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FORM 8-K

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 25, 2002


AVI BioPharma, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Oregon   0-22613   93-0797222
(State or other jurisdiction of   (Commission   (IRS Employer
incorporation or organization)   File Number)   Identification Number)

One S.W. Columbia, Suite 1105
Portland, OR 97258
(Address of principal executive offices)

(503) 227-0554
Registrant's telephone number, including area code




Item 5. Other Events.

Private Placement of Securities

AVI BioPharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVII, AVIIW, AVIIZ) (the "Company") announced on March 26, 2002 the sale on Monday, March 25, 2002 of 2,937,337 shares of its Common Stock, together with the related issuance of Warrants to acquire an additional 587,472 shares of its Common Stock, par value $.0001 ("Common Stock"), to a group of investors at a price of $7.50 per share, discounted 10% from the existing public market closing price on Monday, March 25, 2002 to reflect the restricted nature of the securities issued and the securities limited transferability. Subsequent to that announcement, in a supplemental closing, an additional 133,334 shares of Common Stock and Warrants covering 26,667 shares of Common Stock were issued, resulting in a total issuance of 3,070,671 shares of Common Stock and Warrants for 614,139 shares of Common Stock. The Company expects to receive net proceeds after certain selling commissions and expenses from both closings of approximately $21,417,900. Following this transaction, the number of outstanding shares of the Company's Common Stock will be approximately 26,316,200.

As part of the transaction, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement containing customary representations and warranties and undertakings regarding the securities issued. The Company also entered into a Registration Rights Agreement that requires the Company to register the Common Stock issued in the transaction, as well as the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, within thirty (30) days and to cause such registration statement to become effective within one hundred eighty (180) days of the closing. The Registration Rights Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and undertakings and provides a penalty if the registration statement is not made effective within 180 days or maintained in effect, unless the securities covered by the registration statement are otherwise freely tradable under federal and state securities laws.

Copies of the Securities Purchase Agreement, form of Warrant, Registration Rights Agreement and Transfer Agent Instructions are being filed with this Form 8-K.

        A copy of the press release dated March 26, 2002 issued by the Company regarding this financing is attached hereto as Exhibit No. 1.


Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.



SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Portland, State of Oregon, on April 2, 2002.


 

 

AVI BioPharma, Inc.
         

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
ALAN P. TIMMINS      
Alan P. Timmins
President and Chief Operating Officer
(Principal Operating Officer)


EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.
  Document Description

1   Press release dated March 26, 2001 issued by AVI BioPharma, Inc. and Medtronic, Inc.
10.41   Securities Purchase Agreement dated March 25, 2002 between the Company and certain purchasers ("SPA").
10.42   Form of Warrant issued by the Company to certain purchasers under the SPA.
10.43   Registration Rights Agreement dater March 25,2002 between the Company and certain purchasers



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Item 5. Other Events.
Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.
SIGNATURES
EXHIBIT INDEX

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AVI Contacts:
AVI BioPharma Inc.
Denis R. Burger, Ph.D., CEO
Alan P. Timmins, President and COO
(503) 227-0554

Investor Contacts:
Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates Inc.
Bruce Voss (bvoss@lhai.com)
Jody Cain (jcain@lhai.com)
(310) 691-7000

Press Contacts:
Waggener Edstrom Bioscience
Colleen Beauregard (colleenb@wagged.com)
(503) 443-7000

For Immediate Release

March 26, 2002


AVI BioPharma Completes $22 Million Private Financing

        PORTLAND, Ore.—March 26, 2002—AVI BioPharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVII, AVIIW, AVIIZ) announced today that the company has closed a private equity financing for approximately $22 million with several institutional investors. AVI sold approximately 2.94 million shares of common stock at $7.50 per share, representing a discount of approximately 10 percent to Monday's closing price. Investors also received a warrant for the purchase of approximately 585,000 common shares for $10.50 per share. UBS Warburg acted as the exclusive placement agent on the transaction.

        The proceeds of the financing will be used to fund AVI's ongoing clinical trials and operations. AVI has two technologies in clinical trials, cancer immunotherapy and NeuGene® antisense technology which are both focused in applications for the treatment of life-threatening diseases. Initial applications in cancer and cardiovascular restenosis are currently in later stage clinical trials.

        "We are pleased to complete this financing in an admittedly difficult market," stated Denis R. Burger, Ph.D., AVI's chief executive officer. "In addition to securing another year of cash for the company, we have significantly broadened our exposure to important institutional investors going forward. This broadened exposure will serve us well as our proprietary technologies continue to prove themselves in the lab and the clinic."

About AVI BioPharma

AVI BioPharma develops therapeutic products for the treatment of life-threatening diseases using two technology platforms: NeuGene antisense drugs and cancer immunotherapy. Its lead cancer agent, AVICINE®, a therapeutic cancer vaccine, has completed three Phase II trials in colorectal and pancreatic cancer and has initiated a Phase III trial in colorectal cancer. The first application of its NeuGene compounds, Resten-NG™, is designed to treat cancer, cardiovascular restenosis and other cell proliferation disorders by inhibiting the production of a cellular transcription factor, the oncogene c-myc. It is currently in Phase II trials for restenosis and in Phase I/II trials for cancer and polycystic kidney disease. More information about AVI is available on the Company's Web site at http://www.avibio.com/.

# # #

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements that are not historical facts contained in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the results of research and development efforts, the results of preclinical and clinical testing, the effect of regulation by the FDA and other agencies, the impact of competitive products, product development, commercialization and technological difficulties, and other risks detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.





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AVI BioPharma Completes $22 Million Private Financing

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SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

        This Securities Purchase Agreement (this "Agreement") is dated as of March 25, 2002 among AVI BioPharma, Inc., an Oregon corporation (the "Company"), and the purchasers identified on the signature pages hereto (each a "Purchaser" and collectively the "Purchasers").

        WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, the Company desires to issue and sell to the Purchasers, and the Purchasers, severally and not jointly, desire to purchase from the Company, securities of the Company as more fully described in this Agreement.

        NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Purchasers agree as follows:


ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS

        1.1.    Definitions.    In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1.1:

        "Affiliate" means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 144.

        "Closing" means the closing of the purchase and sale of the Shares and Warrants pursuant to Section 2.1.

        "Closing Date" means the date of the Closing.

        "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

        "Common Stock" means the common stock of the Company, par value $.0001 per share, and any securities into which such common stock may hereafter be reclassified into.

        "Company Counsel" means Hurley, Lynch & Re, P.C.

        "Effective Date" means the date that an Underlying Shares Registration Statement is first declared effective by the Commission.

        "Effectiveness Date" means the date on which an Underlying Shares Registration Statement is required to become effective pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.

        "Eligible Market" means any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq National Market or the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.

        "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

        "Losses" means any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, settlement costs and expenses, including without limitation costs of preparation and reasonable attorneys' fees.

        "Person" means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

        "Proceeding" means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition).

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        "Registration Rights Agreement" means the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of the date of this Agreement, among the Company and the Purchasers, in the form of Exhibit A.

        "Rule 144" means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.

        "Securities" means the Shares, Warrants and the Underlying Shares.

        "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

        "Shares" means the shares of the Common Stock issued and sold to the Purchasers at the Closing.

        "Subsidiary" means any subsidiary of the Company that is required to be listed in Schedule 3.1(a).

        Trading Market" shall mean the Eligible Market on which the Company's Common Stock is then listed or qualified for trading or quotation.

        "Transaction Documents" means this Agreement, the Warrants, the Transfer Agent Instructions, the Registration Rights Agreement and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.

        "Transfer Agent Instructions" means the Transfer Agent Instructions, in the form of Exhibit C, executed by the Company and delivered to and acknowledged in writing by the Company's transfer agent.

        "Underlying Shares" means the Shares and the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.

        "Underlying Shares Registration Statement" means a registration statement meeting the requirements set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement and covering the resale of the Underlying Shares by the Purchasers.

        "Warrants" means collectively the Common Stock purchase warrants, in the form of Exhibit B delivered to the Purchasers at the Closing in accordance with Section 2.2.


ARTICLE II
PURCHASE AND SALE

        2.1.    Closing.    The Closing shall take place at the offices of Company Counsel or via facsimile immediately following the execution hereof, or by such other method or at such location or time as the parties may agree.

        2.2.    Purchase and Sale.    Subject to and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally but not jointly, hereby agrees to purchase from the Company, at the Closing, the number of Shares set forth opposite the name of such Purchaser on the Signature Pages hereto, at a purchase price of $7.50 per share, and Warrants to purchase the number of shares of Common Stock set forth opposite the name of such Purchaser on the Signature Pages hereto. The total purchase price payable by each Purchaser for the Warrants and the number of Shares that such Purchaser is hereby agreeing to purchase is set forth opposite the name of such Purchaser on the Signature Pages hereto. The Company shall be obligated to register the Underlying Shares pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

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        2.3.    Closing Deliveries.    

        (a)  At the Closing, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to each Purchaser the following:

        (b)  At the Closing, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company the following:


ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

        3.1.    Representations and Warranties of the Company.    The Company hereby makes the following representations and warranties to each Purchaser:

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        3.2.    Representations and Warranties of the Purchasers.    Each Purchaser hereby, for itself and for no other Purchaser, represents and warrants to the Company as follows:

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        The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in this Section 3.2.

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ARTICLE IV
OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

        4.1.    Transfer Restrictions.    

        The Company acknowledges and agrees that a Purchaser may from time to time pledge pursuant to a bona fide margin agreement or grant a security interest in some or all of the Securities and, if required under the terms of such arrangement, such Purchaser may transfer pledged or secured Securities to the pledgees or secured parties. Such a pledge or transfer would not be subject to approval of the Company and no legal opinion of the pledgee, secured party or pledgor shall be required in connection therewith; provided, if such transfer occurs prior to the conditions for removal of the stock legend in Section 4.1(c), then, any such pledge or transfer would be conditioned on the Securities remaining subject to the restrictions on further transfer herein and will only be made to a party that is sophisticated and an "accredited" investor, except as otherwise provided or allowed under federal and state securities laws without affecting the exemptions being relied upon herein for the sale of the Securities. Further, no notice shall be required of such pledge. At the appropriate Purchaser's expense, the Company will execute and deliver such reasonable documentation as a pledgee or secured party of Securities may reasonably request in connection with a pledge or transfer of the Securities, including the preparation and filing of any required prospectus supplement under Rule 424(b)(3) of the Securities Act or other applicable provision of the Securities Act to appropriately amend the list of Selling Stockholders thereunder.

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        4.2.    Acknowledgment of Dilution.    The Company acknowledges that the issuance of the Securities will result in dilution of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. The Company further acknowledges that its obligations under the Transaction Documents, including without limitation, its obligation to issue the Underlying Shares pursuant to the Transaction Documents, are unconditional and absolute and not subject to any right of set off, counterclaim, delay or reduction, regardless of the effect of any such dilution or any claim that the Company may have against any Purchaser.

        4.3.    Furnishing of Information.    As long as any Purchaser owns Securities, the Company covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to the Exchange Act. Upon the request of any Purchaser, the Company shall deliver to such Purchaser a written certification of a duly authorized officer as to whether it has complied with the preceding sentence. As long as any Purchaser owns Securities, if the Company is not required to file reports pursuant to such laws, it will prepare and furnish to the Purchasers and make publicly available in accordance with Rule 144(c) such information as is required for the Purchasers to sell the Securities under Rule 144.

        4.4.    Integration.    The Company shall not, and shall use its best efforts to ensure that no Affiliate of the Company shall, sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in Section 2 of the Securities Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities in a manner that would require the registration under the Securities Act of the sale of the Securities to the Purchasers, or that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities for purposes of the rules and regulations of any Trading Market.

        4.5.    Reservation and Listing of Securities.    The Company shall maintain a reserve from its duly authorized shares of Common Stock to comply with its exercise obligations under the Warrants pursuant to the Transaction Documents. The Company shall promptly secure the listing of all of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) upon each national securities exchange and automated quotation system, if any, upon which shares of Common Stock are then listed (subject to official notice of issuance) and shall maintain, so long as any other shares of Common Stock shall be so listed, such listing of all Registrable Securities from time to time issuable under the terms of the Transaction Documents. The Company shall maintain the Common Stock's authorization for quotation on the NASDAQ National Market ("NASDAQ") or listing on The New York Stock Exchange, Inc.("NYSE") (as applicable, the "Principal Market"). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall take any action which would be reasonably expected to result in the delisting or

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suspension of the Common Stock from the Principal Market. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligations under this Section 4.5.

        4.6.    Exercise Procedures.    The form of Election to Purchase included in the Warrants set forth the totality of the procedures required in order to exercise the Warrants. No additional legal opinion or other information or instructions shall be necessary to enable the Purchasers to exercise their Warrants. The Company shall honor exercises of the Warrants and shall deliver Underlying Shares in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth in the Transaction Documents.

        4.7.    Subsequent Placements.    Until the Effective Date, the Company shall not, directly or indirectly, offer, sell or grant any option to purchase, or otherwise dispose of, or announce any offer, sale, grant or any option to purchase or other disposition (collectively, a "Subsequent Placement") of any of its Common Stock or other securities which entitle the holder thereof to receive Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock or other instrument or security that is, at any time during its life and under any circumstances, convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock.

        4.8.    Securities Laws Disclosure; Publicity.    The Company shall, not later than the Closing Date, issue a press release reasonably acceptable to the Purchasers disclosing all material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company and the Purchasers shall consult with each other in issuing any press releases with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not publicly disclose the name of any Purchaser, or include the name of any Purchaser in any filing with the Commission or any regulatory agency or Trading Market, without the prior written consent of such Purchaser, except to the extent such disclosure is required by law or Trading Market regulations, in which case the Company shall provide the Purchasers with prior notice of such disclosure. On or before 8:30 a.m., Eastern Standard time, the first (1st) Business Day following the Closing Date the Company shall file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Commission describing the terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and including as exhibits to such Current Report on Form 8-K or in a filing or amendment to such filing within two days after such initial filing, this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the form of the Warrants, in the form required by the Exchange Act.

        4.9.    Non-Public Information.    The Company covenants and agrees that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided or will provide any Purchaser or its agents or counsel with any information that the Company believes constitutes material non-public information, unless prior thereto such Purchaser shall have executed a written agreement regarding the confidentiality and use of such information. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing representations in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.

        4.10.    Use of Proceeds.    The Company shall use the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder for working capital purposes and not for the satisfaction of any portion of the Company's debt (other than payment of trade payables and accrued expenses in the ordinary course of the Company's business and prior practices), to redeem any Company equity or equity-equivalent securities or to settle any outstanding litigation.

        4.11.    Indemnification of Purchasers.    The Company will indemnify and hold the Purchasers and their directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees and agents (each, a "Purchaser Party") harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments, amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees and costs of investigation (collectively, "Losses") that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur as a result of or relating to: (a) any misrepresentation, breach or inaccuracy, or any allegation by a third party that, if true, would constitute a breach or inaccuracy, of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents; or (b) any cause of action, suit or claim brought or made against

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such Purchaser Party and arising solely out of or solely resulting from the execution, delivery, performance or enforcement of this Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents and without causation by any other activity, obligation, condition or liability pertaining to such Purchaser and not to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Company will reimburse such Purchaser for its reasonable legal and other expenses (including the cost of any investigation, preparation and travel in connection therewith) incurred in connection therewith, as such expenses are incurred.

        4.12.    Shareholders Rights Plan.    In the event that a shareholders rights plan is adopted by the Company, no claim will be made or enforced by the Company or any other Person that any Purchaser is an "Acquiring Person" under any such plan or in any way could be deemed to trigger the provisions of such plan by virtue of receiving Securities under the Transaction Documents.

        4.13    Additional Closings.    The Purchasers agree that through Monday, April 1, 2002, the Company, with the consent of each purchaser whose purchase price is $5.0 million or more, may sell additional Securities as part of this offering. Such sales shall be on the terms and conditions of and be deemed, except for the closing date, part of this offering. Such additional closings shall be evidenced by the additional investors signing signature pages to the Transaction Documents. Such additional investors shall be deemed Purchasers under this agreement and all other Transaction Documents. The Company shall notify all existing Purchasers of any such additional investments and provide an updated opinion letter covering such additional investments.


ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS

        5.1.    Fees and Expenses.    Unless otherwise agreed, each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The Company shall pay all transfer agent fees, stamp taxes and other taxes and duties levied in connection with the issuance of any Securities.

        5.2.    Entire Agreement.    The Transaction Documents, together with the Exhibits and Schedules thereto, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules. At or after the Closing, and without further consideration, the Company will execute and deliver to the Purchasers such further documents as may be reasonably requested in order to give practical effect to the intention of the parties under the Transaction Documents.

        5.3.    Notices.    Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (a) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number specified in this Section prior to 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number specified in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The addresses for such notices and communications are those set forth on the signature pages hereof, or such other address as may be designated in writing hereafter, in the same manner, by such Person.

        5.4.    Amendments; Waivers.    No provision of this Agreement may be waived or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and each of the Purchasers or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such waiver is sought. No

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waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of either party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right.

        5.5.    Construction.    The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.

        5.6.    Successors and Assigns.    This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns. The Company may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Purchasers. Any Purchaser may assign its rights under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement to any Person to whom such Purchaser assigns or transfers any Securities.

        5.7.    No Third-Party Beneficiaries.    This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, except that each Purchaser Party is an intended third party beneficiary of Section 4.11 and may enforce the provisions of such section directly against the Company.

        5.8.    Governing Law; Venue; Waiver of Jury Trial.    All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all Proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of the any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any Proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such Proceeding is improper. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such Proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. If either party shall commence a Proceeding to enforce any provisions of a Transaction Document, then the prevailing party in such Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its reasonable attorneys fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such Proceeding.

        5.9.    Survival.    The representations, warranties, agreements and covenants contained herein shall survive the Closing and the delivery and exercise of the Securities, as applicable.

        5.10.    Execution.    This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that

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the parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature page were an original thereof.

        5.11.    Severability.    If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, the validity and enforceability of the remaining terms and provisions of this Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and the parties will attempt to agree upon a valid and enforceable provision that is a reasonable substitute therefor, and upon so agreeing, shall incorporate such substitute provision in this Agreement.

        5.12.    Rescission and Withdrawal Right.    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) the Transaction Documents, whenever any Purchaser exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document and the Company does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then such Purchaser may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company, any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its future actions and rights.

        5.13.    Replacement of Securities.    If any certificate or instrument evidencing any Securities is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation thereof, or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction and customary and reasonable indemnity, if requested. The applicants for a new certificate or instrument under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs associated with the issuance of such replacement Securities.

        5.14.    Remedies.    In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Purchasers and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations described in the foregoing sentence and hereby agrees to waive in any action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

        5.15.    Payment Set Aside.    To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser enforces or exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.

        5.16.    Usury.    To the extent it may lawfully do so, the Company hereby agrees not to insist upon or plead or in any manner whatsoever claim, and will resist any and all efforts to be compelled to take the benefit or advantage of, usury laws wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, in connection with any claim, action or proceeding that may be brought by any Purchaser in order to enforce any right or remedy under any Transaction Document. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in any Transaction Document, it is expressly agreed and provided that the total liability of the Company under the Transaction Documents for payments in the nature of interest shall not exceed the maximum lawful rate authorized under applicable law (the "Maximum Rate"), and, without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall any rate of interest or default interest, or both of

16



them, when aggregated with any other sums in the nature of interest that the Company may be obligated to pay under the Transaction Documents exceed such Maximum Rate. It is agreed that if the maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law and applicable to the Transaction Documents is increased or decreased by statute or any official governmental action subsequent to the date hereof, the new maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law will be the Maximum Rate of interest applicable to the Transaction Documents from the effective date forward, unless such application is precluded by applicable law. If under any circumstances whatsoever, interest in excess of the Maximum Rate is paid by the Company to any Purchaser with respect to indebtedness evidenced by the Transaction Documents, such excess shall be applied by such Purchaser to the unpaid principal balance of any such indebtedness or be refunded to the Company, the manner of handling such excess to be at such Purchaser's election.

        5.17.    Independent Nature of Purchasers' Obligations and Rights.    The rights and obligations of each Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not joint with the rights and obligations of the other Purchaser and a Purchaser shall not be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of the other Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant thereto shall constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for the other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOWS]

17


        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

    AVI BIOPHARMA, INC.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
DENIS R. BURGER, PH.D.      
    Name: Denis R. Burger, Ph.D.
Title: Chairman & Chief Financial Officer

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

One S.W. Columbia, Suite 1105
Portland, Oregon 97258
Facsimile: (503) 227-0751

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGE FOR PURCHASER FOLLOWS]

18


    SMITHFIELD FIDUCIARY LLC

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
ADAM J. CHILL      
    Name: Adam J. Chill
Title: Authorized Signatory
    Shares of Common Stock:     866,667

 

 

Warrant Shares:

 

 

173,334

 

 

Aggregate Purchase Price:

 

$

6,500,000

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

 

 

 

c/o Highbridge Capital Management, LLC
9 West 57th Street, 27th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Fax: 212-751-0755
Tel: 212-287-4720
Attention: Ari J. Storch / Adam J. Chill

19


    SF CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
BRIAN H. DAVIDSON      
    Name: Brian H. Davidson
Title: Authorized Signatory

 

 

Shares of Common Stock:

 

 

666,667

 

 

Warrant Shares:

 

 

133,334

 

 

Purchase Price:

 

$

5,000,000

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

 

 

 

SF Capital Partners Ltd.
Attention: Brian H. Davidson
1500 West Market Street, Suite 200
Mequon, Wisconsin 53092

 

 

Phone: (262) 241-1810
Facsimile: (262) 241-1888

20


    CASTLE CREEK HEALTHCARE
PARTNERS LLC

 

 

By:

 

CASTLE CREEK PARTNERS,
LLC, its Investment Manager

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
THOMAS A. FREI      
    Name: Thomas A. Frei
Title: Managing Member

 

 

Shares of Common Stock:

 

 

216,667

 

 

Warrant Shares:

 

 

43,334

 

 

Purchase Price:

 

$

1,625,000

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

Castle Creek Healthcare Partners, LLC
c/o Castle Creek Partners, LLC
111 West Jackson Blvd, Suite 2020
Chicago, IL 60604

21


    CC LIFE SCIENCE, LTD.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
THOMAS A. FREI      
    Name: Thomas A. Frei
Title: Member

 

 

Shares of Common Stock:

 

 

216,667

 

 

Warrant Shares:

 

 

43,334

 

 

Purchase Price:

 

$

1,625,000

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

CC Life Science, Ltd.
c/o Castle Creek Life Science Partners, LLC
111 West Jackson Blvd, Suite 2020
Chicago, IL 60604

22


    SDS MERCHANT FUND, LP

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
STEVE DERBY      
    Name: Steve Derby
Title: Managing Member

 

 

Shares of Common Stock:

 

 

133,334

 

 

Warrant Shares:

 

 

26,667

 

 

Purchase Price:

 

$

1,000,000

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

SDS Merchant Fund, LP
c/o SDS Capital Partners, LLC
1 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 202
Greenwich, CT 06830

23


    DMG LEGACY FUND LLC

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
ANDREW WILDER      
    Name: Andrew Wilder
Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

 

Shares of Common Stock:

 

 

20,000

 

 

Warrant Shares:

 

 

4,000

 

 

Purchase Price:

 

$

7.50

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

DMG Legacy Fund LLC
c/o DMG Advisors LLC
One Sound Shore Drive, Ste 202
Greenwich, CT 06830

24


    DMG LEGACY INSTITUTIONAL FUND LLC

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
ANDREW WILDER      
    Name: Andrew Wilder
Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

 

Shares of Common Stock:

 

 

60,000

 

 

Warrant Shares:

 

 

12,000

 

 

Purchase Price:

 

$

7.50

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

DMG Legacy Institutional Fund LLC
c/o DMG Advisors LLC
One Sound Shore Drive, Ste 202
Greenwich, CT 06830

25


    DMG LEGACY INTERNATIONAL LTD.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
ANDREW WILDER      
    Name: Andrew Wilder
Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

 

Shares of Common Stock:

 

 

53,334

 

 

Warrant Shares:

 

 

10,667

 

 

Purchase Price:

 

$

7.50

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

DMG Legacy International Ltd.
c/o DMG Advisors LLC
One Sound Shore Drive, Ste 202
Greenwich, CT 06830

26


    GRYPHON MASTER FUND, L.P.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
E.B. LYON, IV      
    Name: E.B. Lyon, IV
Title: Authorized Agent

 

 

Shares of Common Stock:

 

 

224,000

 

 

Warrant Shares:

 

 

44,800

 

 

Purchase Price:

 

$

7.50

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

500 Crescent Court, Suite 270
Dallas, TX 75201

27


    QUANTICO PARTNERS, L.P.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
JEFFREY THORP      
    Name: Jeffrey Thorp
Title: Managing Partner of
Langley Capital, LLC,
its General Partner

 

 

Shares of Common Stock:

 

 

213,334

 

 

Warrant Shares:

 

 

42,668

 

 

Purchase Price:

 

$

1,600,000.00

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

Quantico Partners, L.P.
c/o Langley Capital, LLC
535 Madison Avenue, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10022
(212) 850-7528 Telephone
(212) 850-7589 Facsimile
JT@LangleyCapital.com

28


    BNY CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
WESLEY V. PRITCHETT      
    Name: Wesley V. Pritchett
Title: M.D.

 

 

Shares of Common Stock:

 

 

133,334

 

 

Warrant Shares:

 

 

26,227

 

 

Purchase Price:

 

$

7.50

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

Attn: Raymond Lang, Managing Director
BNY Capital Markets, Inc.
32 Old Slip, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10286

 

 

 

29


    UNITED CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
JAMES A. LUSTIG      
    Name: James A. Lustig
Title: Proprietor

 

 

Shares of Common Stock:

 

 

66,667

 

 

Warrant Shares:

 

 

13,334

 

 

Purchase Price:

 

$

7.50

 

 

(Total: $500,000)

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

410 17th Street, Suite 1705
Denver, CO 80202

30


    On behalf of
THE TAIL WIND FUND LIMITED
Tail Wind Advisory & Management Ltd.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
DAVID CROOK      
    Name: David Crook
Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

Shares of Common Stock:

 

 

66,666

 

 

Warrant Shares:

 

 

13,333

 

 

Purchase Price:

 

$

[7.50]

 

 

Total: $500,000

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

David Crook, Esq.
Chief Executive Officer
Tail Wind Advisory & Management Ltd.
1st Floor, No. 1 Regent Street
London, SW1Y 4NS, UK
Tel: +44 20 7468 7691 Fax: 7657

 

 

Please copy all correspondence to:
Peter J. Weisman, P.C.
110 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10005
Tel: +212-418-4792 Fax: 212-317-8855

 

 

Please send the common shares a.s.a.p. directly to:
Bishop Rosen & Co.
Attn: Mr. D. Freedman
100 Broadway, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10006
Tel: +212-602-0054 Fax: +212-602-0697

 

 

Please send the warrants to:
The Tail Wind Fund, Ltd.
MecaPierson (Bahamas) Ltd.
Attn: Ngaire Rolle,
Windermere House, 404 East Bay St.,
PO Box SS 5539, Nassau, Bahamas
Tel: 242-393-8777 Fax: 242-393-9021

31


    JULES NORDLICHT

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
JULES NORDLICHT      
    Name: Jules Nordlicht
Title:

 

 

Shares of Common Stock:

 

 

133,333

 

 

Warrant Shares:

 

 

26,667

 

 

Purchase Price:

 

$

7.50

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

255 W. Beech St
Long Beach, NY 11561

32


Exhibits:

A
Registration Rights Agreement
B
Warrant
C
Transfer Agent Instructions

Schedules:

3.1(a)    Subsidiaries
3.1(g)    Capitalization
3.1(t)    Commissions
3.1(w)    Registration Rights

33



SCHEDULE 3.1

(a) Subsidiaries

Anti-Viral Acquisition Corporation, a California corporation. Note: this corporation may have been dissolved and, if that is the case, any reference to this subsidiary will be deleted from the final version of this document.

(g) Capitalization

Type of
Capital Stock

  Authorized
Shares

  Issued
Shares

  Rights to Acquire
Common Stock
(par value $.0001)
  50,000,000   23,245,539(1)(2)   See table below

Preferred Stock
(par value $.0001)

 

2,000,000

 

- -0-

 

- -0-

Footnotes:

(1)
The investors in the 1999 Financing are entitled to additional shares of Common Stock if certain financing transactions occur on or before December 16, 2002 at prices below the purchase price for their Common Stock in the 1999 Financing.

(2)
Numbers, including outstanding shares in the following table, are as of March 12, 2002 and there may be differences of up to 20,000 shares reflecting exercise of options and warrants for Common Stock not yet reflected in such numbers.

Rights to Acquire Common Stock


Type of
Right


 

Number of Shares
Covered (1)(2)


 

 


 
Stock options   2,849,187      
Stock purchase plan   0(3 )    
Warrants   10,292,626(4 )    
Other Rights   0(5 )    

Footnotes:

(1)
Most rights carry typical anti-dilution provisions for stock splits, stock dividends and similar matters and adjustments/substitutions for mergers, reorganizations and similar transactions.

(2)
Numbers, including outstanding shares in prior table, are as of March 12, 2002 and there may be differences of up to 20,000 shares reflecting exercise of options and warrants for Common Stock not yet reflected in such numbers.

(3)
Purchases under the plan by employees are done semiannually in May and November each year, the number of shares expected to be purchased based on present participation would be 32,000 shares (for calendar 2002).

(4)
The Warrant for SuperGen, Inc. ("SuperGen Warrant") covering 1,665,878 shares has an anti-dilution provision that adjusts the number of shares that may be acquired to approximately 11.11% of the then outstanding shares upon the first exercise of the warrant. The adjustment is to the number of shares, but the exercise per share is not adjusted. The warrant is not currently

34


(5)
Medtronic International, Ltd. (formerly Medtronic Asset Management, Inc.) ("MIL") has the right under an Investment Agreement with the Company to purchase (i) an additional 352,113 shares of the Common Stock at a price of $7.10 per share and (ii) the right to purchase up to $7,500,000 of our Common Stock based on the average closing sales price for the five days preceding the commitment to purchase. These contractual purchase rights are subject to certain technology milestones being met or waived by MIL and any required regulatory or shareholder approvals. MIL may require us to register these shares upon the exercise of such purchase rights. MIL also holds a warrant covering 3,000,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock at an exercise price of $10.00 per share which is reflected in the numbers for warrants in this table.

Right of First Refusal:

        The investors in the 1999 Financing acquired certain rights of first refusal as to 50% of certain future financings, which rights expire around December 16, 2002. Those rights have been satisfied as to three of the five 1999 Holders by their participation in this financing under Section 3.2(h) of the Purchase Agreement and as to one 1999 Holder by its written waiver as to participation in this financing and will be satisfied by notice to the last 1999 Holder of its right to participate on or before the Closing Date and the right to sell to such holder under Section 3.2(h) of the Purchase Agreement.

Anti-dilution Adjustment Rights

        The investors in the 1999 Financing are entitled to additional shares of Common Stock if certain financing transactions occur on or before December 16, 2002 at prices below the purchase price for their Common Stock in the 1999 Financing.

(t) Commissions

        The Company has agreed to pay UBS Warburg certain percentage placement fees, certain fixed fees and certain reimbursable expenses in connection with this of its services hereunder. The Company has also given certain exclusive rights to UBS Warburg to raise any additional financings for a fixed period of time and a "tail" commission on certain funds raised after the termination of the agreement.

(w) Registration Rights

        The Company currently is registering approximately 4,812,327 shares of its Common Stock relating to 51,763 and 1,408,451 shares of Common Stock owned respectively by Boston Healthcare and MIL and 3,352,113 shares under a warrant and purchase right held by MIL..

        The Company has other contractual obligations to register shares issueable upon the exercise of

35




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SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS
ARTICLE II PURCHASE AND SALE
ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
ARTICLE IV OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES
ARTICLE V MISCELLANEOUS
SCHEDULE 3.1

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NEITHER THESE SECURITIES NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THESE SECURITIES ARE EXERCISABLE HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR TO SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY. THESE SECURITIES AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THESE SECURITIES MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.


AVI BIOPHARMA, INC.

WARRANT

Warrant No. [    ]   Date of Original Issuance: March 25, 2002

        AVI BioPharma, Inc., an Oregon corporation (the "Company"), hereby certifies that, for value received, [Name of Holder] or its registered assigns (the "Holder"), is entitled to purchase from the Company up to a total of            1 shares of common stock, $.0001 par value per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Company (each such share, a "Warrant Share" and all such shares, the "Warrant Shares") at an exercise price (as adjusted from time to time as provided in Section 9, the "Exercise Price") per Warrant Share equal to $9.00 at any time and from time to time from and after the date hereof and through and including March 24, 2006 (the "Expiration Date"), and subject to the following terms and conditions:

        1. Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Warrant, capitalized terms that are not otherwise defined herein and that are defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 25, 2002, between the Company and the original Holder (the "Purchase Agreement"), shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Purchase Agreement. .

        2. Registration of Warrant. The Company shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the "Warrant Register"), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.

        3. Registration of Transfers. The Company shall register the transfer of any portion of this Warrant in the Warrant Register, upon surrender of this Warrant, with the Form of Assignment attached hereto duly completed and signed, to the Transfer Agent or to the Company at its address specified herein. Upon any such registration or transfer, a new warrant to purchase Common Stock, in substantially the form of this Warrant (any such new warrant, a "New Warrant"), evidencing the portion of this Warrant so transferred shall be issued to the transferee and a New Warrant evidencing the remaining portion of this Warrant not so transferred, if any, shall be issued to the transferring Holder. The acceptance of the New Warrant by the transferee thereof shall be deemed the acceptance by such transferee of all of the rights and obligations of a holder of a Warrant.

        4. Exercise and Duration; Early Call

        (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), this Warrant shall be exercisable by the registered Holder at any time and from time to time on or after the date hereof to and including the Expiration Date. At 6:30 p.m., New York City time, on the Expiration Date, the portion of this Warrant available for exercise and not exercised prior thereto shall be and become void and of no value.



        (b) If at any time after September 24, 2003 (18 months following the Closing Date] (1) the closing price per share of the Common Stock as reported on Bloomberg has exceeded 200% of the Exercise Price then in effect for a period of ten (10) consecutive Trading Days (the "Determination Period") and (2) a registration statement covering resales of the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants has been effective and available for use at all times required pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement and is expected to remain effective and available for use until at least the last date on which the registration statement is required to be kept effective under the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, then the Company may, at its sole option, provide all of the Holders irrevocable written notice ("Call Notice") requiring all of the Holders to fully exercise all Warrants as of the Call Date (as defined below). If all of the conditions described herein have been satisfied and continue to be satisfied through the Call Date, any Warrant not exercised before the close of business on the Call Date, shall automatically be deemed exercised in accordance with Section 5(a) as of the close of trading on the Call Date and the Company will deliver the Warrant Shares to the Holder upon receipt of a completed Exercise Notice along with the original copy of the Warrant for cancellation (or an affidavit of lost Warrant in accordance with Section 12) and payment for the Warrant Shares as provided herein. "Call Date" shall mean that Trading Day that is at least thirty (30) days following the date on which the Company has given the Call Notice to the Holders.

        5. Delivery of Warrant Shares.

        (a) Upon delivery of the Form of Election to Purchase (in the form of Exhibit A) ("Exercise Notice") to the Company (with the Warrant Shares Exercise Log in the form of Exhibit B hereto) at its address for notice set forth in Section 13 and (i) upon payment of the Exercise Price multiplied by the number of Warrant Shares that the Holder intends to purchase hereunder or (ii) upon notifying the Company that this Warrant is being exercised pursuant to a Cashless Exercise (as defined in Section 5(e)), the Company shall promptly (but in no event later than three (3) Trading Days after the Date of Exercise (as defined herein)) issue and deliver to the Holder, a certificate for the Warrant Shares issuable upon such exercise free of restrictive legends unless otherwise required by the Purchase Agreement. The Company shall, upon request of the Holder, if available, use its best efforts to deliver Warrant Shares hereunder electronically through the Depository Trust Corporation.

        A "Date of Exercise" means the date on which the Holder shall have delivered to the Company (i) the Form of Election to Purchase (with the Warrant Exercise Log attached to it), appropriately completed and duly signed and (ii) (A) payment of the Exercise Price for the number of Warrant Shares so indicated by the Holder to be purchased or (B) notification to the Company that this Warrant is being exercised pursuant to a Cashless Exercise.

2


Net Number = (A × B) - (A × C)
B
   
For purposes of the foregoing formula:
A= the total number of shares with respect to which this Warrant is then being exercised;

B= the greater of the (i) closing price per share of the Common Stock (as reported by Bloomberg) on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the Exercise Notice or (ii) the average of the closing prices per share of Common Stock (as reported by Bloomberg) for the ten (10) Trading Days immediately preceding the date of the Exercise Notice; and

C= the Exercise Price then in effect for the applicable Warrant Shares at the time of such exercise.

        6. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance and delivery of certificates for shares of Common Stock upon exercise of this Warrant shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax, withholding tax, transfer agent fee or other incidental tax or expense in respect of the issuance of such certificates, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the registration of any certificates for Warrant Shares or Warrants in a name other than that of the

3



Holder. The Holder shall be responsible for all other tax liability that may arise as a result of holding or transferring this Warrant or receiving Warrant Shares upon exercise hereof.

        7. Replacement of Warrant. If this Warrant is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation hereof, or in lieu of and substitution for this Warrant, a New Warrant, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction and customary and reasonable indemnity, if requested. Applicants for a New Warrant under such circumstances shall also comply with such other reasonable regulations and procedures and pay such other reasonable third-party costs as the Company may prescribe.

        8. Reservation of Warrant Shares. The Company covenants that it will at all times reserve and keep available out of the aggregate of its authorized but unissued and otherwise unreserved Common Stock, solely for the purpose of enabling it to issue Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant as herein provided, the number of Warrant Shares which are then issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of this entire Warrant. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares so issuable and deliverable shall, upon issuance and the payment of the applicable Exercise Price in accordance with the terms hereof, be duly and validly authorized, issued and fully paid and nonassessable.

        9. Certain Adjustments. The Exercise Price and number of Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant are subject to adjustment from time to time as set forth in this Section 9.

4


5


        Notwithstanding the foregoing, no adjustment will be made under this paragraph (d) in respect of (i) the granting of options to employees, officers and directors of the Company pursuant to any stock option plan duly adopted by the Company prior to the date hereof or to the issuance of Common Stock upon exercise of such options or (ii) issuances of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a Strategic Transaction. A "Strategic Transaction" shall mean a transaction or relationship in which the Company issues Common Stock to a Person which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company in a business related to the business of the Company and in which the Company receives material benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities.

6


        10. Payment of Exercise Price. The Holder shall pay the Exercise Price in cash by delivering immediately available funds or, if permitted by Section 5(e), through a Cashless Exercise.

        11. Limitation on Exercise.

        12. No Fractional Shares. No fractional shares of Warrant Shares will be issued in connection with any exercise of this Warrant. In lieu of any fractional shares which would, otherwise be issuable, the Company shall pay cash equal to the product of such fraction multiplied by the closing price of one Warrant Share as reported on the Eligible Market on the date of exercise.

        13. Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries hereunder (including without limitation any Exercise Notice or Call Notice) shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number specified in this Section prior to 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (ii) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number specified in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the Trading

7



Day following the date of mailing, if sent by nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The addresses for such communications shall be: (i) if to the Company, to AVI BioPharma, Inc., One S.W. Columbia, Suite 1105, Portland, Oregon 97258, Attention: Alan P. Timmins (facsimile: 503-227-0751) with a copy to Hurley, Lynch & Re, P.C., 747 SW Industrial Way, Bend, OR 97702, Attention: Robert A. Stout, Esq. (facsimile: 541-317-5507) or (ii) if to the Holder, to the address or facsimile number appearing on the Warrant Register or such other address or facsimile number as the Holder may provide to the Company in accordance with this Section.

        14. Warrant Agent. The Company shall serve as warrant agent under this Warrant. Upon thirty (30) days' notice to the Holder, the Company may appoint a new warrant agent. Any corporation into which the Company or any new warrant agent may be merged or any corporation resulting from any consolidation to which the Company or any new warrant agent shall be a party or any corporation to which the Company or any new warrant agent transfers substantially all of its corporate trust or shareholders services business shall be a successor warrant agent under this Warrant without any further act. Any such successor warrant agent shall promptly cause notice of its succession as warrant agent to be mailed (by first class mail, postage prepaid) to the Holder at the Holder's last address as shown on the Warrant Register.

        15. Miscellaneous.

8


[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK,
SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

9


        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be duly executed by its authorized officer as of the date first indicated above.

    AVI BIOPHARMA, INC.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
DENIS R. BURGER, PH.D.      
    Name: Denis R. Burger, Ph.D.
Title: Chairman & Chief Financial Officer

10



Exhibit A

FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

To AVI BioPharma, Inc.:

        In accordance with Warrant No. [    ] issued to the undersigned, the undersigned hereby elects to purchase                        shares of common stock ("Common Stock"), [$    ] par value per share, of AVI BioPharma, Inc.

        1. Form of Warrant Exercise Price. The Holder intends that payment of the Exercise Price shall be made as:

    "Cash Exercise" with respect to    

     
    Warrant Shares; and/or    
    "Cashless Exercise" with respect to    

     
    Warrant Shares (to the extent permitted by the terms of the Warrant).

        2. Payment of Exercise Price. In the event that the holder has elected a Cash Exercise with respect to some or all of the Warrant Shares to be issued pursuant hereto, the holder shall pay the sum of $                        to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Warrant.

        By its delivery of this Form of Election To Purchase, the Holder represents and warrants to the Company that in giving effect to the exercise evidenced hereby the Holder will not beneficially own in excess of the number of shares of Common Stock (determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) permitted to be owned under Section 11of this Warrant to which this notice relates.

        The undersigned requests that certificates for the shares of Common Stock issuable upon this exercise be issued in the name of

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY
OR TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBER:
 
   

Please print name and address

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

11



Exhibit B

Warrant Shares Exercise Log

Date

Number of Warrant Shares
Available to be Exercised

Number of Warrant Shares
Exercised

Number of Warrant Shares
Remaining to be Exercised











12



Exhibit C

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

[To be completed and signed only upon transfer of Warrant]

        FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto                        the right represented by the within Warrant to purchase                        shares of Common Stock of AVI BioPharma, Inc. to which the within Warrant relates and appoints                        attorney to transfer said right on the books of AVI BioPharma, Inc. with full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated:                   ,             
     

 

 


(Signature must conform in all respects to name of holder as specified on the face of the Warrant)
     

 

 


Address of Transferee
     
   



 

 
In the presence of:    



 

 

13




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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

        This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and entered into as of March 25, 2002, by and among AVI BioPharma, Inc. an Oregon corporation (the "Company"), and each of the purchasers identified on the signature pages hereto (each a "Purchaser" and collectively, the "Purchasers").

        This Agreement is made pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof among the Company and the Purchasers (the "Purchase Agreement").

        The Company and the Purchasers hereby agree as follows:

        1. Definitions. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

        "Effectiveness Date" means the earlier of (a) the 120th day following the Closing Date and (b) the fifth Trading Day following the date on which the Company is notified by the Commission that such Registration Statement will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments.

        "Effectiveness Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

        "Filing Date" means, with respect to the initial Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder, the 30th day following the Closing Date.

        "Holder" or "Holders" means the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.

        "Indemnified Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).

        "Indemnifying Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).

        "Losses" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).

        "Proceeding" means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.

        "Prospectus" means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.

        "Registrable Securities" means the shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.

        "Registration Statement" means the initial registration statement required to be filed hereunder and any additional registration statements contemplated by Section 2(d), including (in each case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such registration statement.

        "Rule 144" means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.

        "Rule 415" means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.



        "Rule 424" means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.

        "Warrants" means the Common Stock purchase warrants issued pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

        2. Registration.

2


        3. Registration Procedures

        In connection with the Company's registration obligations hereunder, the Company shall:

3


4


        4. Registration Expenses. All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with this Agreement by the Company shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to the Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings required to be made with the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, and (B) in compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws), (ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses, (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (v) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder.

        5. Indemnification

5


        An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such Indemnified Party shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and such counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.

6


        All fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within ten (10) Trading Days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party (regardless of whether it is ultimately determined that an Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder; provided, that the Indemnifying Party may require such Indemnified Party to undertake to reimburse all such fees and expenses to the extent it is finally judicially determined that such Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder).

        The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(d), no Holder shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

        The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties.

        6. Miscellaneous

7


8


If to the Company:   AVI BioPharma, Inc.
One S.W. Columbia, Suite 1105
Portland, Oregon 97258
Facsimile: (503) 227-0751

If to a Purchaser:

 

To the address set forth under such Purchaser name
on the signature pages hereto.

If to any other Person who is then the registered Holder:

 

 

To the address of such Holder as it appears in the
stock transfer books of the Company

or such other address as may be designated in writing hereafter, in the same manner, by such Person.

9


[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGES TO FOLLOW]

10


        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

    AVI BIOPHARMA, INC.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
DENIS R. BURGER, PH.D.      
    Name: Denis R. Burger, Ph.D.
Title: Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGES OF PURCHASERS TO FOLLOW]

11


        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

    SMITHFIELD FIDUCIARY LLC

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
ADAM J. CHILL      
    Name: Adam J. Chill
Title: Authorized Signatory

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

c/o Highbridge Capital Management, LLC
9 West 57th Street, 27th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Fax: 212-751-0755
Tel: 212-287-4720
Attention: Ari J. Storch / Adam J. Chill

12



 

 

SF CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD


 


 


By:


 


/s/  
BRIAN H. DAVIDSON      

 

 

Name: Brian H. Davidson
Title: Authorized Signatory

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

SF Capital Partners Ltd.
Attention: Brian H. Davidson
1500 West Market Street, Suite 200
Mequon, Wisconsin 53092

 

 

Phone: (262) 241-1810
Facsimile: (262) 241-1888

13


    CASTLE CREEK HEALTHCARE
PARTNERS LLC

 

 

By:

 

CASTLE CREEK PARTNERS,
LLC, its Investment Manager

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
THOMAS A. FREI      
    Name: Thomas A. Frei
Title: Managing Member

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

Castle Creek Healthcare Partners, LLC
c/o Castle Creek Partners, LLC
111 West Jackson Blvd, Suite 2020
Chicago, IL 60604

14


    CC LIFE SCIENCE, LTD.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
THOMAS A. FREI      
    Name: Thomas A. Frei
Title: Member

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

CC Life Science, Ltd.
c/o Castle Creek Life Science Partners, LLC
111 West Jackson Blvd, Suite 2020
Chicago, IL 60604

15


    SDS MERCHANT FUND, LP

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
STEVE DERBY      
    Name: Steve Derby
Title: Managing Member

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

SDS Merchant Fund, LP
c/o SDS Capital Partners, LLC
1 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 202
Greenwich, CT 06830

16


    DMG LEGACY FUND LLC

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
ANDREW WILDER      
    Name: Andrew Wilder
Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

DMG Legacy Fund LLC
c/o DMG Advisors LLC
One Sound Shore Drive, Ste 202
Greenwich, CT 06830

17


    DMG LEGACY INSTITUTIONAL FUND LLC

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
ANDREW WILDER      
    Name: Andrew Wilder
Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

DMG Legacy Institutional Fund LLC
c/o DMG Advisors LLC
One Sound Shore Drive, Ste 202
Greenwich, CT 06830

18


    DMG LEGACY INTERNATIONAL LTD.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
ANDREW WILDER      
    Name: Andrew Wilder
Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

DMG Legacy International Ltd.
c/o DMG Advisors LLC
One Sound Shore Drive, Ste 202
Greenwich, CT 06830

19


    GRYPHON MASTER FUND, L.P.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
E.B. LYON, IV      
    Name: E.B. Lyon, IV
Title: Authorized Agent

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

500 Crescent Court, Suite 270
Dallas, TX 75201

20



 

 

QUANTICO PARTNERS, L.P.


 


 


By:


 


/s/  
JEFFREY THORP      

 

 

Name: Jeffrey Thorp
Title: Managing Partner of
Langley Capital, LLC,
its General Partner

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

Quantico Partners, L.P.
c/o Langley Capital, LLC
535 Madison Avenue, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10022
(212) 850-7528 Telephone
(212) 850-7589 Facsimile
JT@LangleyCapital.com

21


    BNY CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
WESLEY V. PRITCHETT      
    Name: Wesley V. Pritchett
Title: M.D.

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

Attn: Raymond Lang, Managing Director
BNY Capital Markets, Inc.
32 Old Slip, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10286

22


    UNITED CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
JAMES A. LUSTIG      
    Name: James A. Lustig
Title: Proprietor

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

410 17th Street, Suite 1705
Denver, CO 80202

23


    On behalf of
THE TAIL WIND FUND LIMITED
Tail Wind Advisory & Management Ltd.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
DAVID CROOK      
    Name: David Crook
Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

David Crook, Esq.
Chief Executive Officer
Tail Wind Advisory & Management Ltd.
1st Floor, No. 1 Regent Street
London, SW1Y 4NS, UK
Tel: +44 20 7468 7691 Fax: 7657

 

 

Please copy all correspondence to:
Peter J. Weisman, P.C.
110 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10005
Tel: +212-418-4792 Fax: 212-317-8855

 

 

Please send the common shares a.s.a.p. directly to:
Bishop Rosen & Co.
Attn: Mr. D. Freedman
100 Broadway, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10006
Tel: +212-602-0054 Fax: +212-602-0697

 

 

Please send the warrants to:
The Tail Wind Fund, Ltd.
MecaPierson (Bahamas) Ltd.
Attn: Ngaire Rolle,
Windermere House, 404 East Bay St.,
PO Box SS 5539, Nassau, Bahamas
Tel: 242-393-8777 Fax: 242-393-9021

24


    JULES NORDLICHT

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
JULES NORDLICHT      
    Name: Jules Nordlicht
Title:

 

 

Address for Notice:

 

 

255 W. Beech St
Long Beach, NY 11561

25


Annex A

Plan of Distribution

        The selling stockholders and any of their pledgees, assignees and successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of their shares of common stock on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the shares are traded or in private transactions. These sales may be at fixed or negotiated prices. The selling stockholders may use any one or more of the following methods when selling shares:

        The selling stockholders may also sell shares under Rule 144 under the Securities Act, if available, rather than under this prospectus.

        Broker-dealers engaged by the selling stockholders may arrange for other brokers-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions or discounts from the selling stockholders (or, if any broker-dealer acts as agent for the purchaser of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated. The selling stockholders do not expect these commissions and discounts to exceed what is customary in the types of transactions involved.

        The selling stockholders may from time to time pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the shares of common stock or Warrants owned by them and, if they default in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell the shares of common stock from time to time under this prospectus, or under an amendment to this prospectus under Rule 424(b)(3) or other applicable provision of the Securities Act of 1933 amending the list of selling stockholders to include the pledgee, transferee or other successors in interest as selling stockholders under this prospectus.

        The selling stockholders also may transfer the shares of common stock in other circumstances, in which case the transferees, pledgees or other successors in interest will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this prospectus.

        The selling stockholders and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved in selling the shares may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. The selling stockholders have informed the Company that it does not have any agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the Common Stock.

        The Company is required to pay all fees and expenses incident to the registration of the shares. The Company has agreed to indemnify the selling stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.





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