PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 4, 2006--AVI BioPharma, Inc. (Nasdaq:AVII), today announced that President Bush has approved the final version of the 2006 defense appropriations act, which includes an allocation of $11 million to fund AVI's ongoing defense-related programs. AVI's NEUGENE(R) technology is being used to develop therapeutic agents against Ebola, Marburg and dengue viruses, as well as to develop countermeasures for anthrax exposure and antidotes for ricin toxin.
