UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 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): August 13, 2018
Arbutus Biopharma Corporation
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
| British Columbia, Canada | 001-34949 | 98-0597776 |
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
| 100-8900 Glenlyon Parkway, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5J 5J8 |
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code) |
(604) 419-3200
(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: | ||
| [ ] | 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)) | |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2). Emerging growth company [ ]
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. [ ]
Item 8.01. Other Events.
On August 13, 2018, the Registrant issued a press release, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
SIGNATURE
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.
| Arbutus Biopharma Corporation | ||
| Date: August 13, 2018 | By: | /s/ Koert VandenEnden |
| Koert VandenEnden | ||
| Chief Accounting Officer | ||
EXHIBIT 99.1
Arbutus’ LNP Licensee Alnylam Announces FDA Approval of ONPATTRO™ (patisiran), for the Treatment of ATTR Amyloidosis
ONPATTRO Approval Triggers Royalty to Arbutus
Clinically Validated LNP Technology Now in the Hands of Genevant to Develop RNA-based Products
WARMINSTER, Pa., Aug. 13, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arbutus Biopharma Corporation (Nasdaq: ABUS), an industry-leading Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) therapeutic solutions company, today announced that the Company's lipid nanoparticle (LNP) licensee, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:ALNY), announced that their new drug application (NDA) for ONPATTRO, an RNAi therapeutic, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of hereditary ATTR amyloidosis with polyneuropathy.
“ONPATTRO is the first RNA interference therapeutic product to be approved by the FDA and represents a milestone for the technology as well as a revolutionary new treatment with the potential to transform the care of patients with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis. Because ONPATTRO is enabled by our proprietary LNP technology, this approval triggers a royalty to Arbutus and provides us with important non-dilutive revenue to support our HBV cure mission, through several important clinical milestones next year,” said Dr. Mark Murray, Arbutus’ President and CEO. Dr. Murray added, “This approval also represents unprecedented clinical validation of our LNP technology which we have improved upon significantly since licensing it to Alnylam, and have recently granted broad rights to Genevant, a company we formed in the second quarter of 2018 that is jointly owned by Arbutus and Roivant Sciences. Genevant aims to advance multiple product candidates into the clinic across RNAi, mRNA, and gene editing modalities using the Arbutus LNP and ligand conjugate delivery platforms.”
About Arbutus
Arbutus Biopharma Corporation is a publicly traded (Nasdaq: ABUS) biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing and commercializing a cure for patients suffering from chronic Hepatitis B infection. Arbutus is developing multiple drug candidates, each of which have the potential to improve upon the standard of care and contribute to a curative combination regimen. For more information, visit www.arbutusbio.com.
Forward-Looking Statements and Information
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and forward looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements about the potential for ONPATTRO™ (patisiran) to transform the care of patients with genetic and other diseases; receiving a royalty from Alnylam; Genevant advancing multiple product candidates into the clinic across RNAi, mRNA, and gene editing modalities using the Arbutus LNP and ligand conjugate platforms; and discovering, developing and commercializing a cure for patients suffering from chronic HBV infection.
With respect to the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Arbutus has made numerous assumptions regarding, among other things: the timely receipt of expected payments; the effectiveness and timeliness of preclinical and clinical trials, and the usefulness of the data; the continued demand for Arbutus’ assets; the timing of regulatory approvals; the continued availability of key management personnel; and the stability of economic and market conditions. While Arbutus considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, market and social uncertainties and contingencies.
Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause Arbutus' actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. Known risk factors include, among others: anticipated pre-clinical and clinical trials may be more costly or take longer to complete than anticipated, and may never be initiated or completed, or may not generate results that warrant future development of the tested drug candidate; Arbutus and Genevant may not receive the necessary regulatory approvals for the clinical development of their products on a timely basis, if at all; expected payments, financings, and royalties may not be as large or as timely as expected, if at all; key management personnel may become unavailable; economic and market conditions may worsen; and market shifts may require a change in strategic focus.
A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing Arbutus appears in Arbutus' Annual Report on Form 10-K and Arbutus' continuous disclosure filings, which are available at www.sedar.com and at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements herein are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and Arbutus disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking statements or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.
Contact Information
Investors
Mark J. Murray
President and CEO
Phone: 604-419-3200
Email: ir@arbutusbio.com
Pam Murphy
Investor Relations Consultant
Phone: 604-419-3200
Email: ir@arbutusbio.com