BOSTON, Sept. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aura Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: AURA) (“Aura” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a potentially transformative first-in-class therapy for patients with ocular cancers, today announced that inducement equity awards (collectively, “Inducement Awards”) were granted to Erica Kratz, Ph.D., Aura’s new Chief Regulatory and Quality Officer, Susan Abu-Absi, Ph.D., Aura’s new Chief Operating Officer, and Julie Person, Aura’s new Chief People Officer, each on September 1, 2026 (the “Grant Date”). The Inducement Awards were approved by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The Inducement Awards granted to Dr. Kratz consist of (i) non-qualified stock options to purchase an aggregate of 199,115 shares of the Company’s common stock (“Common Stock”) with an exercise price of $7.43 per share, which is equal to the closing price of the Common Stock as reported by Nasdaq on the Grant Date and (ii) restricted stock units (“RSUs”) for 100,885 shares of Common Stock. The Inducement Awards granted to Dr. Abu-Absi consist of (i) non-qualified stock options to purchase an aggregate of 265,487 shares of Common Stock with an exercise price of $7.43 per share, which is equal to the closing price of the Common Stock as reported by Nasdaq on the Grant Date and (ii) RSUs for 134,513 shares of Common Stock. The Inducement Awards granted to Ms. Person consist of (i) non-qualified stock options to purchase an aggregate of 212,389 shares of Common Stock with an exercise price of $7.43 per share, which is equal to the closing price of the Common Stock as reported by Nasdaq on the Grant Date and (ii) RSUs for 107,611 shares of Common Stock.

Each of the option awards will vest as follows: 25% shall vest and become exercisable on the first anniversary of the applicable executive’s start date and the remaining 75% shall vest and become exercisable in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter, subject to such executive’s continued service as of each vesting date. The RSU awards will vest as follows: 25% shall vest on September 15, 2027 (the “First Vesting Date”), and 25% shall vest on each of the first year anniversary, second year anniversary, and third year anniversary of the First Vesting Date, subject to each executive’s continued service as of each vesting date.

About Aura Biosciences

Aura Biosciences is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing bel-sar, a potentially transformative, first-in-class therapy for patients living with ocular cancers. Bel-sar represents an entirely novel approach to treating ocular cancers via its dual mechanisms of action of acute tumor necrosis and secondary anti-tumor immune activation. The Phase 3 registration study of bel-sar in early choroidal melanoma, the largest patient segment of uveal melanoma, is fully enrolled, and earlier stage studies in metastases to the choroid and cancers of the ocular surface are ongoing. Aura's mission is to improve outcomes for patients living with ocular cancers by delivering a therapy that not only arrests tumor growth but also preserves vision and quality of life.

For more information, visit aurabiosciences.com. Follow us on X, @AuraBiosciences, and visit us on LinkedIn.

Investor and Media Relations Contact:

Alex Dasalla

Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications

IR@aurabiosciences.com