PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AVI BioPharma, Inc. (Nasdaq:AVII), today announced that the company’s board of directors has named Leslie Hudson, Ph.D., as chief executive officer effective immediately. Dr. Hudson, who also joins the board as a director, brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical industries and succeeds K. Michael Forrest, who has served as interim CEO for AVI since March 2007. Mr. Forrest will remain on the board of directors.
