Arbutus Reacquires Greater China Rights to Imdusiran and Announces Scientific Advisory Board with Late-Stage Clinical Focus

About this update from Arbutus Biopharma Corporation

[{"type":"text","content":"Qilu Pharmaceutical and Arbutus mutually agree to conclude strategic partnership for imdusiran in Greater China Drs. Jordan Feld, Ed Gane, Anna Lok, Mark Sulkowski and Man-Fung Yuen join Arbutus Scientific Advisory Board WARMINSTER, Pa., June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arbutus Biopharma Corporation (Nasdaq: ABUS) (“Arbutus” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on infectious disease, today announced that it has reacquired China rights to its lead compound, imdusiran, from Qilu Pharmaceutical, one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in China. The parties have mutually agreed to conclude the strategic partnership entered into in 2021 for development, manufacturing and commercialization of imdusiran in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan markets. “I would like to express our deepest thanks to the executive leadership and team at Qilu for the collaborative and fruitful partnership we have enjoyed over the last several years,” said Lindsay Androski, President and Chief Executive Officer of Arbutus. “In light of Qilu’s pipeline reprioritization efforts and Arbutus’ renewed focus on advancing our pipeline efficiently, the parties have agreed to terminate our strategic partnership for Greater China. We are thrilled to once again hold global rights for imdusiran, which to date has achieved functional cure in eight patients in combination therapy in two Phase 2a trials.” Dr. Weikang Tao, the global R&D head of Qilu Pharmaceutical commented: “We greatly appreciate the collaboration, efforts and support of both Arbutus and Qilu's project teams for the development of imdusiran in the Greater China area and we wish Arbutus every success in further advancing the development of imdusiran.” Arbutus has also launched a new Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) consisting of globally recognized leaders in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (cHBV) with extensive experience in late-stage clinical trials. SAB members will advise Arbutus on its strategic evaluation of its cHBV pipeline. Members of Arbutus’ Scientific Advisory Board include: Jordan J. Feld, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and Director of the Toronto Centre for Liver Disease at the Toronto General Hospital, where he holds the R. Phelan Chair in Translational Liver Research as a clinician-scientist and leads a la...

More updates from Arbutus Biopharma Corporation