Tekmira Announces Launch of Arbutus Biopharma, a Hepatitis B Solutions Company

Tekmira Pharmaceuticals has announced plans to change its corporate name to Arbutus Biopharma, an industry-leading therapeutic solutions company focused on developing a cure for chronic hepatitis B virus infection (HBV), to be effective on or before 3 August 2015. The name change affirms the successful integration of OnCore BioPharma and Tekmira Pharmaceuticals into a combined company with the singular goal of delivering a cure for chronic HBV. The combined entity currently fields the largest portfolio of HBV product candidates in the industry and is led by an experienced and proven leadership team shown below with notable prior experience.

•  Mark J. Murray, President and CEO; formerly of Protiva, Zymogentics, and Xcyte Therapeutics
•  Patrick T. Higgins, Chief Business Officer; co-founder of OnCore BioPharma; formerly of Pharmasset and Roche
•  Bruce Cousins, Chief Financial Officer; formerly of Aspreva and Johnson & Johnson
•  Michael J. Sofia, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer; co-founder of OnCore BioPharma; formerly of Pharmasset (inventor of sofosbuvir for hepatitis C), Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Eli Lilly
•  William T. Symonds, Pharm.D., Chief Development Officer; formerly of Gilead Sciences, Pharmasset (clinical development of sofosbuvir for hepatitis C), and GlaxoSmithKline
•  Mark Kowalski, MD, Chief Medical Officer; formerly of Gilead Sciences, YM BioSciences, and Viventia Biotechnologies
•  Peter Lutwyche Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, formerly of Protiva, QLT, and Inex Pharmaceuticals.

"We are very excited about the prospects for our integrated new company, which has undergone a transformation to a complete HBV solutions company. The company possesses exceptionally strong and proven clinical development, scientific, and commercial leadership teams and is very well resourced to execute against our goal of delivering a cure for chronic HBV. We believe that the market opportunity for a curative regimen for HBV is very significant, likely eclipsing the HCV market, and presents a meaningful opportunity for shareholders," said Dr Mark J. Murray, President and CEO of Tekmira. "We remain very confident in our potential to create value from our industry-leading strategy, team, and pipeline dedicated to developing therapeutic solutions to cure HBV."