AVI BioPharma (AVII) Signs Contract to Fight Bioterrorism
Viruses threatening to infect the world may only cross your mind after watching the newest bio-terrorism thriller, when the local media reports the finding of multiple dead birds around area lakes, or when headlines run stories of mysterious powder-filled envelopes – but it’s always on the mind of AVI BioPharma Inc. (NASDAQ: AVII).The company recently announced it signed three contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop gene targeted therapeutic drugs against potential bioterrorism agents. The contracts’ total value of $7.1 million includes $2.66 million for the development of drugs to treat Ebola virus infections, $2.66 million for the…