EX-10.1





 Exhibit 10.1 

AURA BIOSCIENCES, INC. 

2021 STOCK OPTION AND INCENTIVE PLAN 
  

	SECTION 1.	 GENERAL PURPOSE OF THE PLAN; DEFINITIONS 



The name of the plan is the Aura Biosciences, Inc. 2021 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”).
The purpose of the Plan is to encourage and enable the officers, employees, Non-Employee Directors and Consultants of Aura Biosciences, Inc. (the “Company”) and its Affiliates upon whose judgment,
initiative and efforts the Company largely depends for the successful conduct of its business to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company. It is anticipated that providing such persons with a direct stake in the Company’s welfare will
assure a closer identification of their interests with those of the Company and its stockholders, thereby stimulating their efforts on the Company’s behalf and strengthening their desire to remain with the Company. 

The following terms shall be defined as set forth below: 

“Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder. 

“Administrator” means either the Board or the compensation committee of the Board or a similar committee performing the
functions of the compensation committee and which is comprised of not less than two Non-Employee Directors who are independent. 

“Affiliate” means, at the time of determination, any “parent” or “subsidiary” of the Company as such
terms are defined in Rule 405 of the Act. The Board will have the authority to determine the time or times at which “parent” or “subsidiary” status is determined within the foregoing definition. 

“Award” or “Awards,” except where referring to a particular category of grant under the Plan, shall include
Incentive Stock Options, Non-Qualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock Awards, Restricted Stock Units, Unrestricted Stock Awards, Cash-Based Awards, and Dividend Equivalent Rights.

 “Award Certificate” means a written or electronic document setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to an Award
granted under the Plan. Each Award Certificate is subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan. 
 “Board” means the
Board of Directors of the Company. 
 “Cash-Based Award” means an Award entitling the recipient to receive a
cash-denominated payment. 
 “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor Code, and
related rules, regulations and interpretations. 












 “Consultant” means a consultant or adviser who provides bona fide
services to the Company or an Affiliate as an independent contractor and who qualifies as a consultant or advisor under Instruction A.1.(a)(1) of Form S-8 under the Act. 

“Dividend Equivalent Right” means an Award entitling the grantee to receive credits based on cash dividends that would have
been paid on the shares of Stock specified in the Dividend Equivalent Right (or other award to which it relates) if such shares had been issued to and held by the grantee. 

“Effective Date” means the date on which the Plan becomes effective as set forth in Section 19. 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder. 

“Fair Market Value” of the Stock on any given date means the fair market value of the Stock determined in good faith by the
Administrator; provided, however, that if the Stock is listed on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System (“NASDAQ”), NASDAQ Global Market, The New York Stock Exchange or another national securities
exchange or traded on any established market, the determination shall be made by reference to market quotations. If there are no market quotations for such date, the determination shall be made by reference to the last date preceding such date for
which there are market quotations; provided further, however, that if the date for which Fair Market Value is determined is the Registration Date, the Fair Market Value shall be the “Price to the Public” (or equivalent) set forth on the
cover page for the final prospectus relating to the Company’s initial public offering. 
 “Incentive Stock Option”
means any Stock Option designated and qualified as an “incentive stock option” as defined in Section 422 of the Code. 
 “Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board who is not also an employee of the Company or any Subsidiary. 

“Non-Qualified Stock Option” means any Stock Option that is not an Incentive Stock
Option. 
 “Option” or “Stock Option” means any option to purchase shares of Stock granted pursuant to
Section 5. 
 “Registration Date” means the date upon which the registration statement on Form S-1 that is filed by the Company with respect to its initial public offering is declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission. 

“Restricted Shares” means the shares of Stock underlying a Restricted Stock Award that remain subject to a risk of forfeiture
or the Company’s right of repurchase. 
 “Restricted Stock Award” means an Award of Restricted Shares subject to such
restrictions and conditions as the Administrator may determine at the time of grant. 

  
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 “Restricted Stock Units” means an Award of stock units subject to such
restrictions and conditions as the Administrator may determine at the time of grant. 
 “Sale Event” means (i) the
sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company on a consolidated basis to an unrelated person or entity, (ii) a merger, reorganization or consolidation pursuant to which the holders of the Company’s outstanding voting power
and outstanding stock immediately prior to such transaction do not own a majority of the outstanding voting power and outstanding stock or other equity interests of the resulting or successor entity (or its ultimate parent, if applicable)
immediately upon completion of such transaction, (iii) the sale of all of the Stock of the Company to an unrelated person, entity or group thereof acting in concert, or (iv) any other transaction in which the owners of the Company’s
outstanding voting power immediately prior to such transaction do not own at least a majority of the outstanding voting power of the Company or any successor entity immediately upon completion of the transaction other than as a result of the
acquisition of securities directly from the Company. 
 “Sale Price” means the value as determined by the Administrator of
the consideration payable, or otherwise to be received by stockholders, per share of Stock pursuant to a Sale Event. 

“Section 409A” means Section 409A of the Code and the regulations and other guidance promulgated
thereunder. 
 “Service Relationship” means any relationship as an employee, director or Consultant of the Company or any
Affiliate (e.g., a Service Relationship shall be deemed to continue without interruption in the event an individual’s status changes from full-time employee to part-time employee or Consultant). 

“Stock” means the Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share, of the Company, subject to adjustments pursuant to
Section 3. 
 “Stock Appreciation Right” means an Award entitling the recipient to receive shares of Stock (or cash,
to the extent explicitly provided for in the applicable Award Certificate) having a value equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the date of exercise over the exercise price of the Stock Appreciation Right multiplied by the
number of shares of Stock with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right shall have been exercised. 
 “Subsidiary”
means any corporation or other entity (other than the Company) in which the Company has at least a 50 percent interest, either directly or indirectly. 

“Ten Percent Owner” means an employee who owns or is deemed to own (by reason of the attribution rules of Section 424(d)
of the Code) more than 10 percent of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any parent or subsidiary corporation. 

“Unrestricted Stock Award” means an Award of shares of Stock free of any restrictions. 

 

	SECTION 2.	 ADMINISTRATION OF PLAN; ADMINISTRATOR AUTHORITY TO SELECT GRANTEES AND DETERMINE AWARDS



 (a) Administration of Plan. The Plan shall be administered by the Administrator. 

  
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 (b) Powers of Administrator. The Administrator shall have the power and authority to
grant Awards consistent with the terms of the Plan, including the power and authority: 
 (i) to select the individuals to whom Awards may
from time to time be granted; 
 (ii) to determine the time or times of grant, and the extent, if any, of Incentive Stock Options, Non-Qualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock Awards, Restricted Stock Units, Unrestricted Stock Awards, Cash-Based Awards, and Dividend Equivalent Rights, or any combination of the
foregoing, granted to any one or more grantees; 
 (iii) to determine the number of shares of Stock to be covered by any Award; 

(iv) to determine and modify from time to time the terms and conditions, including restrictions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan,
of any Award, which terms and conditions may differ among individual Awards and grantees, and to approve the forms of Award Certificates; 

(v) to accelerate at any time the exercisability or vesting of all or any portion of any Award; 

(vi) subject to the provisions of Section 5(c) or Section 6(d), as applicable, to extend at any time the period in which Stock
Options and Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised; and 
 (vii) at any time to adopt, alter and repeal such rules, guidelines and
practices for administration of the Plan and for its own acts and proceedings as it shall deem advisable; to interpret the terms and provisions of the Plan and any Award (including related written instruments); to make all determinations it deems
advisable for the administration of the Plan; to decide all disputes arising in connection with the Plan; and to otherwise supervise the administration of the Plan. 

All decisions and interpretations of the Administrator shall be binding on all persons, including the Company and Plan grantees. 

(c) Delegation of Authority to Grant Awards. Subject to applicable law, the Administrator, in its discretion, may delegate to a
committee consisting of one or more officers of the Company, including the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, all or part of the Administrator’s authority and duties with respect to the granting of Awards to individuals who are
(i) not subject to the reporting and other provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and (ii) not members of the delegated committee. Any such delegation by the Administrator shall include a limitation as to the amount of Stock
underlying Awards that may be granted during the period of the delegation and shall contain guidelines as to the determination of the exercise price and the vesting criteria. The Administrator may revoke or amend the terms of a delegation at any
time but such action shall not invalidate any prior actions of the Administrator’s delegate or delegates that were consistent with the terms of the Plan. 

  
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 (d) Award Certificate. Awards under the Plan shall be evidenced by Award Certificates
that set forth the terms, conditions and limitations for each Award which may include, without limitation, the term of an Award and the provisions applicable in the event employment or service terminates. 

(e) Indemnification. Neither the Board nor the Administrator, nor any member of either or any delegate thereof, shall be liable for any
act, omission, interpretation, construction or determination made in good faith in connection with the Plan, and the members of the Board and the Administrator (and any delegate thereof) shall be entitled in all cases to indemnification and
reimbursement by the Company in respect of any claim, loss, damage or expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising or resulting therefrom to the fullest extent permitted by law and/or under the Company’s
articles or bylaws or any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance coverage which may be in effect from time to time and/or any indemnification agreement between such individual and the Company. 

(f) Foreign Award Recipients. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in order to comply with the laws in other
countries in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate or have employees or other individuals eligible for Awards, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to: (i) determine which Subsidiaries shall be
covered by the Plan; (ii) determine which individuals outside the United States are eligible to participate in the Plan; (iii) modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to individuals outside the United States to comply with
applicable foreign laws; (iv) establish subplans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures, to the extent the Administrator determines such actions to be necessary or advisable (and such subplans and/or modifications shall
be attached to this Plan as appendices); provided, however, that no such subplans and/or modifications shall increase the share limitations contained in Section 3(a) hereof; and (v) take any action, before or after an Award is made,
that the Administrator determines to be necessary or advisable to obtain approval or comply with any local governmental regulatory exemptions or approvals. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may not take any actions hereunder, and no
Awards shall be granted, that would violate the Exchange Act or any other applicable United States securities law, the Code, or any other applicable United States governing statute or law. 

 

	SECTION 3.	 STOCK ISSUABLE UNDER THE PLAN; MERGERS; SUBSTITUTION 



(a) Stock Issuable. The maximum number of shares of Stock reserved and available for issuance under the Plan shall be 3,352,166 shares
(the “Initial Limit”), subject to adjustment as provided in this Section 3, plus on January 1, 2022 and each January 1 thereafter, the number of shares of Stock reserved and available for issuance under the Plan shall be
cumulatively increased by (i) 5 percent of the number of shares of Stock issued and outstanding on the immediately preceding December 31 or (ii) such lesser number of shares as determined by the Administrator (the “Annual
Increase”). Subject to such overall limitation, the maximum aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be issued in the form of Incentive Stock Options shall not exceed the Initial Limit, as cumulatively increased on January 1, 2022 and
each January 1 thereafter by the lesser of the Annual Increase for such year or 3,352,166 shares of Stock, subject in all cases to adjustment as provided in Section 3(b). For purposes of this limitation, the shares of Stock underlying any
awards under the Plan and under the Company’s Amended and 

  
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Restated 2009 Stock Option and Restricted Stock Plan, as amended, and the Company’s 2018 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, that are forfeited, canceled, held back upon exercise of an option
or settlement of an award to cover the exercise price or tax withholding, reacquired by the Company prior to vesting, satisfied without the issuance of Stock or otherwise terminated (other than by exercise) shall be added back to the shares of Stock
available for issuance under the Plan and, to the extent permitted under Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder, the shares of Stock that may be issued as Incentive Stock Options. In the event the Company repurchases
shares of Stock on the open market, such shares shall not be added to the shares of Stock available for issuance under the Plan. Subject to such overall limitations, shares of Stock may be issued up to such maximum number pursuant to any type or
types of Award. The shares available for issuance under the Plan may be authorized but unissued shares of Stock or shares of Stock reacquired by the Company. 

(b) Changes in Stock. Subject to Section 3(c) hereof, if, as a result of any reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification,
stock dividend, extraordinary cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar change in the Company’s capital stock, the outstanding shares of Stock are increased or decreased or are exchanged for a different number or kind of
shares or other securities of the Company, or additional shares or new or different shares or other securities of the Company or other non-cash assets are distributed with respect to such shares of Stock or
other securities, or, if, as a result of any merger or consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, the outstanding shares of Stock are converted into or exchanged for securities of the Company or any successor
entity (or a parent or subsidiary thereof), the Administrator shall make an appropriate or proportionate adjustment in (i) the maximum number of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan, including the maximum number of shares that may be
issued in the form of Incentive Stock Options, (ii) the number and kind of shares or other securities subject to any then outstanding Awards under the Plan, (iii) the repurchase price, if any, per share subject to each outstanding
Restricted Stock Award, and (iv) the exercise price for each share subject to any then outstanding Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights under the Plan, without changing the aggregate exercise price (i.e., the exercise price multiplied by
the number of shares subject to Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights) as to which such Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights remain exercisable. The Administrator shall also make equitable or proportionate adjustments in the number of
shares subject to outstanding Awards and the exercise price and the terms of outstanding Awards to take into consideration cash dividends paid other than in the ordinary course or any other extraordinary corporate event. The adjustment by the
Administrator shall be final, binding and conclusive. No fractional shares of Stock shall be issued under the Plan resulting from any such adjustment, but the Administrator in its discretion may make a cash payment in lieu of fractional shares. 

(c) Mergers and Other Transactions. In the case of and subject to the consummation of a Sale Event, the parties thereto may cause the
assumption or continuation of Awards theretofore granted by the successor entity, or the substitution of such Awards with new Awards of the successor entity or parent thereof, with appropriate adjustment as to the number and kind of shares and, if
appropriate, the per share exercise prices, as such parties shall agree. To the extent the parties to such Sale Event do not provide for the assumption, continuation or substitution of Awards, upon the effective time of the Sale Event, the Plan and
all outstanding Awards granted hereunder shall terminate. In such case, except as may be otherwise provided in 

  
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the relevant Award Certificate, all Awards with time-based vesting, conditions or restrictions shall become fully vested and exercisable or nonforfeitable as of the effective time of the Sale
Event, and all Awards with conditions and restrictions relating to the attainment of performance goals may become vested and exercisable or nonforfeitable in connection with a Sale Event in the Administrator’s discretion or to the extent
specified in the relevant Award Certificate. In the event of such termination, (i) the Company shall have the option (in its sole discretion) to make or provide for a payment, in cash or in kind, to the grantees holding Options and Stock
Appreciation Rights, in exchange for the cancellation thereof, in an amount equal to the difference between (A) the Sale Price multiplied by the number of shares of Stock subject to outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights (to the
extent then exercisable at prices not in excess of the Sale Price) and (B) the aggregate exercise price of all such outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights (provided that, in the case of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right with an
exercise price equal to or greater than the Sale Price, such Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be cancelled for no consideration); or (ii) each grantee shall be permitted, within a specified period of time prior to the consummation of
the Sale Event as determined by the Administrator, to exercise all outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights (to the extent then exercisable) held by such grantee. The Company shall also have the option (in its sole discretion) to make or
provide for a payment, in cash or in kind, to the grantees holding other Awards in an amount equal to the Sale Price multiplied by the number of vested shares of Stock under such Awards. 

(d) Maximum Awards to Non-Employee Directors. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
Plan, the value of all Awards awarded under this Plan and all other cash compensation paid by the Company to any Non-Employee Director in any calendar year for services as a
Non-Employee Director shall not exceed $750,000; provided, however, that such amount shall be $1,000,000 for the calendar year in which the applicable Non-Employee
Director is initially elected or appointed to the Board. For the purpose of these limitations, the value of any Award shall be its grant date fair value, as determined in accordance with ASC 718 or successor provision but excluding the impact of
estimated forfeitures related to service-based vesting provisions. 
  

	SECTION 4.	 ELIGIBILITY 



Grantees under the Plan will be such employees, Non-Employee Directors or Consultants of the Company
and its Affiliates as are selected from time to time by the Administrator in its sole discretion; provided that Awards may not be granted to employees, Directors or Consultants who are providing services only to any “parent” of the
Company, as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Act, unless (i) the stock underlying the Awards is treated as “service recipient stock” under Section 409A or (ii) the Company, in consultation with its legal counsel, has
determined that such Awards are exempt from or otherwise comply with Section 409A. 
  

	SECTION 5.	 STOCK OPTIONS 



(a) Award of Stock Options. The Administrator may grant Stock Options under the Plan. Any Stock Option granted under the Plan shall be
in such form as the Administrator may from time to time approve. 

  
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 Stock Options granted under the Plan may be either Incentive Stock Options or Non-Qualified Stock Options. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to employees of the Company or any Subsidiary that is a “subsidiary corporation” within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the
Code. To the extent that any Option does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, it shall be deemed a Non-Qualified Stock Option. 

Stock Options granted pursuant to this Section 5 shall be subject to the following terms and conditions and shall contain such additional
terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Administrator shall deem desirable. If the Administrator so determines, Stock Options may be granted in lieu of cash compensation at the optionee’s election, subject to
such terms and conditions as the Administrator may establish. 
 (b) Exercise Price. The exercise price per share for the Stock
covered by a Stock Option granted pursuant to this Section 5 shall be determined by the Administrator at the time of grant but shall not be less than 100 percent of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant. In the case of an Incentive
Stock Option that is granted to a Ten Percent Owner, the exercise price of such Incentive Stock Option shall be not less than 110 percent of the Fair Market Value on the grant date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Stock Options may be granted
with an exercise price per share that is less than 100 percent of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant (i) pursuant to a transaction described in, and in a manner consistent with, Section 424(a) of the Code, (ii) to
individuals who are not subject to U.S. income tax on the date of grant or (iii) if the Stock Option is otherwise compliant with Section 409A. 

(c) Option Term. The term of each Stock Option shall be fixed by the Administrator, but no Stock Option shall be exercisable more than
ten years after the date the Stock Option is granted. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option that is granted to a Ten Percent Owner, the term of such Stock Option shall be no more than five years from the date of grant. 

(d) Exercisability; Rights of a Stockholder. Stock Options shall become exercisable at such time or times, whether or not in
installments, as shall be determined by the Administrator at or after the grant date. The Administrator may at any time accelerate the exercisability of all or any portion of any Stock Option. An optionee shall have the rights of a stockholder only
as to shares acquired upon the exercise of a Stock Option and not as to unexercised Stock Options. 
 (e) Method of Exercise. Stock
Options may be exercised in whole or in part, by giving written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company, specifying the number of shares to be purchased. Payment of the purchase price may be made by one or more of the following methods
except to the extent otherwise provided in the Award Certificate: 
 (i) In cash, by certified or bank check or other instrument acceptable
to the Administrator; 
 (ii) Through the delivery (or attestation to the ownership following such procedures as the Company may prescribe)
of shares of Stock that are not then subject to restrictions under any Company plan. Such surrendered shares shall be valued at Fair Market Value on the exercise date; 

  
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 (iii) By the optionee delivering to the Company a properly executed exercise notice together
with irrevocable instructions to a broker to promptly deliver to the Company cash or a check payable and acceptable to the Company for the purchase price; provided that in the event the optionee chooses to pay the purchase price as so provided, the
optionee and the broker shall comply with such procedures and enter into such agreements of indemnity and other agreements as the Company shall prescribe as a condition of such payment procedure; or 

(iv) With respect to Stock Options that are not Incentive Stock Options, by a “net exercise” arrangement pursuant to which the
Company will reduce the number of shares of Stock issuable upon exercise by the largest whole number of shares with a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the aggregate exercise price. 

Payment instruments will be received subject to collection. The transfer to the optionee on the records of the Company or of the transfer agent of the shares
of Stock to be purchased pursuant to the exercise of a Stock Option will be contingent upon receipt from the optionee (or a purchaser acting in his stead in accordance with the provisions of the Stock Option) by the Company of the full purchase
price for such shares and the fulfillment of any other requirements contained in the Award Certificate or applicable provisions of laws (including the satisfaction of any withholding taxes that the Company is obligated to withhold with respect to
the optionee). In the event an optionee chooses to pay the purchase price by previously-owned shares of Stock through the attestation method, the number of shares of Stock transferred to the optionee upon the exercise of the Stock Option shall be
net of the number of attested shares. In the event that the Company establishes, for itself or using the services of a third party, an automated system for the exercise of Stock Options, such as a system using an internet website or interactive
voice response, then the paperless exercise of Stock Options may be permitted through the use of such an automated system. 
 (f) Annual
Limit on Incentive Stock Options. To the extent required for “incentive stock option” treatment under Section 422 of the Code, the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the time of grant) of the shares of Stock with
respect to which Incentive Stock Options granted under this Plan and any other plan of the Company or its parent and subsidiary corporations become exercisable for the first time by an optionee during any calendar year shall not exceed $100,000. To
the extent that any Stock Option exceeds this limit, it shall constitute a Non-Qualified Stock Option. 
  

	SECTION 6.	 STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS 



(a) Award of Stock Appreciation Rights. The Administrator may grant Stock Appreciation Rights under the Plan. A Stock Appreciation Right
is an Award entitling the recipient to receive shares of Stock (or cash, to the extent explicitly provided for in the applicable Award Certificate) having a value equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of
exercise over the exercise price of the Stock Appreciation Right multiplied by the number of shares of Stock with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right shall have been exercised. 

  
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 (b) Exercise Price of Stock Appreciation Rights. The exercise price of a Stock
Appreciation Right shall not be less than 100 percent of the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the date of grant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted with an exercise price per share that is less than
100 percent of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant (i) pursuant to a transaction described in, and in a manner consistent with, Section 424(a) of the Code, (ii) to individuals who are not subject to U.S. income tax on the
date of grant, or (iii) if the Stock Appreciation Right is otherwise compliant with Section 409A. 
 (c) Grant and Exercise of
Stock Appreciation Rights. Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted by the Administrator independently of any Stock Option granted pursuant to Section 5 of the Plan. 

(d) Terms and Conditions of Stock Appreciation Rights. Stock Appreciation Rights shall be subject to such terms and conditions as shall
be determined on the date of grant by the Administrator. The term of a Stock Appreciation Right may not exceed ten years. The terms and conditions of each such Award shall be determined by the Administrator, and such terms and conditions may differ
among individual Awards and grantees. 
  

	SECTION 7.	 RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS 



(a) Nature of Restricted Stock Awards. The Administrator may grant Restricted Stock Awards under the Plan. A Restricted Stock Award is
any Award of Restricted Shares subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Administrator may determine at the time of grant. Conditions may be based on continuing employment (or other Service Relationship) and/or achievement of pre-established performance goals and objectives. 
 (b) Rights as a Stockholder. Upon the grant of
the Restricted Stock Award and payment of any applicable purchase price, if any, a grantee shall have the rights of a stockholder with respect to the voting of the Restricted Shares and receipt of dividends; provided that if the lapse of
restrictions with respect to the Restricted Stock Award is tied to the attainment of performance goals, any dividends paid by the Company during the performance period shall accrue and shall not be paid to the grantee until and to the extent the
performance goals are met with respect to the Restricted Stock Award. Unless the Administrator shall otherwise determine, (i) uncertificated Restricted Shares shall be accompanied by a notation on the records of the Company or the transfer
agent to the effect that they are subject to forfeiture until such Restricted Shares are vested as provided in Section 7(d) below, and (ii) certificated Restricted Shares shall remain in the possession of the Company until such Restricted
Shares are vested as provided in Section 7(d) below, and the grantee shall be required, as a condition of the grant, to deliver to the Company such instruments of transfer as the Administrator may prescribe. 

(c) Restrictions. Restricted Shares may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered or disposed of except as
specifically provided herein or in the Restricted Stock Award Certificate. Except as may otherwise be provided by the Administrator either in the Award Certificate or, subject to Section 16 below, in writing after the Award is issued, if a
grantee’s employment (or other Service Relationship) with the Company and its Subsidiaries terminates for any reason, any Restricted Shares that have not vested at the time of termination shall automatically and without any requirement of
notice to such grantee from or other action by or on behalf of, the Company be deemed to have been reacquired by the Company at their original purchase price (if any) from such grantee or such grantee’s legal representative


  
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simultaneously with such termination of employment (or other Service Relationship), and thereafter shall cease to represent any ownership of the Company by the grantee or rights of the grantee as
a stockholder. Following such deemed reacquisition of Restricted Shares that are represented by physical certificates, a grantee shall surrender such certificates to the Company upon request without consideration. 

(d) Vesting of Restricted Shares. The Administrator at the time of grant shall specify the date or dates and/or the attainment of pre-established performance goals, objectives and other conditions on which the non-transferability of the Restricted Shares and the Company’s right of repurchase or
forfeiture shall lapse. Subsequent to such date or dates and/or the attainment of such pre-established performance goals, objectives and other conditions, the shares on which all restrictions have lapsed shall
no longer be Restricted Shares and shall be deemed “vested.” 
  

	SECTION 8.	 RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS 



(a) Nature of Restricted Stock Units. The Administrator may grant Restricted Stock Units under the Plan. A Restricted Stock Unit is an
Award of stock units that may be settled in shares of Stock (or cash, to the extent explicitly provided for in the Award Certificate) upon the satisfaction of such restrictions and conditions at the time of grant. Conditions may be based on
continuing employment (or other Service Relationship) and/or achievement of pre-established performance goals and objectives. The terms and conditions of each such Award shall be determined by the
Administrator, and such terms and conditions may differ among individual Awards and grantees. Except in the case of Restricted Stock Units with a deferred settlement date that complies with Section 409A, at the end of the vesting period, the
Restricted Stock Units, to the extent vested, shall be settled in the form of shares of Stock (or cash, to the extent explicitly provided for in the Award Certificate). Restricted Stock Units with deferred settlement dates are subject to
Section 409A and shall contain such additional terms and conditions as the Administrator shall determine in its sole discretion in order to comply with the requirements of Section 409A. 

(b) Election to Receive Restricted Stock Units in Lieu of Compensation. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, permit a grantee
to elect to receive a portion of future cash compensation otherwise due to such grantee in the form of an award of Restricted Stock Units. Any such election shall be made in writing and shall be delivered to the Company no later than the date
specified by the Administrator and in accordance with Section 409A and such other rules and procedures established by the Administrator. Any such future cash compensation that the grantee elects to defer shall be converted to a fixed number of
Restricted Stock Units based on the Fair Market Value of Stock on the date the compensation would otherwise have been paid to the grantee if such payment had not been deferred as provided herein. The Administrator shall have the sole right to
determine whether and under what circumstances to permit such elections and to impose such limitations and other terms and conditions thereon as the Administrator deems appropriate. Any Restricted Stock Units that are elected to be received in lieu
of cash compensation shall be fully vested, unless otherwise provided in the Award Certificate. 
 (c) Rights as a Stockholder. A
grantee shall have the rights as a stockholder only as to shares of Stock acquired by the grantee upon settlement of Restricted Stock Units; provided, however, that the grantee may be credited with Dividend Equivalent Rights with respect to the
stock units underlying his or her Restricted Stock Units, subject to the provisions of Section 11 and such terms and conditions as the Administrator may determine. 

  
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 (d) Termination. Except as may otherwise be provided by the Administrator either in
the Award Certificate or, subject to Section 16 below, in writing after the Award is issued, a grantee’s right in all Restricted Stock Units that have not vested shall automatically terminate upon the grantee’s termination of
employment (or cessation of Service Relationship) with the Company and its Subsidiaries for any reason. 
  

	SECTION 9.	 UNRESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS 



Grant or Sale of Unrestricted Stock. The Administrator may grant (or sell at par value or such higher purchase price determined by the
Administrator) an Unrestricted Stock Award under the Plan. An Unrestricted Stock Award is an Award pursuant to which the grantee may receive shares of Stock free of any restrictions under the Plan. Unrestricted Stock Awards may be granted in respect
of past services or other valid consideration, or in lieu of cash compensation due to such grantee. 
  

	SECTION 10.	 CASH-BASED AWARDS 



Grant of Cash-Based Awards. The Administrator may grant Cash-Based Awards under the Plan. A Cash-Based Award is an Award that entitles
the grantee to a payment in cash upon the attainment of specified performance goals. The Administrator shall determine the maximum duration of the Cash-Based Award, the amount of cash to which the Cash-Based Award pertains, the conditions upon which
the Cash-Based Award shall become vested or payable, and such other provisions as the Administrator shall determine. Each Cash-Based Award shall specify a cash-denominated payment amount, formula or payment ranges as determined by the Administrator.
Payment, if any, with respect to a Cash-Based Award shall be made in accordance with the terms of the Award and may be made in cash. 
  

	SECTION 11.	 DIVIDEND EQUIVALENT RIGHTS 



(a) Dividend Equivalent Rights. The Administrator may grant Dividend Equivalent Rights under the Plan. A Dividend Equivalent Right is an
Award entitling the grantee to receive credits based on cash dividends that would have been paid on the shares of Stock specified in the Dividend Equivalent Right (or other Award to which it relates) if such shares had been issued to the grantee. A
Dividend Equivalent Right may be granted hereunder to any grantee as a component of an award of Restricted Stock Units or as a freestanding award. The terms and conditions of Dividend Equivalent Rights shall be specified in the Award Certificate.
Dividend equivalents credited to the holder of a Dividend Equivalent Right may be paid currently or may be deemed to be reinvested in additional shares of Stock, which may thereafter accrue additional equivalents. Any such reinvestment shall be at
Fair Market Value on the date of reinvestment or such other price as may then apply under a dividend reinvestment plan sponsored by the Company, if any. Dividend Equivalent Rights may be settled in cash or shares of Stock or a combination thereof,
in a single installment or installments. A Dividend Equivalent Right granted as a component of an Award of Restricted Stock Units shall provide that such Dividend Equivalent Right shall be settled only upon settlement or payment of, or lapse of
restrictions on, such other Award, and that such Dividend Equivalent Right shall expire or be forfeited or annulled under the same conditions as such other Award. 

  
 12 













 (b) Termination. Except as may otherwise be provided by the Administrator either in
the Award Certificate or, subject to Section 16 below, in writing after the Award is issued, a grantee’s rights in all Dividend Equivalent Rights shall automatically terminate upon the grantee’s termination of employment (or cessation
of Service Relationship) with the Company and its Subsidiaries for any reason. 
  

	SECTION 12.	 TRANSFERABILITY OF AWARDS 



(a) Transferability. Except as provided in Section 12(b) below, during a grantee’s lifetime, his or her Awards shall be
exercisable only by the grantee, or by the grantee’s legal representative or guardian in the event of the grantee’s incapacity. No Awards shall be sold, assigned, transferred or otherwise encumbered or disposed of by a grantee other than
by will or by the laws of descent and distribution or pursuant to a domestic relations order. No Awards shall be subject, in whole or in part, to attachment, execution, or levy of any kind, and any purported transfer in violation hereof shall be
null and void. 
 (b) Administrator Action. Notwithstanding Section 12(a), the Administrator, in its discretion, may provide
either in the Award Certificate regarding a given Award or by subsequent written approval that the grantee (who is an employee or director) may transfer his or her Non-Qualified Stock Options to his or her
immediate family members, to trusts for the benefit of such family members, or to partnerships in which such family members are the only partners, provided that the transferee agrees in writing with the Company to be bound by all of the terms and
conditions of this Plan and the applicable Award. In no event may an Award be transferred by a grantee for value. 
 (c) Family
Member. For purposes of Section 12(b), “family member” shall mean a grantee’s child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships, any person sharing the grantee’s household (other than a tenant of the grantee), a trust in which these persons (or the grantee) have more than
50 percent of the beneficial interest, a foundation in which these persons (or the grantee) control the management of assets, and any other entity in which these persons (or the grantee) own more than 50 percent of the voting interests.

 (d) Designation of Beneficiary. To the extent permitted by the Company, each grantee to whom an Award has been made under the Plan
may designate a beneficiary or beneficiaries to exercise any Award or receive any payment under any Award payable on or after the grantee’s death. Any such designation shall be on a form provided for that purpose by the Administrator and shall
not be effective until received by the Administrator. If no beneficiary has been designated by a deceased grantee, or if the designated beneficiaries have predeceased the grantee, the beneficiary shall be the grantee’s estate. 

  
 13 














	SECTION 13.	 TAX WITHHOLDING 



(a) Payment by Grantee. Each grantee shall, no later than the date as of which the value of an Award or of any Stock or other amount
received thereunder first becomes includable in the gross income of the grantee for income tax purposes, pay to the Company, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Administrator regarding payment of, any Federal, state, or local taxes of any kind
required by law to be withheld by the Company with respect to such income. The Company and its Subsidiaries shall, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the grantee. The
Company’s obligation to deliver evidence of book entry (or stock certificates) to any grantee is subject to and conditioned on tax withholding obligations being satisfied by the grantee. 

(b) Payment in Stock. The Administrator may require the Company’s tax withholding obligation to be satisfied, in whole or in part,
by the Company withholding from shares of Stock to be issued pursuant to any Award a number of shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value (as of the date the withholding is effected) that would satisfy the withholding amount due; provided, however,
that the amount withheld does not exceed the maximum statutory tax rate or such lesser amount as is necessary to avoid liability accounting treatment.    For purposes of share withholding, the Fair Market Value of withheld shares
shall be determined in the same manner as the value of Stock includible in income of the grantees. The Administrator may also require the Company’s tax withholding obligation to be satisfied, in whole or in part, by an arrangement whereby a
certain number of shares of Stock issued pursuant to any Award are immediately sold and proceeds from such sale are remitted to the Company in an amount that would satisfy the withholding amount due. 

 

	SECTION 14.	 SECTION 409A AWARDS 



Awards are intended to be exempt from Section 409A to the greatest extent possible and to otherwise comply with Section 409A. The
Plan and all Awards shall be interpreted in accordance with such intent. To the extent that any Award is determined to constitute “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A (a “409A Award”), the
Award shall be subject to such additional rules and requirements as specified by the Administrator from time to time in order to comply with Section 409A. In this regard, if any amount under a 409A Award is payable upon a “separation from
service” (within the meaning of Section 409A) to a grantee who is then considered a “specified employee” (within the meaning of Section 409A), then no such payment shall be made prior to the date that is the earlier of
(i) six months and one day after the grantee’s separation from service, or (ii) the grantee’s death, but only to the extent such delay is necessary to prevent such payment from being subject to interest, penalties and/or
additional tax imposed pursuant to Section 409A. Further, the settlement of any 409A Award may not be accelerated except to the extent permitted by Section 409A. The Company makes no representation that any or all of the payments or
benefits described in the Plan will be exempt from or comply with Section 409A of the Code and makes no undertaking to preclude Section 409A of the Code from applying to any such payment. The grantee shall be solely responsible for the
payment of any taxes and penalties incurred under Section 409A. 

  
 14 














	SECTION 15.	 TERMINATION OF SERVICE RELATIONSHIP, TRANSFER, LEAVE OF ABSENCE, ETC. 



(a) Termination of Service Relationship. If the grantee’s Service Relationship is with an Affiliate and such Affiliate ceases to be
an Affiliate, the grantee shall be deemed to have terminated his or her Service Relationship for purposes of the Plan. 
 (b) For purposes of
the Plan, the following events shall not be deemed a termination of a Service Relationship: 
 (i) a transfer to the employment of the
Company from an Affiliate or from the Company to an Affiliate, or from one Affiliate to another; or 
 (ii) an approved leave of absence for
military service or sickness, or for any other purpose approved by the Company, if the employee’s right to re-employment is guaranteed either by a statute or by contract or under the policy pursuant to
which the leave of absence was granted or if the Administrator otherwise so provides in writing. 
  

	SECTION 16.	 AMENDMENTS AND TERMINATION 



The Board may, at any time, amend or discontinue the Plan and the Administrator may, at any time, amend or cancel any outstanding Award for the
purpose of satisfying changes in law or for any other lawful purpose, but no such action shall materially and adversely affect rights under any outstanding Award without the holder’s consent. Except as provided in Section 3(b) or 3(c),
without prior stockholder approval, in no event may the Administrator exercise its discretion to reduce the exercise price of outstanding Stock Options or Stock Appreciation Rights or effect repricing through cancellation and re-grants or cancellation of Stock Options or Stock Appreciation Rights in exchange for cash or other Awards. To the extent required under the rules of any securities exchange or market system on which the Stock is
listed, to the extent determined by the Administrator to be required by the Code to ensure that Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan are qualified under Section 422 of the Code, Plan amendments shall be subject to approval by Company
stockholders. Nothing in this Section 16 shall limit the Administrator’s authority to take any action permitted pursuant to Section 3(b) or 3(c). 
  

	SECTION 17.	 STATUS OF PLAN 



With respect to the portion of any Award that has not been exercised and any payments in cash, Stock or other consideration not received by a
grantee, a grantee shall have no rights greater than those of a general creditor of the Company unless the Administrator shall otherwise expressly determine in connection with any Award or Awards. In its sole discretion, the Administrator may
authorize the creation of trusts or other arrangements to meet the Company’s obligations to deliver Stock or make payments with respect to Awards hereunder, provided that the existence of such trusts or other arrangements is consistent with the
foregoing sentence. 

  
 15 














	SECTION 18.	 GENERAL PROVISIONS 



(a) No Distribution. The Administrator may require each person acquiring Stock pursuant to an Award to represent to and agree with the
Company in writing that such person is acquiring the shares without a view to distribution thereof. 
 (b) Issuance of Stock. To the
extent certificated, stock certificates to grantees under this Plan shall be deemed delivered for all purposes when the Company or a stock transfer agent of the Company shall have mailed such certificates in the United States mail, addressed to the
grantee, at the grantee’s last known address on file with the Company. Uncertificated Stock shall be deemed delivered for all purposes when the Company or a Stock transfer agent of the Company shall have given to the grantee by electronic mail
(with proof of receipt) or by United States mail, addressed to the grantee, at the grantee’s last known address on file with the Company, notice of issuance and recorded the issuance in its records (which may include electronic “book
entry” records). Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any evidence of book entry or certificates evidencing shares of Stock pursuant to the exercise or settlement of any Award,
unless and until the Administrator has determined, with advice of counsel (to the extent the Administrator deems such advice necessary or advisable), that the issuance and delivery is in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations of
governmental authorities and, if applicable, the requirements of any exchange on which the shares of Stock are listed, quoted or traded. Any Stock issued pursuant to the Plan shall be subject to any stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the
Administrator deems necessary or advisable to comply with federal, state or foreign jurisdiction, securities or other laws, rules and quotation system on which the Stock is listed, quoted or traded. The Administrator may place legends on any Stock
certificate or notations on any book entry to reference restrictions applicable to the Stock. In addition to the terms and conditions provided herein, the Administrator may require that an individual make such reasonable covenants, agreements, and
representations as the Administrator, in its discretion, deems necessary or advisable in order to comply with any such laws, regulations, or requirements. The Administrator shall have the right to require any individual to comply with any timing or
other restrictions with respect to the settlement or exercise of any Award, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in the discretion of the Administrator. 

(c) No Fractional Shares. No fractional shares of Stock shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the
Administrator shall determine whether cash, other securities or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional shares, or whether such fractional shares or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated or otherwise
eliminated.  
 (d) Stockholder Rights. Until Stock is deemed delivered in accordance with Section 18(b), no right to vote
or receive dividends or any other rights of a stockholder will exist with respect to shares of Stock to be issued in connection with an Award, notwithstanding the exercise of a Stock Option or any other action by the grantee with respect to an
Award. 
 (e) Other Compensation Arrangements; No Employment Rights. Nothing contained in this Plan shall prevent the Board from
adopting other or additional compensation arrangements, including trusts, and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases. The adoption of this Plan and the grant of Awards do not confer upon any
employee any right to continued employment with the Company or any Subsidiary. 

  
 16 













 (f) Trading Policy Restrictions. Option exercises and other Awards under the Plan
shall be subject to the Company’s insider trading policies and procedures, as in effect from time to time. 
 (g) Clawback
Policy. A participant’s rights with respect to any Award hereunder shall in all events be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment to the extent necessary to comply with (i) any right that the Company may have under
any Company clawback, forfeiture or recoupment policy as in effect from time to time or other agreement or arrangement with a grantee, or (ii) applicable law. 
  

	SECTION 19.	 EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN 



This Plan shall become effective upon the date immediately preceding the Registration Date following stockholder approval in accordance with
applicable state law, the Company’s bylaws and articles of incorporation, and applicable stock exchange rules. No grants of Stock Options and other Awards may be made hereunder after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date and no grants of
Incentive Stock Options may be made hereunder after the tenth anniversary of the date the Plan is approved by the Board. 
  

	SECTION 20.	 GOVERNING LAW 



This Plan and all Awards and actions taken thereunder shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the General Corporation Law of
the State of Delaware as to matters within the scope thereof, and as to all other matters shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, applied without regard to conflict of law
principles. 
 DATE APPROVED BY BOARD OF DIRECTORS: October 7, 2021 

DATE APPROVED BY STOCKHOLDERS: October 22, 2021 

  
 17 













 INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT 

UNDER THE AURA BIOSCIENCES, INC. 

2021 STOCK OPTION AND INCENTIVE PLAN 
  

			
	Name of Optionee:	  	                                      
                                  
		
	No. of Option Shares:	  	                                      
  
		
	Option Exercise Price per Share:	  	$                                      

		  	[FMV on Grant Date (110% of FMV if a 10% owner)]
		
	Grant Date:	  	                                      
  
		
	Expiration Date:	  	                                      
  
		  	[No more than 10 years (5 years if a 10% owner)]

 Pursuant to the Aura Biosciences, Inc. 2021 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, as amended through the date
hereof (the “Plan”), Aura Biosciences, Inc. (the “Company”) hereby grants to the Optionee named above an option (the “Stock Option”) to purchase on or prior to the Expiration Date specified above all or part of the
number of shares of Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Stock”), of the Company specified above at the Option Exercise Price per Share specified above subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Plan. 

1. Exercisability Schedule. No portion of this Stock Option may be exercised until such portion shall have become exercisable. Except
as set forth below, and subject to the discretion of the Administrator (as defined in Section 1 of the Plan) to accelerate the exercisability schedule hereunder, this Stock Option shall be exercisable with respect to the following number of
Option Shares on the dates indicated so long as the Optionee continues to have a Service Relationship (as defined in the Plan) with the Company or a Subsidiary on such dates: 
  


					
	 Incremental Number of

Option Shares Exercisable*
	  	Exercisability Date	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 

  

	*	 Max. of $100,000 per yr. 



Once exercisable, this Stock Option shall continue to be exercisable at any time or times prior to the close of business on the Expiration
Date, subject to the provisions hereof and of the Plan. 
  












 2. Manner of Exercise. 

(a) The Optionee may exercise this Stock Option only in the following manner: from time to time on or prior to the Expiration Date of this
Stock Option, the Optionee may give written notice to the Administrator of his or her election to purchase some or all of the Option Shares purchasable at the time of such notice. This notice shall specify the number of Option Shares to be
purchased. 
 Payment of the purchase price for the Option Shares may be made by one or more of the following methods: (i) in cash, by
certified or bank check or other instrument acceptable to the Administrator; (ii) through the delivery (or attestation to the ownership) of shares of Stock that have been purchased by the Optionee on the open market or that are beneficially
owned by the Optionee and are not then subject to any restrictions under any Company plan and that otherwise satisfy any holding periods as may be required by the Administrator; (iii) by the Optionee delivering to the Company a properly
executed exercise notice together with irrevocable instructions to a broker to promptly deliver to the Company cash or a check payable and acceptable to the Company to pay the option purchase price, provided that in the event the Optionee chooses to
pay the option purchase price as so provided, the Optionee and the broker shall comply with such procedures and enter into such agreements of indemnity and other agreements as the Administrator shall prescribe as a condition of such payment
procedure; or (iv) a combination of (i), (ii) and (iii) above. Payment instruments will be received subject to collection. 
 The
transfer to the Optionee on the records of the Company or of the transfer agent of the Option Shares will be contingent upon (i) the Company’s receipt from the Optionee of the full purchase price for the Option Shares, as set forth above,
(ii) the fulfillment of any other requirements contained herein or in the Plan or in any other agreement or provision of laws, and (iii) the receipt by the Company of any agreement, statement or other evidence that the Company may require
to satisfy itself that the issuance of Stock to be purchased pursuant to the exercise of Stock Options under the Plan and any subsequent resale of the shares of Stock will be in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. In the event the
Optionee chooses to pay the purchase price by previously-owned shares of Stock through the attestation method, the number of shares of Stock transferred to the Optionee upon the exercise of the Stock Option shall be net of the shares of Stock
attested to. 
 (b) The shares of Stock purchased upon exercise of this Stock Option shall be transferred to the Optionee on the records of
the Company or of the transfer agent upon compliance to the satisfaction of the Administrator with all requirements under applicable laws or regulations in connection with such transfer and with the requirements hereof and of the Plan. The
determination of the Administrator as to such compliance shall be final and binding on the Optionee. The Optionee shall not be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares of Stock subject to this
Stock Option unless and until this Stock Option shall have been exercised pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company or the transfer agent shall have transferred the shares to the Optionee, and the Optionee’s name shall have been entered as the
stockholder of record on the books of the Company. Thereupon, the Optionee shall have full voting, dividend and other ownership rights with respect to such shares of Stock. 

  
 2 













 (c) The minimum number of shares with respect to which this Stock Option may be exercised at
any one time shall be 100 shares, unless the number of shares with respect to which this Stock Option is being exercised is the total number of shares subject to exercise under this Stock Option at the time. 

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision hereof or of the Plan, no portion of this Stock Option shall be exercisable after the Expiration Date
hereof. 
 3. Termination of Service Relationship. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary (as
defined in the Plan) terminates, the period within which to exercise the Stock Option may be subject to earlier termination as set forth below. 

(a) Termination Due to Death. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary terminates by reason of the
Optionee’s death, any portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date, to the extent exercisable on the date of death, may thereafter be exercised by the Optionee’s legal representative or legatee for a period of 12 months from the
date of death or until the Expiration Date, if earlier. Any portion of this Stock Option that is not exercisable on the date of death shall terminate immediately and be of no further force or effect. 

(b) Termination Due to Disability. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary terminates by reason of
the Optionee’s disability (as determined by the Administrator), any portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date, to the extent exercisable on the date of such termination, may thereafter be exercised by the Optionee for a period of 12
months from the date of disability or until the Expiration Date, if earlier. Any portion of this Stock Option that is not exercisable on the date of disability shall terminate immediately and be of no further force or effect. 

(c) Termination for Cause. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary terminates for Cause, any
portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date shall terminate immediately and be of no further force and effect. For purposes hereof, “Cause” shall mean, unless otherwise provided in an employment or other service agreement between
the Company and the Optionee, a determination by the Administrator that the Optionee shall be dismissed as a result of (i) any material breach by the Optionee of any agreement between the Optionee and the Company; (ii) the
conviction of, indictment for or plea of nolo contendere by the Optionee to a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude; or (iii) any material misconduct or willful and deliberate non-performance (other
than by reason of disability) by the Optionee of the Optionee’s duties to the Company. 
 (d) Other Termination. If the
Optionee’s Services Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary terminates for any reason other than the Optionee’s death, the Optionee’s disability, or Cause, and unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, any portion of
this Stock Option outstanding on such date may be exercised, to the extent exercisable on the date of termination, for a period of three months from the date of termination or until the Expiration Date, if earlier. Any portion of this Stock Option
that is not exercisable on the date of termination shall terminate immediately and be of no further force or effect. 

  
 3 













 The Administrator’s determination of the reason for termination of the Optionee’s
Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary shall be conclusive and binding on the Optionee and his or her representatives or legatees. 

4. Incorporation of Plan. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this Stock Option shall be subject to and governed by all the
terms and conditions of the Plan, including the powers of the Administrator set forth in Section 2(b) of the Plan. Capitalized terms in this Agreement shall have the meaning specified in the Plan, unless a different meaning is specified herein.

 5. Transferability. This Agreement is personal to the Optionee, is non-assignable and is
not transferable in any manner, by operation of law or otherwise, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. This Stock Option is exercisable, during the Optionee’s lifetime, only by the Optionee, and thereafter, only by the
Optionee’s legal representative or legatee. 
 6. Status of the Stock Option. This Stock Option is intended to qualify as an
“incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), but the Company does not represent or warrant that this Stock Option qualifies as such. The Optionee should consult
with his or her own tax advisors regarding the tax effects of this Stock Option and the requirements necessary to obtain favorable income tax treatment under Section 422 of the Code, including, but not limited to, holding period requirements
and that this Stock Option must be exercised within three months after termination of employment as an employee (or 12 months in the case of death or disability) to qualify as an “incentive stock option.” To the extent any
portion of this Stock Option does not so qualify as an “incentive stock option,” such portion shall be deemed to be a non-qualified stock option. If the Optionee intends to dispose or does dispose
(whether by sale, gift, transfer or otherwise) of any Option Shares within the one-year period beginning on the date after the transfer of such shares to him or her, or within the two-year period beginning on the day after the grant of this Stock Option, he or she will so notify the Company within 30 days after such disposition. 

7. Tax Withholding. The Optionee shall, not later than the date as of which the exercise of this Stock Option becomes a taxable event
for Federal income tax purposes, pay to the Company or make arrangements satisfactory to the Administrator for payment of any Federal, state, and local taxes required by law to be withheld on account of such taxable event. The Company shall have the
authority to cause the required tax withholding obligation to be satisfied, in whole or in part, by (i) withholding from shares of Stock to be issued to the Optionee a number of shares of Stock with an aggregate Fair Market Value that would
satisfy the withholding amount due; or (ii) causing its transfer agent to sell from the number of shares of Stock to be issued to the Optionee, the number of shares of Stock necessary to satisfy the Federal, state and local taxes required by
law to be withheld from the Optionee on account of such transfer. 
 8. No Obligation to Continue Service Relationship. Neither the
Company nor any Subsidiary is obligated by or as a result of the Plan or this Agreement to continue the Optionee’s Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary and neither the Plan nor this Agreement shall interfere in any way with the
right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate the Optionee’s Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary at any time. 

  
 4 













 9. Integration. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties
with respect to this Stock Option and supersedes all prior agreements and discussions between the parties concerning such subject matter. 

10. Data Privacy Consent. In order to administer the Plan and this Agreement and to implement or structure future equity grants, the
Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates and certain agents thereof (together, the “Relevant Companies”) may process any and all personal or professional data, including but not limited to Social Security or other identification number,
home address and telephone number, date of birth and other information that is necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan and/or this Agreement (the “Relevant Information”). By entering into this Agreement, the Optionee
(i) authorizes the Company to collect, process, register and transfer to the Relevant Companies all Relevant Information; (ii) waives any privacy rights the Optionee may have with respect to the Relevant Information; (iii) authorizes
the Relevant Companies to store and transmit such information in electronic form; and (iv) authorizes the transfer of the Relevant Information to any jurisdiction in which the Relevant Companies consider appropriate. The Optionee shall have
access to, and the right to change, the Relevant Information. Relevant Information will only be used in accordance with applicable law. 

  
 5 













 11. Notices. Notices hereunder shall be mailed or delivered to the Company at its
principal place of business and shall be mailed or delivered to the Optionee at the address on file with the Company or, in either case, at such other address as one party may subsequently furnish to the other party in writing. 

 

			
	AURA BIOSCIENCES, INC.
		
	By:	 	  

		 	Title:


 The foregoing Agreement is hereby accepted and the terms and conditions thereof hereby agreed to by the undersigned.
Electronic acceptance of this Agreement pursuant to the Company’s instructions to the Optionee (including through an online acceptance process) is acceptable. 
  

							
	Dated:
                                         
           	 		 		 	  

		 		 		 	Optionee’s Signature
				
		 		 		 	Optionee’s name and address:
		 		 		 	  

		 		 		 	  

		 		 		 	  



  
 6 













 NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT 

FOR COMPANY EMPLOYEES 

UNDER THE AURA BIOSCIENCES, INC. 2021 STOCK OPTION AND 

INCENTIVE PLAN 
  

			
	Name of Optionee:	 	                                      
                          
		
	No. of Option Shares:	 	                                      
    
		
	Option Exercise Price per Share:	 	$                                      
  
		 	[FMV on Grant Date]
		
	Grant Date:	 	                                      
    
		
	Expiration Date:	 	                                      
    
		 	[No more than 10 years]

 Pursuant to the Aura Biosciences, Inc. 2021 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, as amended through the date
hereof (the “Plan”), Aura Biosciences, Inc. (the “Company”) hereby grants to the Optionee named above an option (the “Stock Option”) to purchase on or prior to the Expiration Date specified above all or part of the
number of shares of Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Stock”), of the Company specified above at the Option Exercise Price per Share specified above subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Plan. This
Stock Option is not intended to be an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. 

1. Exercisability Schedule. No portion of this Stock Option may be exercised until such portion shall have become exercisable. Except as
set forth below, and subject to the discretion of the Administrator (as defined in Section 1 of the Plan) to accelerate the exercisability schedule hereunder, this Stock Option shall be exercisable with respect to the following number of Option
Shares on the dates indicated so long as the Optionee continues to have a Service Relationship (as defined in the Plan) with the Company or a Subsidiary on such dates: 
  

					
	 Incremental Number of

Option Shares Exercisable
	  	Exercisability Date	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 

 Once exercisable, this Stock Option shall continue to be exercisable at any time or times prior to the close
of business on the Expiration Date, subject to the provisions hereof and of the Plan. 
  












 2. Manner of Exercise. 

(a) The Optionee may exercise this Stock Option only in the following manner: from time to time on or prior to the Expiration Date of this
Stock Option, the Optionee may give written notice to the Administrator of his or her election to purchase some or all of the Option Shares purchasable at the time of such notice. This notice shall specify the number of Option Shares to be
purchased. 
 Payment of the purchase price for the Option Shares may be made by one or more of the following methods: (i) in cash, by
certified or bank check or other instrument acceptable to the Administrator; (ii) through the delivery (or attestation to the ownership) of shares of Stock that have been purchased by the Optionee on the open market or that are beneficially
owned by the Optionee and are not then subject to any restrictions under any Company plan and that otherwise satisfy any holding periods as may be required by the Administrator; (iii) by the Optionee delivering to the Company a properly
executed exercise notice together with irrevocable instructions to a broker to promptly deliver to the Company cash or a check payable and acceptable to the Company to pay the option purchase price, provided that in the event the Optionee chooses to
pay the option purchase price as so provided, the Optionee and the broker shall comply with such procedures and enter into such agreements of indemnity and other agreements as the Administrator shall prescribe as a condition of such payment
procedure; (iv) by a “net exercise” arrangement pursuant to which the Company will reduce the number of shares of Stock issuable upon exercise by the largest whole number of shares with a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the
aggregate exercise price; or (v) a combination of (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) above. Payment instruments will be received subject to collection. 

The transfer to the Optionee on the records of the Company or of the transfer agent of the Option Shares will be contingent upon (i) the
Company’s receipt from the Optionee of the full purchase price for the Option Shares, as set forth above, (ii) the fulfillment of any other requirements contained herein or in the Plan or in any other agreement or provision of laws, and
(iii) the receipt by the Company of any agreement, statement or other evidence that the Company may require to satisfy itself that the issuance of Stock to be purchased pursuant to the exercise of Stock Options under the Plan and any subsequent
resale of the shares of Stock will be in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. In the event the Optionee chooses to pay the purchase price by previously-owned shares of Stock through the attestation method, the number of shares of Stock
transferred to the Optionee upon the exercise of the Stock Option shall be net of the shares of Stock attested to. 
 (b) The shares of Stock
purchased upon exercise of this Stock Option shall be transferred to the Optionee on the records of the Company or of the transfer agent upon compliance to the satisfaction of the Administrator with all requirements under applicable laws or
regulations in connection with such transfer and with the requirements hereof and of the Plan. The determination of the Administrator as to such compliance shall be final and binding on the Optionee. The Optionee shall not be deemed to be the holder
of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares of Stock subject to this Stock Option unless and until this Stock Option shall have been exercised pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company or the transfer agent shall have
transferred the shares to the Optionee, and the Optionee’s name shall have been entered as the stockholder of record on the books of the Company. Thereupon, the Optionee shall have full voting, dividend and other ownership rights with respect
to such shares of Stock. 

  
 2 













 (c) The minimum number of shares with respect to which this Stock Option may be exercised at
any one time shall be 100 shares, unless the number of shares with respect to which this Stock Option is being exercised is the total number of shares subject to exercise under this Stock Option at the time. 

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision hereof or of the Plan, no portion of this Stock Option shall be exercisable after the Expiration Date
hereof. 
 3. Termination of Service Relationship. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary (as
defined in the Plan) terminates, the period within which to exercise the Stock Option may be subject to earlier termination as set forth below. 

(a) Termination Due to Death. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary terminates by reason of the
Optionee’s death, any portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date, to the extent exercisable on the date of death, may thereafter be exercised by the Optionee’s legal representative or legatee for a period of 12 months from the
date of death or until the Expiration Date, if earlier. Any portion of this Stock Option that is not exercisable on the date of death shall terminate immediately and be of no further force or effect. 

(b) Termination Due to Disability. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary terminates by reason of
the Optionee’s disability (as determined by the Administrator), any portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date, to the extent exercisable on the date of such termination, may thereafter be exercised by the Optionee for a period of 12
months from the date of disability or until the Expiration Date, if earlier. Any portion of this Stock Option that is not exercisable on the date of disability shall terminate immediately and be of no further force or effect. 

(c) Termination for Cause. If the Optionee’s Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary terminates for Cause, any
portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date shall terminate immediately and be of no further force and effect. For purposes hereof, “Cause” shall mean, unless otherwise provided in an employment or other service agreement between
the Company and the Optionee, a determination by the Administrator that the Optionee shall be dismissed as a result of (i) any material breach by the Optionee of any agreement between the Optionee and the Company; (ii) the conviction of,
indictment for or plea of nolo contendere by the Optionee to a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude; or (iii) any material misconduct or willful and deliberate non-performance (other than by reason
of disability) by the Optionee of the Optionee’s duties to the Company. 
 (d) Other Termination. If the Optionee’s Service
Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary terminates for any reason other than the Optionee’s death, the Optionee’s disability or Cause, and unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, any portion of this Stock Option outstanding
on such date may be exercised, to the extent exercisable on the date of termination, for a period of three months from the date of termination or until the Expiration Date, if earlier. Any portion of this Stock Option that is not exercisable on the
date of termination shall terminate immediately and be of no further force or effect. 

  
 3 













 The Administrator’s determination of the reason for termination of the Optionee’s
Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary shall be conclusive and binding on the Optionee and his or her representatives or legatees. 

4. Incorporation of Plan. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this Stock Option shall be subject to and governed by all the
terms and conditions of the Plan, including the powers of the Administrator set forth in Section 2(b) of the Plan. Capitalized terms in this Agreement shall have the meaning specified in the Plan, unless a different meaning is specified herein.

 5. Transferability. This Agreement is personal to the Optionee, is non-assignable and is
not transferable in any manner, by operation of law or otherwise, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. This Stock Option is exercisable, during the Optionee’s lifetime, only by the Optionee, and thereafter, only by the
Optionee’s legal representative or legatee. 
 6. Tax Withholding. The Optionee shall, not later than the date as of which the
exercise of this Stock Option becomes a taxable event for Federal income tax purposes, pay to the Company or make arrangements satisfactory to the Administrator for payment of any Federal, state, and local taxes required by law to be withheld on
account of such taxable event. The Company shall have the authority to cause the required tax withholding obligation to be satisfied, in whole or in part, by (i) withholding from shares of Stock to be issued to the Optionee a number of shares
of Stock with an aggregate Fair Market Value that would satisfy the withholding amount due; or (ii) causing its transfer agent to sell from the number of shares of Stock to be issued to the Optionee, the number of shares of Stock necessary to
satisfy the Federal, state and local taxes required by law to be withheld from the Optionee on account of such transfer. 
 7. No
Obligation to Continue Employment. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is obligated by or as a result of the Plan or this Agreement to continue the Optionee’s employment with the Company or a Subsidiary and neither the Plan nor this
Agreement shall interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate the Optionee’s employment with the Company or a Subsidiary at any time. 

8. Integration. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to this Stock Option and supersedes all
prior agreements and discussions between the parties concerning such subject matter. 
 9. Data Privacy Consent. In order to
administer the Plan and this Agreement and to implement or structure future equity grants, the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates and certain agents thereof (together, the “Relevant Companies”) may process any and all personal or
professional data, including but not limited to Social Security or other identification number, home address and telephone number, date of birth and other information that is necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan and/or this
Agreement (the “Relevant Information”). By entering into this Agreement, the Optionee (i) authorizes the Company to collect, process, register and transfer to the Relevant Companies all Relevant Information; (ii) waives any
privacy rights the 

  
 4 













 
Optionee may have with respect to the Relevant Information; (iii) authorizes the Relevant Companies to store and transmit such information in electronic form; and (iv) authorizes the
transfer of the Relevant Information to any jurisdiction in which the Relevant Companies consider appropriate. The Optionee shall have access to, and the right to change, the Relevant Information. Relevant Information will only be used in accordance
with applicable law. 
 10. Notices. Notices hereunder shall be mailed or delivered to the Company at its principal place of business
and shall be mailed or delivered to the Optionee at the address on file with the Company or, in either case, at such other address as one party may subsequently furnish to the other party in writing. 

 

			
	AURA BIOSCIENCES, INC.
		
	By:	 	  

		 	Title:


 The foregoing Agreement is hereby accepted and the terms and conditions thereof hereby agreed to by the undersigned.
Electronic acceptance of this Agreement pursuant to the Company’s instructions to the Optionee (including through an online acceptance process) is acceptable. 
  

			
	Dated:                                	 	  

		 	Optionee’s Signature
		 	
		 	Optionee’s name and address:
		 	  

		 	  

		 	  



  
 5 













 RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT 

UNDER THE AURA BIOSCIENCES, INC. 

2021 STOCK OPTION AND INCENTIVE PLAN 
 Name
of
Grantee:                                       
                                         
          
 No. of
Shares:                                        
                    
 Grant
Date:                                        
                        

Pursuant to the Aura Biosciences, Inc. 2021 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, as amended through the date hereof (the “Plan”), Aura
Biosciences, Inc. (the “Company”) hereby grants a Restricted Stock Award (an “Award”) to the Grantee named above. Upon acceptance of this Award, the Grantee shall receive the number of shares of Common Stock, par value $0.00001
per share (the “Stock”), of the Company specified above, subject to the restrictions and conditions set forth herein and in the Plan. The Company acknowledges the receipt from the Grantee of consideration with respect to the par value of
the Stock in the form of cash, past or future services rendered to the Company by the Grantee or such other form of consideration as is acceptable to the Administrator. 

1. Award. The shares of Restricted Stock awarded hereunder shall be issued and held by the Company’s transfer agent in book entry
form, and the Grantee’s name shall be entered as the stockholder of record on the books of the Company. Thereupon, the Grantee shall have all the rights of a stockholder with respect to such shares, including voting and dividend rights,
subject, however, to the restrictions and conditions specified in Paragraph 2 below. The Grantee shall (i) sign and deliver to the Company a copy of this Award Agreement and (ii) deliver to the Company a stock power endorsed in blank.

 2. Restrictions and Conditions. 

(a) Any book entries for the shares of Restricted Stock granted herein shall bear an appropriate legend, as determined by the Administrator in
its sole discretion, to the effect that such shares are subject to restrictions as set forth herein and in the Plan. 
 (b) Shares of
Restricted Stock granted herein may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered or disposed of by the Grantee prior to vesting. 

(c) If the Grantee’s Service Relationship with the Company and its Subsidiaries/service as a member of the Board is voluntarily or
involuntarily terminated for any reason (including death) prior to vesting of shares of Restricted Stock granted herein, all shares of Restricted Stock shall immediately and automatically be forfeited and returned to the Company. 

3. Vesting of Restricted Stock. The restrictions and conditions in Paragraph 2 of this Agreement shall lapse on the Vesting Date or
Dates specified in the following schedule so long as the Grantee continues to have a Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary on such Dates. If a series of Vesting Dates is specified, then the restrictions and conditions in
Paragraph 2 shall lapse only with respect to the number of shares of Restricted Stock specified as vested on such date. 













					
	 Incremental Number

of Shares Vested
	  	Vesting Date	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 

 Subsequent to such Vesting Date or Dates, the shares of Stock on which all restrictions and conditions have
lapsed shall no longer be deemed Restricted Stock. [Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in the Plan, all outstanding shares of Restricted Stock shall become fully vested upon a Sale
Event.]1 The Administrator may at any time accelerate the vesting schedule specified in this Paragraph 3. 

4. Dividends. Dividends on shares of Restricted Stock shall be paid currently to the Grantee. 

5. Incorporation of Plan. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this Award shall be subject to and governed by all the terms
and conditions of the Plan, including the powers of the Administrator set forth in Section 2(b) of the Plan. Capitalized terms in this Agreement shall have the meaning specified in the Plan, unless a different meaning is specified herein. 

6. Transferability. This Agreement is personal to the Grantee, is non-assignable and is not
transferable in any manner, by operation of law or otherwise, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. 
 7. Tax
Withholding.    The Grantee shall, not later than the date as of which the receipt of this Award becomes a taxable event for Federal income tax purposes, pay to the Company or make arrangements satisfactory to the
Administrator for payment of any Federal, state, and local taxes required by law to be withheld on account of such taxable event. The Company shall have the authority to cause the required tax withholding obligation to be satisfied, in whole or in
part, by (i) withholding from shares of Stock to be issued or released by the transfer agent a number of shares of Stock with an aggregate Fair Market Value that would satisfy the withholding amount due; or (ii) causing its transfer agent
to sell from the number of shares of Stock to be issued or released by the transfer agent, the number of shares of Stock necessary to satisfy the Federal, state and local taxes required by law to be withheld from the Grantee on account of such
transfer. 
  

	1 	 Note to Company: To be included only in director award agreements and to be conformed to acceleration
provisions in the Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy. 



  
 2 













 8. Election Under Section 83(b). The Grantee and the Company
hereby agree that the Grantee may, within 30 days following the Grant Date of this Award, file with the Internal Revenue Service and the Company an election under Section 83(b) of the Code. In the event the Grantee makes such an election, he or
she agrees to provide a copy of the election to the Company. The Grantee acknowledges that he or she is responsible for obtaining the advice of his or her tax advisors with regard to the Section 83(b) election and that he or she is relying
solely on such advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its agents with regard to such election. 
 9.
No Obligation to Continue Employment or Service. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is obligated by or as a result of the Plan or this Agreement to continue the Grantee in employment or service and neither the Plan nor this Agreement
shall interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate the employment or service of the Grantee at any time. 

10. Integration. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to this Award and supersedes all prior
agreements and discussions between the parties concerning such subject matter. 
 11. Data Privacy Consent. In order to administer the
Plan and this Agreement and to implement or structure future equity grants, the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates and certain agents thereof (together, the “Relevant Companies”) may process any and all personal or professional data,
including but not limited to Social Security or other identification number, home address and telephone number, date of birth and other information that is necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan and/or this Agreement (the
“Relevant Information”). By entering into this Agreement, the Grantee (i) authorizes the Company to collect, process, register and transfer to the Relevant Companies all Relevant Information; (ii) waives any privacy rights the
Grantee may have with respect to the Relevant Information; (iii) authorizes the Relevant Companies to store and transmit such information in electronic form; and (iv) authorizes the transfer of the Relevant Information to any jurisdiction
in which the Relevant Companies consider appropriate. The Grantee shall have access to, and the right to change, the Relevant Information. Relevant Information will only be used in accordance with applicable law. 

12. Notices. Notices hereunder shall be mailed or delivered to the Company at its principal place of business and shall be mailed or
delivered to the Grantee at the address on file with the Company or, in either case, at such other address as one party may subsequently furnish to the other party in writing. 

  
 3 













 
			
	AURA BIOSCIENCES, INC.
		
	By:	 	  

		 	Title:


 The foregoing Agreement is hereby accepted and the terms and conditions thereof hereby agreed to by the undersigned.
Electronic acceptance of this Agreement pursuant to the Company’s instructions to the Grantee (including through an online acceptance process) is acceptable. 
  

							
	Dated:                                     
           	 		 		 	  

		 		 		 	Grantee’s Signature
				
		 		 		 	Grantee’s name and address:
		 		 		 	  

		 		 		 	  

		 		 		 	  



  
 4 













 RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT 

FOR COMPANY EMPLOYEES 

UNDER THE AURA BIOSCIENCES, INC. 

2021 STOCK OPTION AND INCENTIVE PLAN 
  

	
	Name of
Grantee:                                       
                                         
                    
	No. of Restricted Stock
Units:                                        

	Grant
Date:                                        
                              

 Pursuant to the Aura Biosciences, Inc. 2021 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, as amended through the date
hereof (the “Plan”), Aura Biosciences, Inc. (the “Company”) hereby grants an award of the number of Restricted Stock Units listed above (an “Award”) to the Grantee named above. Each Restricted Stock Unit shall relate to
one share of Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Stock”), of the Company. 
 1. Restrictions on Transfer of
Award. This Award may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise encumbered or disposed of by the Grantee, and any shares of Stock issuable with respect to the Award may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise
encumbered or disposed of until (i) the Restricted Stock Units have vested as provided in Paragraph 2 of this Agreement and (ii) shares of Stock have been issued to the Grantee in accordance with the terms of the Plan and this Agreement.

 2. Vesting of Restricted Stock Units. The restrictions and conditions of Paragraph 1 of this Agreement shall lapse on the
Vesting Date or Dates specified in the following schedule so long as the Grantee continues to have a Service Relationship of the Company or a Subsidiary on such Vesting Dates. If a series of Vesting Dates is specified, then the restrictions and
conditions in Paragraph 1 shall lapse only with respect to the number of Restricted Stock Units specified as vested on such date. 
  

					
	 Incremental Number of

Restricted Stock Units Vested
	  	Vesting Date	 
	 _____________ (__%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (__%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (__%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (__%)
	  	 	                        	 

 The Administrator may at any time accelerate the vesting schedule specified in this Paragraph 2. 

3. Termination of Service Relationship. If the Grantee’s Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary terminates for any
reason (including death or disability) prior to the satisfaction of the vesting conditions set forth in Paragraph 2 above, any Restricted Stock Units that have not vested as of such date shall automatically and without notice terminate and be
forfeited, and neither the Grantee nor any of his or her successors, heirs, assigns, or personal representatives will thereafter have any further rights or interests in such unvested Restricted Stock Units. 












 4. Issuance of Shares of Stock. As soon as practicable following each Vesting Date
(but in no event later than two and one-half months after the end of the year in which the Vesting Date occurs), the Company shall issue to the Grantee the number of shares of Stock equal to the aggregate
number of Restricted Stock Units that have vested pursuant to Paragraph 2 of this Agreement on such date and the Grantee shall thereafter have all the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to such shares. 

5. Incorporation of Plan. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this Agreement shall be subject to and governed by all the
terms and conditions of the Plan, including the powers of the Administrator set forth in Section 2(b) of the Plan. Capitalized terms in this Agreement shall have the meaning specified in the Plan, unless a different meaning is specified herein.

 6. Tax Withholding. The Grantee shall, not later than the date as of which the receipt of this Award becomes a taxable event for
Federal income tax purposes, pay to the Company or make arrangements satisfactory to the Administrator for payment of any Federal, state, and local taxes required by law to be withheld on account of such taxable event. The Company shall have the
authority to cause the required tax withholding obligation to be satisfied, in whole or in part, by (i) withholding from shares of Stock to be issued to the Grantee a number of shares of Stock with an aggregate Fair Market Value that would
satisfy the withholding amount due; or (ii) causing its transfer agent to sell from the number of shares of Stock to be issued to the Grantee, the number of shares of Stock necessary to satisfy the Federal, state and local taxes required by law
to be withheld from the Grantee on account of such transfer. 
 7. Section 409A of the Code. This Agreement shall be interpreted in
such a manner that all provisions relating to the settlement of the Award are exempt from the requirements of Section 409A of the Code as “short-term deferrals” as described in Section 409A of the Code. 

8. No Obligation to Continue Service Relationship. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is obligated by or as a result of the Plan or
this Agreement to continue the Grantee’s Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary and neither the Plan nor this Agreement shall interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate the Grantee’s
Service Relationship with the Company or a Subsidiary at any time. 
 9. Integration. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement
between the parties with respect to this Award and supersedes all prior agreements and discussions between the parties concerning such subject matter. 

10. Data Privacy Consent. In order to administer the Plan and this Agreement and to implement or structure future equity grants, the
Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates and certain agents thereof (together, the “Relevant Companies”) may process any and all personal or professional data, including but not limited to Social Security or other identification number,
home address and telephone number, date of birth and other information that is necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan and/or this Agreement (the “Relevant Information”). By entering


  
 2 













 
into this Agreement, the Grantee (i) authorizes the Company to collect, process, register and transfer to the Relevant Companies all Relevant Information; (ii) waives any privacy rights
the Grantee may have with respect to the Relevant Information; (iii) authorizes the Relevant Companies to store and transmit such information in electronic form; and (iv) authorizes the transfer of the Relevant Information to any
jurisdiction in which the Relevant Companies consider appropriate. The Grantee shall have access to, and the right to change, the Relevant Information. Relevant Information will only be used in accordance with applicable law. 

11. Notices. Notices hereunder shall be mailed or delivered to the Company at its principal place of business and shall be mailed or
delivered to the Grantee at the address on file with the Company or, in either case, at such other address as one party may subsequently furnish to the other party in writing. 

 

			
	AURA BIOSCIENCES, INC.
		
	By:	 	  

		 	Title:


 The foregoing Agreement is hereby accepted and the terms and conditions thereof hereby agreed to by the undersigned.
Electronic acceptance of this Agreement pursuant to the Company’s instructions to the Grantee (including through an online acceptance process) is acceptable. 
  

							
	Dated:                                     
       	 		 		 	  

		 		 		 	Grantee’s Signature
				
		 		 		 	Grantee’s name and address:
		 		 		 	  

		 		 		 	  

		 		 		 	  



  
 3 













 RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT 

FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS 

UNDER THE AURA BIOSCIENCES, INC. 

2021 STOCK OPTION AND INCENTIVE PLAN 
  

			
	Name of Grantee:	  	                                      
                                  
		
	No. of Restricted Stock Units:	  	                                      
  
		
	Grant Date:	  	                                      
  

 Pursuant to the Aura Biosciences, Inc. 2021 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, as amended through the date
hereof (the “Plan”), Aura Biosciences, Inc. (the “Company”) hereby grants an award of the number of Restricted Stock Units listed above (an “Award”) to the Grantee named above. Each Restricted Stock Unit shall relate to
one share of Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Stock”), of the Company. 
 1. Restrictions on Transfer of
Award. This Award may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise encumbered or disposed of by the Grantee, and any shares of Stock issuable with respect to the Award may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise
encumbered or disposed of until (i) the Restricted Stock Units have vested as provided in Paragraph 2 of this Agreement and (ii) shares of Stock have been issued to the Grantee in accordance with the terms of the Plan and this Agreement.

 2. Vesting of Restricted Stock Units. The restrictions and conditions of Paragraph 1 of this Agreement shall lapse on the
Vesting Date or Dates specified in the following schedule so long as the Grantee remains in service as a member of the Board on such Vesting Dates. If a series of Vesting Dates is specified, then the restrictions and conditions in Paragraph 1
shall lapse only with respect to the number of Restricted Stock Units specified as vested on such date. 
  

					
	 Incremental Number of

Restricted Stock Units Vested
	  	Vesting Date	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 

 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in the Plan, all outstanding Restricted Stock Units shall
become fully vested upon a Sale Event. The Administrator may at any time accelerate the vesting schedule specified in this Paragraph 2. 
 3.
Termination of Service as a Non-Employee Director. If the Grantee’s service with the Company as a member of the Board terminates for any reason (including death or disability) prior to the
satisfaction of the vesting conditions set forth in Paragraph 2 above, any Restricted Stock Units that have not vested as of such date shall automatically and without notice terminate and be forfeited, and neither the Grantee nor any of his or her
successors, heirs, assigns, or personal representatives will thereafter have any further rights or interests in such unvested Restricted Stock Units. 












 4. Issuance of Shares of Stock. As soon as practicable following each Vesting Date
(but in no event later than two and one-half months after the end of the year in which the Vesting Date occurs), the Company shall issue to the Grantee the number of shares of Stock equal to the aggregate
number of Restricted Stock Units that have vested pursuant to Paragraph 2 of this Agreement on such date and the Grantee shall thereafter have all the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to such shares. 

5. Incorporation of Plan. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this Agreement shall be subject to and governed by all the
terms and conditions of the Plan, including the powers of the Administrator set forth in Section 2(b) of the Plan. Capitalized terms in this Agreement shall have the meaning specified in the Plan, unless a different meaning is specified herein.

 6. Section 409A of the Code. This Agreement shall be interpreted in such a manner that all provisions relating to the settlement of
the Award are exempt from the requirements of Section 409A of the Code as “short-term deferrals” as described in Section 409A of the Code. 

7. No Obligation to Continue as a Non-Employee Director. Neither the Plan nor this Award confers
upon the Grantee any rights with respect to continuance as a Non-Employee Director. 
 8.
Integration. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to this Award and supersedes all prior agreements and discussions between the parties concerning such subject matter. 

9. Data Privacy Consent. In order to administer the Plan and this Agreement and to implement or structure future equity grants, the
Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates and certain agents thereof (together, the “Relevant Companies”) may process any and all personal or professional data, including but not limited to Social Security or other identification number,
home address and telephone number, date of birth and other information that is necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan and/or this Agreement (the “Relevant Information”). By entering into this Agreement, the Grantee
(i) authorizes the Company to collect, process, register and transfer to the Relevant Companies all Relevant Information; (ii) waives any privacy rights the Grantee may have with respect to the Relevant Information; (iii) authorizes
the Relevant Companies to store and transmit such information in electronic form; and (iv) authorizes the transfer of the Relevant Information to any jurisdiction in which the Relevant Companies consider appropriate. The Grantee shall have
access to, and the right to change, the Relevant Information. Relevant Information will only be used in accordance with applicable law. 

10. Notices. Notices hereunder shall be mailed or delivered to the Company at its principal place of business and shall be mailed or
delivered to the Grantee at the address on file with the Company or, in either case, at such other address as one party may subsequently furnish to the other party in writing. 

  
 2 













 
			
	AURA BIOSCIENCES, INC.


 
			
		
	By:	 	  

		 	Title:


 The foregoing Agreement is hereby accepted and the terms and conditions thereof hereby agreed to by the undersigned.
Electronic acceptance of this Agreement pursuant to the Company’s instructions to the Grantee (including through an online acceptance process) is acceptable. 
  

							
	Dated:                                    
                    	 		 		 	  

		 		 		 	Grantee’s Signature
				
		 		 		 	Grantee’s name and address:
				
		 		 		 	  

				
		 		 		 	  

				
		 		 		 	  



  
 3 













 NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT 

FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS 

UNDER THE AURA BIOSCIENCES, INC. 

2021 STOCK OPTION AND INCENTIVE PLAN 
  

			
	Name of Optionee:	  	                                      
                                      
		
	No. of Option Shares:	  	                                      
  
		
	Option Exercise Price per Share:	  	$                                      

		  	[FMV on Grant Date]
		
	Grant Date:	  	                                      
  
		
	Expiration Date:	  	                                      
  
		  	[No more than 10 years]

 Pursuant to the Aura Biosciences, Inc.. 2021 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, as amended through the date
hereof (the “Plan”), Aura Biosciences, Inc. (the “Company”) hereby grants to the Optionee named above, who is a Non-Employee Director of the Company but is not an employee of the Company,
an option (the “Stock Option”) to purchase on or prior to the Expiration Date specified above all or part of the number of shares of Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Stock”), of the Company specified above at the
Option Exercise Price per Share specified above subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Plan. This Stock Option is not intended to be an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended. 
 1. Exercisability Schedule. No portion of this Stock Option may be exercised until such portion shall have
become exercisable. Except as set forth below, and subject to the discretion of the Administrator (as defined in Section 2 of the Plan) to accelerate the exercisability schedule hereunder, this Stock Option shall be exercisable with respect to
the following number of Option Shares on the dates indicated so long as the Optionee remains in service as a member of the Board on such dates: 
  

					
	 Incremental Number of

Option Shares Exercisable
	  	Exercisability Date	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 
	 _____________ (___%)
	  	 	                        	 

 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in the Plan, all outstanding Option Shares shall become
fully exercisable upon a Sale Event. Once exercisable, this Stock Option shall continue to be exercisable at any time or times prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, subject to the provisions hereof and of the Plan. 












 2. Manner of Exercise. 

(a) The Optionee may exercise this Stock Option only in the following manner: from time to time on or prior to the Expiration Date of this
Stock Option, the Optionee may give written notice to the Administrator of his or her election to purchase some or all of the Option Shares purchasable at the time of such notice. This notice shall specify the number of Option Shares to be
purchased. 
 Payment of the purchase price for the Option Shares may be made by one or more of the following methods: (i) in cash, by
certified or bank check or other instrument acceptable to the Administrator; (ii) through the delivery (or attestation to the ownership) of shares of Stock that have been purchased by the Optionee on the open market or that are beneficially
owned by the Optionee and are not then subject to any restrictions under any Company plan and that otherwise satisfy any holding periods as may be required by the Administrator; (iii) by the Optionee delivering to the Company a properly
executed exercise notice together with irrevocable instructions to a broker to promptly deliver to the Company cash or a check payable and acceptable to the Company to pay the option purchase price, provided that in the event the Optionee chooses to
pay the option purchase price as so provided, the Optionee and the broker shall comply with such procedures and enter into such agreements of indemnity and other agreements as the Administrator shall prescribe as a condition of such payment
procedure; (iv) by a “net exercise” arrangement pursuant to which the Company will reduce the number of shares of Stock issuable upon exercise by the largest whole number of shares with a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the
aggregate exercise price; or (v) a combination of (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) above. Payment instruments will be received subject to collection. 

The transfer to the Optionee on the records of the Company or of the transfer agent of the Option Shares will be contingent upon (i) the
Company’s receipt from the Optionee of the full purchase price for the Option Shares, as set forth above, (ii) the fulfillment of any other requirements contained herein or in the Plan or in any other agreement or provision of laws, and
(iii) the receipt by the Company of any agreement, statement or other evidence that the Company may require to satisfy itself that the issuance of Stock to be purchased pursuant to the exercise of Stock Options under the Plan and any subsequent
resale of the shares of Stock will be in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. In the event the Optionee chooses to pay the purchase price by previously-owned shares of Stock through the attestation method, the number of shares of Stock
transferred to the Optionee upon the exercise of the Stock Option shall be net of the shares of Stock attested to. 
 (b) The shares of Stock
purchased upon exercise of this Stock Option shall be transferred to the Optionee on the records of the Company or of the transfer agent upon compliance to the satisfaction of the Administrator with all requirements under applicable laws or
regulations in connection with such transfer and with the requirements hereof and of the Plan. The determination of the Administrator as to such compliance shall be final and binding on the Optionee. The Optionee shall not be deemed to be the holder
of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares of Stock subject to this Stock Option unless and until this Stock 

  
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Option shall have been exercised pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company or the transfer agent shall have transferred the shares to the Optionee, and the Optionee’s name shall have been
entered as the stockholder of record on the books of the Company. Thereupon, the Optionee shall have full voting, dividend and other ownership rights with respect to such shares of Stock. 

(c) The minimum number of shares with respect to which this Stock Option may be exercised at any one time shall be 100 shares, unless the
number of shares with respect to which this Stock Option is being exercised is the total number of shares subject to exercise under this Stock Option at the time. 

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision hereof or of the Plan, no portion of this Stock Option shall be exercisable after the Expiration Date
hereof. 
 3. Termination as Non-Employee Director. If the Optionee ceases to be a Non-Employee Director of the Company, the period within which to exercise the Stock Option may be subject to earlier termination as set forth below. 

(a) Termination Due to Death. If the Optionee’s service as a Non-Employee Director
terminates by reason of the Optionee’s death, any portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date, to the extent exercisable on the date of death, may thereafter be exercised by the Optionee’s legal representative or legatee for a
period of 12 months from the date of death or until the Expiration Date, if earlier. Any portion of this Stock Option that is not exercisable on the date of death shall terminate immediately and be of no further force or effect. 

(b) Other Termination. If the Optionee ceases to be a Non-Employee Director for any reason other
than the Optionee’s death, any portion of this Stock Option outstanding on such date may be exercised, to the extent exercisable on the date the Optionee ceased to be a Non-Employee Director, for a period
of six months from the date the Optionee ceased to be a Non-Employee Director or until the Expiration Date, if earlier. Any portion of this Stock Option that is not exercisable on the date the Optionee ceases
to be a Non-Employee Director shall terminate immediately and be of no further force or effect. 
 4.
Incorporation of Plan. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this Stock Option shall be subject to and governed by all the terms and conditions of the Plan, including the powers of the Administrator set forth in Section 2(b)
of the Plan. Capitalized terms in this Agreement shall have the meaning specified in the Plan, unless a different meaning is specified herein. 

5. Transferability. This Agreement is personal to the Optionee, is non-assignable and is not
transferable in any manner, by operation of law or otherwise, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. This Stock Option is exercisable, during the Optionee’s lifetime, only by the Optionee, and thereafter, only by the
Optionee’s legal representative or legatee. 
 6. No Obligation to Continue as a Non-Employee
Director. Neither the Plan nor this Stock Option confers upon the Optionee any rights with respect to continuance as a Non-Employee Director. 

  
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 7. Integration. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties
with respect to this Stock Option and supersedes all prior agreements and discussions between the parties concerning such subject matter. 

8. Data Privacy Consent. In order to administer the Plan and this Agreement and to implement or structure future equity grants, the
Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates and certain agents thereof (together, the “Relevant Companies”) may process any and all personal or professional data, including but not limited to Social Security or other identification number,
home address and telephone number, date of birth and other information that is necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan and/or this Agreement (the “Relevant Information”). By entering into this Agreement, the Optionee
(i) authorizes the Company to collect, process, register and transfer to the Relevant Companies all Relevant Information; (ii) waives any privacy rights the Optionee may have with respect to the Relevant Information; (iii) authorizes
the Relevant Companies to store and transmit such information in electronic form; and (iv) authorizes the transfer of the Relevant Information to any jurisdiction in which the Relevant Companies consider appropriate. The Optionee shall have
access to, and the right to change, the Relevant Information. Relevant Information will only be used in accordance with applicable law. 
 9.
Notices. Notices hereunder shall be mailed or delivered to the Company at its principal place of business and shall be mailed or delivered to the Optionee at the address on file with the Company or, in either case, at such other address as
one party may subsequently furnish to the other party in writing. 
  

			
	AURA BIOSCIENCES, INC.


 
			
		
	By:	 	  

		 	Title:


 The foregoing Agreement is hereby accepted and the terms and conditions thereof hereby agreed to by the undersigned.
Electronic acceptance of this Agreement pursuant to the Company’s instructions to the Optionee (including through an online acceptance process) is acceptable. 
  

							
	Dated:                                     
                   	 		 		 	  

		 		 		 	Optionee’s Signature
				
		 		 		 	Optionee’s name and address:
				
		 		 		 	  

				
		 		 		 	  

				
		 		 		 	  



  
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