UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 5, 2011

 

 

AVI BioPharma, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Oregon   001-14895   93-0797222

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

3450 Monte Villa Parkway, Suite 101

Bothell, WA 98021

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(425) 354-5038

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 


Item 8.01 Other Events.

On July 5, 2011, Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, the site of the Company’s planned Phase 2 clinical trial of eteplirsen for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (the “Study”), informed the Company that it had received verbal confirmation from its Institutional Review Board that the Study can be initiated. The final approved study protocol remained consistent with the originally submitted study design and included only minor revisions related to routine, non-invasive laboratory assessments.

As previously disclosed, the Company expects to initiate the Study in the third quarter of 2011 and anticipates Study results in the second quarter of 2012.

This Current Report on Form 8-K contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are identified by such words as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate” and words of similar import and are based on current expectations that involve risks and uncertainties, such as the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions. All statements other than historical or current facts are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements about the Company’s plans to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial in eteplirsen in the third quarter of 2011 and the expected timing of clinical trial results. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. These statements, like all statements in this report, speak only as of their date.

 

-2-


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

AVI BioPharma, Inc.
By:  

/s/ Christopher Garabedian

  Christopher Garabedian
  President and Chief Executive Officer

Date: July 6, 2011