UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 2, 2021

AURA BIOSCIENCES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Aura Biosciences, Inc.

85 Bolton Street

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(617) 500-8864

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company  ☒

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws.

As previously disclosed in the Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-260156) (the “Registration Statement”) of Aura Biosciences, Inc. (the “Company”), on November 2, 2021 and in connection with the consummation of the initial public offering of the Company’s common stock (the “IPO”), the Company filed a tenth amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Restated Certificate”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) and the Company’s stockholders previously approved the Restated Certificate to be filed in connection with, and to be effective upon, the consummation of the IPO. The Restated Certificate amends and restates the Company’s existing amended and restated certificate of incorporation in its entirety to, among other things: (i) authorize 150,000,000 shares of common stock; (ii) eliminate all references to the previously-existing series of preferred stock; and (iii) authorize 10,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock that may be issued from time to time by the Board in one or more series.

The foregoing description of the Restated Certificate is qualified by reference to the Restated Certificate, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

In addition, as previously disclosed in the Registration Statement, on October 28, 2021 and in connection with the consummation of the IPO, the amended and restated bylaws of the Company (the “Amended and Restated Bylaws”), previously approved by the Board and the Company’s stockholders to become effective immediately upon effectiveness of the Registration Statement, became effective. The Amended and Restated Bylaws amend and restate the Company’s bylaws in their entirety to, among other things: (i) eliminate the ability of the Company’s stockholders to take action by written consent in lieu of a meeting and call special meetings of stockholders; (ii) establish procedures relating to the presentation of stockholder proposals at stockholder meetings; (iii) establish procedures relating to the nomination of directors; and (iv) conform to the amended provisions of the Restated Certificate.

The foregoing description of the Amended and Restated Bylaws is qualified by reference to the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.2 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.