-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 NmNlLZ3zSTBg8XC1JcMqng==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-08-009495.txt : 20080212
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-08-009495.hdr.sgml : 20080212
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080212182959
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-08-009495
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20080208
FILED AS OF DATE:		20080212
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20080212

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			AVI BIOPHARMA INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000873303
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834]
		IRS NUMBER:				930797222
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			OR
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE SW COLUMBIA
		STREET 2:		STE 1105
		CITY:			PORTLAND
		STATE:			OR
		ZIP:			97258
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5032270554

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE SW COLUMBIA
		STREET 2:		SUITE 1105
		CITY:			PORTLAND
		STATE:			OR
		ZIP:			97258

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	ANTIVIRALS INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19970123

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Hudson Leslie
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001321265

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-14895
		FILM NUMBER:		08600103

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		BUSINESS PHONE:		301-255-6840

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1028 PRINCETON KINGSTON ROAD
		CITY:			PRINCETON
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			08540
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-02-08</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000873303</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AVI BIOPHARMA INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AVII</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001321265</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Hudson Leslie</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ONE SW COLUMBIA</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1105</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PORTLAND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>97258</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Executive Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-02-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>333000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>333000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.09</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-02-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>667000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-02-08</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>667000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>667000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">233,000 shares of common stock are subject to forfeiture, and vest in equal annual amounts beginning on February 8, 2008.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The option vests in four equal annual installments beginning on February 8, 2008.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Mark M. Webber, Attorney-in-Fact for Leslie Hudson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-02-11</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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