Nature of Business and Future Operations

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Nature of business and future operations

Arbutus Biopharma Corporation (the “Company” or “Arbutus”) is a biopharmaceutical business dedicated to discovering developing, and commercializing a cure for patients suffering from chronic hepatitis B infection, a disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus (“HBV”). To pursue our strategy of developing a treatment for chronic HBV, we are developing a diverse product pipeline consisting of multiple drug candidates with complementary mechanisms of action, which have the potential to improve upon the SOC and contribute to a curative combination regimen. Our pipeline includes agents that have the potential to form an effective proprietary combination therapy.

The Company’s pipeline includes:


•	AB-729, a subcutaneously-delivered RNA interference (“RNAi”) therapeutic product candidate currently in a Phase 1a/1b clinical trial with preliminary results anticipated in late March 2020;


•	AB-836, a next-generation capsid inhibitor product candidate currently advancing through IND-enabling studies; and


•	other compounds early in the development process, including back-up capsid inhibitors, next-generation oral HBV RNA destabilizers and compounds that inhibit PD-L1.

The success of the Company is dependent on obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals to bring its products to market and achieve profitable operations. The Company’s research and development activities and commercialization of its products are dependent on its ability to successfully complete these activities and to obtain adequate financing through a combination of financing activities and operations. It is not possible to predict either the outcome of the Company’s existing or future research and development programs or the Company’s ability to continue to fund these programs in the future.