Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Board of Directors

Arbutus Biopharma Corporation

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the registration statement (No. 333-215290) on

Form S-3/A and registration statements (No. 333-202762 and No. 333-186185) on Form S-8 of

Arbutus Biopharma Corporation of our reports dated March 21, 2017 with respect to the

consolidated balance sheets of Arbutus Biopharma Corporation as at December 31, 2016 and

December 31, 2015 and the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss,

stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December

31, 2016, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31,

2016, which reports appear in the December 31, 2016 annual report on Form 10-K of Arbutus

Biopharama Corporation.

Our report dated March 21, 2017, on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as

of December 31, 2016, expresses our opinion that Arbutus Biopharma Corporation did not

maintain effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2016 because of the

effect of a material weakness on the achievement of the objectives of the control criteria and

contains an explanatory paragraph that states a material weakness related to management's review

of the estimated discount rate and mathematical accuracy of the impairment calculation used in the

annual impairment evaluation of intangible assets and goodwill has been identified.

/s/ KPMG LLP

Chartered Professional Accountants

March 21, 2017

Vancouver, Canada