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# Tekmira Pharmaceuticals
- URL: https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/tekmira-pharmaceuticals/
- Published: 2026-07-06T16:34:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-06T16:36:17.000Z
- Author: Liam Sturgess
- Tags: Profiles, #docs, #organization, Organization, #toc, Canada, British Columbia, Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical
**Tekmira Pharmaceuticals** was a Canadian pharmaceutical company based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
## History
Tekmira was founded as a spin-out from its predecessor, [Inex Pharmaceuticals](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/Inex-Pharmaceuticals), following a near-unanimous vote by Inex's shareholders in September 2006.[\[1\]](#fn1) The spin-out process was completed on May 1, 2007, with shares of the new company launching on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX).[\[2\]](#fn2)
### Lipid nanoparticles
On March 30, 2008, Tekmira announced it was combining its business with [Protiva Biotherapeutics](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/Protiva-Biotherapeutics), reuniting the intellectual property that had become scattered across several startups out of the University of British Columbia (UBC). The new joint company signed a new deal with [Alnylam Pharmaceuticals](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/Alnylam-Pharmaceuticals) to allow access to their lipid nanoparticle patents - a key component of achieving Alylam's self-described “Alnylam 2020” strategy.[\[3\]](#fn3)[\[4\]](#fn4)
An American brach of the company was incorporated in Seattle, Washington on October 20, 2008.[\[5\]](#fn5)
An agreement was signed on July 27, 2009, mutually establishing the rights and limitations held by Alnylam, UBC, [AlCana/Acuitas Therapeutics](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/Acuitas-Therapeutics), Tekmira and Protiva, while explicitly acknowledging the complex nature of the variety of relationships they all had with each other.[\[6\]](#fn6)
In June 2011, Tekmira filed a lawsuit against both Alnylam and AlCana/Acuitas, seeking damages for (among other things) “misappropriation of trade secrets, tortious interference with contractual relations, unjust enrichment, unfair and deceptive acts and trade practices, and civil conspiracy.”[\[7\]](#fn7)
The case between Tekmira and Alnylam was settled in November 2012, resulting in a restructured licensing agreement allowing Alnylam to resume using Tekmira’s LNP patents under terms with new “clarity.”[\[8\]](#fn8) This also allowed Acuitas to acquire a sublicense for some of the LNP technology from Tekmira - and conversely, Tekmira to use Acuitas’ RNAi tech - an arrangement which went into effect in December 2013.[\[9\]](#fn9)
On December 19, 2014, Tekmira announced the appointment of Richard Henriques to the company's board of directors.[\[10\]](#fn10) Henriques had previously served as Chief Financial Officer for the [Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/Bill-&-Melinda-Gates-Foundation) and held a leadership role at [Merck](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/Merck). In the same press release, Tekmira announced that Ian MacLachlan was to resign as Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer as of December 31, 2014.
### Ebola
The [United States Department of Defense](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/United-States-Department-of-Defense) awarded Tekmira a $140 million contract to develop a treatment against Ebola in response to the 2013 outbreak in West Africa, but the product failed to pass safety and efficacy testing and was pulled from trials in 2015.[\[11\]](#fn11)[\[12\]](#fn12) The company merged with [OnCore Biopharma](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/OnCore-Biopharma), an offshoot of Gilead Sciences. This led to yet another name change to [Arbutus Biopharma](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/Arbutus-Biopharma).[\[13\]](#fn13)
## External links
- [Campfire Wiki](https://www.campfire.wiki/doku.php?id=pharmaceutical%5Fcompanies:tekmira%5Fpharmaceuticals)
---
1. *INEX Pharmaceuticals provides timeline for completing spin-out of Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corporation.* (2007, February 26). BioSpace. [↩︎](#fnref1)
2. *Inex Pharmaceuticals announces completion of spin-out of Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corporation.* (2007, May 1). Arbutus Bio. [↩︎](#fnref2)
3. *Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corporation and Protiva Biotherapeutics announce business combination to create new company focused on RNAi delivery and therapeutics.* (2008, March 31). Fierce Biotech. [↩︎](#fnref3)
4. Lindenboom, C. R., & Brodsky, J. (2021, January 10). *Alnylam launches “Alnylam P5x25” strategy for planned transition to a top five biotech in market capitalization over next five years.* Business Wire; Berkshire Hathaway. [http://archive.today/2022.03.22-160320/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210110005034/en/Alnylam-Launches-“Alnylam-P5x25”-Strategy-for-Planned-Transition-to-a-Top-Five-Biotech-in-Market-Capitalization-Over-Next-Five-Years](http://archive.today/2022.03.22-160320/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210110005034/en/Alnylam-Launches-%E2%80%9CAlnylam-P5x25%E2%80%9D-Strategy-for-Planned-Transition-to-a-Top-Five-Biotech-in-Market-Capitalization-Over-Next-Five-Years) [↩︎](#fnref4)
5. *Washington Secretary of State - Corporations Division.* (2023, February 25). TEKMIRA PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION. OpenCorporates. [↩︎](#fnref5)
6. *Exhibit 10.2.* (2009, July 27). Real Deal Docs. [↩︎](#fnref6)
7. GlobeNewswire. (2011, June 3). *Tekmira files amended complaint in Alnylam litigation.* NBC News. [↩︎](#fnref7)
8. *Tekmira and Alnylam restructure relationship and settle all litigation.* (2012, November 12). U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. [↩︎](#fnref8)
9. George, J. (2017, February 10). *Doylestown biopharm firm granted injunction over licensing dispute.* American City Business Journals. [↩︎](#fnref9)
10. Rezler, J. P. (2014, December 19). *Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Announces Leadership Changes.* Securities and Exchange Commission. [↩︎](#fnref10)
11. *Biotech stock in spotlight: as the world awaits Ebola treatment, Tekmira Pharma in prime focus.* TechNews. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from [↩︎](#fnref11)
12. Pollack, A. (2015, June 19). *Clinical trial of experimental Ebola drug is halted.* The New York Times. [↩︎](#fnref12)
13. Cutler, A., & Baradarani, H. (2015, July 20). *Tekmira announces launch of Arbutus Biopharma, a Hepatitis B solutions company.* U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. [↩︎](#fnref13)
## Further reading
[Follow the Patents: Lipid Nanoparticles and COVID-19 Genetic VaccinesA detailed exploration of the development of key COVID-19 vaccine technologies (and what it actually means)White Rose IntelligenceLiam Sturgess](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/follow-the-patents-lipid-nanoparticles-and-covid-19-genetic-vaccines/)