Tekmira launches Arbutus Biopharma, an all-HBV solutions company

Tekmira Pharmaceuticals announced that it has changed its corporate name to Arbutus Biopharma Corporation as of August 3 and are now a company focusing completely on developing a cure for hepatitis B virus infection, according to a press release.

The corporation name change combines two businesses, OnCore BioPharma and Tekmira Pharmaceuticals, into one company with only the goal of finding a cure for HBV. According to the release, the combined companies have the “largest portfolio of HBV product candidates” in the pharmaceutical industry.

“We are very excited about the prospects for our integrated new company, which has undergone a transformation to a complete HBV solutions company,” Mark J. Murray, PhD, president and CEO of Tekmira, said in the release. “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.”

HBV product candidates currently in the pipeline include: TKM-HBV (RNAi); TKM-PLK1 (RNAi); OCB-030, a cyclophilin inhibitor; CYT003, a TLR9 agonist; surface antigen secretion inhibitor; two core protein and capsid assembly inhibitors; cccDNA epigenetic modifier; and STING agonist. TKM-PLK1 is currently being evaluated in phase 2b clinical trials for hepatocellular carcinoma and GI-NET/ACC, according to the Tekmira website.

Disclosures: Murray reports being employed by Tekmira.