Ownership Submission
FORM 3
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  CHASE ANTHONY R
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
04/22/2010
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
AVI BIOPHARMA INC [AVII]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
3450 MONTE VILLA PARKWAY, SUITE 101
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

BOTHELL, WA 98021
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)
3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 169,312
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Common Stock Purchase Warrants 02/25/2010 08/25/2014 Common Stock 140,000 $ 1.78 (1) D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
CHASE ANTHONY R
3450 MONTE VILLA PARKWAY
SUITE 101
BOTHELL, WA 98021
  X      

Signatures

By: Melinda Miles, Attorney-In-Fact For: Anthony Chase 04/22/2010
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Mr. Chase holds 350,000 warrants to purchase common stock. Each warrant can be exercised to purchase 4/10 (or 0.4) of a share of common stock. Thus, Mr. Chase's 350,000 warrants are exercisable to purchase 140,000 shares of common stock at $1.78 per share.

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