Aura Biosciences, Inc.
- Open
- 6.93
- Day high
- 7.00
- Day low
- 6.73
- Prev close
- 7.01
- Volume
- 331K
- Mkt cap
- $712M
- P/E (TTM)
- —
- EPS (TTM)
- —
- P/B
- 6.6
- P/S
- —
- Yield
- —
- Per share
- —
- ▼Insiders net selling -$39.1M over the last 3 months (0 open-market buys, 2 sales)
- 🏛Institutions accumulating (13F)
Aura Biosciences, Inc. (AURA) is a Healthcare company listed on NASDAQ. The stock is down 3% over the past year. Over the trailing 3 months, insiders filed 0 open-market buys and 2 sales (SEC Form 4).
Aura Biosciences, Inc. (AURA) financials & analyst ratings
Fundamentals (TTM)
Source: exchange market data + company filings. Figures are trailing-twelve-month or as most recently reported. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
AURA earnings date, history & EPS estimates
| Report date | EPS est | EPS actual | Surprise | Revenue | Rev. surprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2026 | $-0.40 | $-0.50 | -25.0% | — | — |
| Mar 30, 2026 | $-0.43 | $-0.37 | +14.0% | — | — |
| Nov 13, 2025 | $-0.46 | $-0.40 | +13.0% | — | — |
| Aug 13, 2025 | $-0.49 | $-0.47 | +4.1% | — | — |
| May 15, 2025 | $-0.47 | $-0.55 | -17.0% | — | — |
| Mar 24, 2025 | $-0.43 | $-0.52 | -20.9% | — | — |
| May 9, 2024 | $-0.51 | $-0.40 | +21.6% | — | — |
| Nov 9, 2023 | $-0.54 | $-0.48 | +11.1% | — | — |
| May 11, 2023 | $-0.52 | $-0.46 | +11.5% | — | — |
| Mar 15, 2023 | $-0.58 | $-0.52 | +10.3% | — | — |
| Nov 10, 2022 | $-0.52 | $-0.53 | -1.9% | — | — |
| Aug 11, 2022 | $-0.48 | $-0.46 | +4.2% | — | — |
AURA insider trading activity (SEC Form 4)
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 2026 | Bender Jeremydirector | Grant | 60,000 | $7.03 |
| Jul 8, 2026 | Bender Jeremydirector | Grant | 30,000 | — |
| Jul 1, 2026 | Kilroy Conorofficer: See Remarks | Grant | 14,858 | — |
| Jun 16, 2026 | Gibney Anthony Sofficer: See Remarks | Sell | 12,824 | $6.42 |
| Jun 15, 2026 | Srivastava Sapnadirector | Grant | 15,000 | — |
| Jun 15, 2026 | Srivastava Sapnadirector | Grant | 30,000 | $6.21 |
| Jun 15, 2026 | Mattessich Antony C.director | Grant | 30,000 | $6.21 |
| Jun 15, 2026 | Mattessich Antony C.director | Grant | 15,000 | — |
| Jun 15, 2026 | Johnson David Michaeldirector | Grant | 30,000 | $6.21 |
| Jun 15, 2026 | Johnson David Michaeldirector | Grant | 15,000 | — |
| Jun 15, 2026 | Bitetti Teresa Mariedirector | Grant | 30,000 | $6.21 |
| Jun 15, 2026 | Bitetti Teresa Mariedirector | Grant | 15,000 | — |
| May 19, 2026 | Holles Natalie C.director, officer: See Remarks | Grant | 2,169,103 | $7.39 |
| May 19, 2026 | Holles Natalie C.director, officer: See Remarks | Grant | 600,118 | — |
| May 19, 2026 | Holles Natalie C.director, officer: See Remarks | Grant | 553,844 | — |
Source: AURA SEC Form 4 filings, latest Jul 8, 2026. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
See the full AURA insider & 13F page →Aura Biosciences, Inc. company profile
Overview
Aura Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:AURA) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in 2009 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company went public in October 2021 and focuses on developing innovative cancer therapies using its proprietary virus-like drug conjugate (VDC) technology platform. Aura specializes in treating rare and difficult-to-treat cancers, particularly in ocular (eye-related) and urologic oncology where significant unmet medical needs exist.
Business
Aura Biosciences operates in the biotechnology sector, specifically focusing on oncology drug development. The company's core innovation is its virus-like drug conjugate (VDC) technology platform, which represents a novel approach to targeted cancer therapy. This platform uses engineered virus-like particles that can deliver therapeutic payloads directly to cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. The biotechnology industry involves the development of medical treatments using biological processes and organisms. Unlike traditional pharmaceutical companies that may have multiple marketed drugs generating revenue, Aura is a clinical-stage company, meaning its products are still in various phases of human testing and have not yet received regulatory approval for commercial sale. Aura's lead product candidate is AU-011, which is being developed primarily for the treatment of primary choroidal melanoma. Choroidal melanoma is a rare but serious form of eye cancer that affects the choroid, the vascular layer of the eye beneath the retina. This cancer is particularly challenging to treat with conventional methods like surgery or radiation, as these approaches can cause significant vision loss or eye removal. AU-011 represents a potentially less invasive treatment option that could preserve vision while effectively treating the cancer. The company is also exploring AU-011's potential in treating choroidal metastases, which occur when other cancers spread to the eye. This expansion into additional ocular oncology indications could broaden the addressable patient population for their lead therapy.
Revenue model
As a clinical-stage biotechnology company, Aura Biosciences currently generates no revenue from product sales, as evidenced by zero revenue reported across all recent quarters. The company operates on a research and development model typical of early-stage biotech firms, where substantial upfront investment is required for years before any potential commercial returns. The company's future revenue model will likely be based on product sales of approved therapies, assuming successful clinical trials and regulatory approval. In the biotechnology industry, companies typically monetize their innovations through direct sales to hospitals and cancer treatment centers, or through licensing agreements with larger pharmaceutical companies. The paying customers would primarily be healthcare institutions, oncologists, and ultimately health insurance systems that reimburse for approved cancer treatments. Several factors could significantly impact Aura's future profitability margins. Positive factors include the rare disease designation for choroidal melanoma, which often allows for premium pricing due to limited treatment alternatives and smaller patient populations. The company's novel VDC platform technology could also command higher prices if it demonstrates superior efficacy or safety compared to existing treatments. Additionally, successful development of AU-011 for multiple indications could leverage the same manufacturing and regulatory infrastructure across different patient populations. Negative factors that could pressure margins include the high costs associated with clinical trials, regulatory compliance, and specialized manufacturing of virus-like drug conjugates. Competition from other novel cancer therapies, particularly immunotherapies and targeted treatments, could limit pricing power. The company also faces the typical biotech risks of clinical trial failures, regulatory delays, and the substantial costs of building commercial infrastructure for product launch.
Competitive moat
Aura Biosciences' competitive moat is primarily built around its proprietary virus-like drug conjugate (VDC) technology platform, which represents a novel approach in the oncology space. This technology platform could provide intellectual property protection and manufacturing know-how that would be difficult for competitors to replicate quickly. The company's focus on rare ocular cancers also creates a specialized niche where few other companies are actively developing competing therapies. However, the strength of this moat is still largely unproven, as the company remains in clinical stages without approved products. The biotechnology industry is characterized by rapid innovation, and larger pharmaceutical companies with substantial resources could potentially develop competing approaches or acquire smaller companies with promising technologies. The moat's durability will ultimately depend on the clinical success of AU-011 and the company's ability to establish a strong patent portfolio around its VDC platform. The specialized nature of ocular oncology provides some natural barriers to entry, as it requires specific expertise in both ophthalmology and oncology. This specialization could help Aura maintain a competitive position if AU-011 proves successful. However, the company faces potential competition from established cancer treatment modalities and emerging technologies like CAR-T cell therapies, immunotherapies, and other targeted treatments that could be adapted for ocular cancers. The company's moat is currently more potential than proven, and its strength will largely depend on clinical trial outcomes and the ability to successfully commercialize AU-011. Until the company demonstrates clinical efficacy and regulatory approval, the competitive advantages remain largely theoretical.
Risks & safety
Aura Biosciences presents a mixed margin of safety profile typical of clinical-stage biotechnology companies, with strong liquidity but ongoing cash burn concerns. • Liquidity and Cash Position: The company maintains a strong current ratio of 11.06 as of Q1 2025, with $38.2 million in cash and short-term investments against $12.2 million in current liabilities. Total current assets of $134.5 million provide substantial near-term financial flexibility. • Cash Burn and Runway: Free cash flow burn of approximately $23.5 million in Q1 2025 suggests a quarterly burn rate that could deplete current cash reserves within 1.5-2 years without additional funding. Full-year 2024 free cash flow burn was $81.1 million. • Debt Levels: Low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14 indicates minimal financial leverage and solvency risk from debt obligations. • Valuation Metrics: Trading at 2.3x book value with negative earnings makes traditional valuation challenging. The $403 million market cap represents significant premium to tangible assets. • Other Considerations: No revenue generation creates dependency on capital markets for funding. Clinical-stage risk profile means binary outcomes from trial results could dramatically impact valuation.
Recent development
Based on the available financial data, Aura Biosciences has been consistently advancing its clinical development programs while maintaining a focused approach on its lead candidate AU-011. The company has demonstrated steady progress in its clinical trials for choroidal melanoma treatment, though specific trial milestones are not detailed in the provided financial statements. The company's cash management appears deliberate, with quarterly cash burn rates remaining relatively consistent around $20-25 million per quarter, suggesting disciplined spending on clinical development activities. The maintenance of strong current ratios above 10x indicates careful financial planning to support ongoing clinical operations. Aura has maintained its strategic focus on ocular oncology, with continued investment in expanding AU-011's potential applications beyond primary choroidal melanoma to include choroidal metastases. This expansion strategy leverages the same underlying VDC technology platform while potentially addressing a broader patient population. The company's consistent cash burn pattern and maintained liquidity position suggest steady progress in clinical development activities, though the lack of detailed earnings call transcripts limits visibility into specific operational milestones, partnership developments, or strategic pivots that may have occurred during this period.
AURA company profile · for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
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