Rule 10b5-1 predefined trading plan enacted solely related to the tax obligation.
(6)	Securities beneficially owned are comprised of: (1) 187,849 shares of common stock owned and (2) unvested restricted stock units aggregating 220,968 related to annual awards, which vest quarterly over a four-year period from grant date.
(7)	Award of an annual stock option. The option vests ratably on a quarterly basis over a four-year period.

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