UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM
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CURRENT REPORT
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On February 26, 2021, Arbutus Biopharma Corporation (the "Company") issued a press release announcing that the Company and Assembly Biosciences, Inc. initiated a Phase 2 clinical trial of triple combination therapy for the treatment of chronic Hepatitis B Virus. The trial will evaluate Assembly's core inhibitor candidate, also known as a capsid inhibitor, vebicorvir (VBR), with Arbutus' RNAi therapeutic candidate, AB-729, and standard-of-care NrtI therapy. A copy of the press release is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.
Forward-Looking Statements and Information
This current report on Form 8-K 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 current report on Form 8-K include statements about the anticipated trial design of Assembly Bio's and Arbutus' Phase 2 clinical trial. 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: the Phase 2 clinical trial may be more costly or take longer to complete than anticipated, and may never be completed, or may not generate results that warrant future development; changes in Arbutus' or Assembly's strategy regarding its product candidates and clinical development activities; economic and market conditions may worsen; market shifts may require a change in strategic focus; and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could significantly disrupt Arbutus' and/or Assembly's clinical development programs. A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing Arbutus appears in Arbutus' Annual Report on Form 10-K, Arbutus' Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Arbutus' continuous and periodic 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.
(d) Exhibits.
| Exhibit Number | Description | |
| 99.1 | Press release dated February 26, 2021 | |
| 104 | Cover page interactive data file (formatted as inline XBRL). |
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: February 26, 2021 | By: | /s/ David C. Hastings |
| David C. Hastings | ||
| Chief Financial Officer | ||