-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 F0TU6X4Wjf3UduTw7mcCCzI4pWqx7GMnF3NH2VaKBN05oh7D6cEfKBwC44d+x5gy
 8GVoK48/rYJ18+7QOTPdEA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-08-056793.txt : 20080903
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-08-056793.hdr.sgml : 20080903
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080903184945
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-08-056793
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20080902
FILED AS OF DATE:		20080903
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20080903

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:			kole Ryszard
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001432278

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-14895
		FILM NUMBER:		081054979

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		BUSINESS PHONE:		919-408-0151

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		203 LONGWOOD DR.
		CITY:			CHAPEL HILL
		STATE:			NC
		ZIP:			27514
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-09-02</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001432278</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>kole Ryszard</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>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-09-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>61800</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.126</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1879694</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The sales reported in this Form 4 were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person on August 29, 2008.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Jolanta Kole is the joint owner of 1,788,823 shares of Common Stock reported in this row.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Mark M. Webber, Attorney-in-fact for Ryszard Kole</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-09-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----