WARMINSTER, PA — Arbutus Biopharma Corporation (Nasdaq: ABUS) this week announced that William Collier will retire from his position as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, and as a member of the Board of Directors, at the end of 2023.
Michael J. McElhaugh, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Arbutus, will serve as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2024. Mr. McElhaugh will also join the Board at that time. Mr. Collier and Mr. McElhaugh will work together closely to ensure a smooth transition.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to thank Bill for his leadership and many contributions to Arbutus,” commented Frank Torti, MD, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Arbutus. “During Bill’s time as CEO, we have achieved many important milestones, including advancing our lead HBV asset, imdusiran, one of the most advanced RNAi therapeutics in development, into multiple Phase 2a combination clinical trials. It has been a privilege to work with Bill, and we wish him the best in his retirement. We are pleased that Mike will lead Arbutus as interim CEO. Mike has extensive knowledge of Arbutus and our programs, and we are confident that he will continue to advance the Company’s pipeline and value for our shareholders.”
Mr. Collier, stated, “Leading Arbutus and working with such a passionate, dedicated leadership team to develop a functional cure for patients with chronic hepatitis B virus has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional career. I extend my deepest gratitude to our entire team, without whom our shared success would not have been possible. I am confident that Mike McElhaugh’s leadership and industry knowledge are ideally suited to continue to advance Arbutus.”
“As a co-founder of Arbutus, I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as interim CEO to lead Arbutus,” said Mr. McElhaugh. “It is a privilege to continue to serve our employees and the HBV community. I look forward to positioning Arbutus for continued success and creating value for our shareholders.”
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