BOSTON, May 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aura Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: AURA), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing precision immunotherapies to treat solid tumors designed to preserve the function of the organ with cancer, today announced that it will host a virtual KOL event on Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at 2:00 PM ET. To register, click here.

The event will feature Carol Shields, MD (Wills Eye Hospital), Hakan Demirci, MD (University of Michigan), and Mandeep Sagoo, MB, PhD, FRCS (Ed), FRCOPTH (Moorfields Eye Hospital), who will discuss the unmet medical need and current treatment landscape for patients suffering from ocular cancers, such as primary uveal melanoma, metastases to the choroid, and cancers of the ocular surface. It will also highlight Aura's ocular oncology pipeline, focusing on its lead candidate bel-sar, which is currently in development as a potential vision-sparing therapy in the global Phase 3 CoMpass trial for the first-line treatment of adult patients with early-stage uveal melanoma.

Aura's Therapeutic Area Head Ocular Oncology Anthony Daniels, MD will join the KOLs for a panel discussion moderated by Chris Howerton, PhD from LifeSci Advisors.

A live question and answer session will follow the formal presentations.

The live webcast of the event will be available on the "Investors & Media" page under the "Events & Presentations" section of Aura's website at where a replay of the webcast will be archived for 90 days following the presentation date.

About Carol Shields, MD

Carol Shields, MD completed her ophthalmology training at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia and completed fellowship training in ocular oncology, oculoplastic surgery, and ophthalmic pathology. She is currently Director of the Oncology Service, Wills Eye Hospital, and Professor of Ophthalmology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. She has authored or coauthored 12 textbooks, 341 chapters in edited textbooks, over 2000 articles in major peer-reviewed journals, and given over 1000 lectureships. Dr. Carol Shields is a member of numerous ocular oncology, pathology, and retina societies. She serves on the editorial or advisory board of 31 journals, including JAMA Ophthalmology and RETINA. She practices Ocular Oncology on a full-time basis with her husband, Dr. Jerry Shields and associates on the Oncology Service at Wills Eye Hospital. Each year the Oncology Service manages approximately 500 patients with uveal melanoma, 120 patients with retinoblastoma, and hundreds of other intraocular, orbital, and conjunctival tumors from the United States and abroad.

About Hakan Demirci, MD

Hakan Demirci, MD is the Richard N. and Marilyn K. Witham Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, where he also serves as Director of the Ocular Oncology Service. He specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of eye cancers, including intraocular, conjunctival, and orbital tumors. Dr. Demirci's research focuses on the early detection of eye cancers, targeted therapies, and metastasis prevention. He completed his medical degree at Hacettepe University in Turkey, followed by residencies at Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey in 1997 and in Ophthalmology at Henry Ford Hospital in 2010. He also completed fellowships in Ocular Oncology at Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University in 2001 and 2023 and in Eye Plastic, Orbital and Facial Cosmetic Surgery at Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan in 2006.

About Mandeep Sagoo, MB, PhD, FRCS (Ed), FRCOPTH

Mandeep Sagoo, MB, PhD, FRCS (Ed), FRCOPTH is Professor of Ophthalmology and Ocular Oncology at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and a consultant ophthalmic surgeon with subspecialist interest in adult and pediatric eye tumors at the London Ocular Oncology Service at Moorfields Eye Hospital and St. Bartholomew's Hospital and the London Retinoblastoma Service at Royal London Hospital. Mandeep graduated from Cambridge University and did his residency in ophthalmology at Oxford and then Moorfields Eye Hospital. His fellowship training was in ocular oncology, as a Fulbright Scholar, under Dr Jerry Shields and Dr Carol Shields at Wills Eye Hospital and his medical retina fellowship was at Moorfields. He holds over 20 academic awards and prizes, including the Gedge Prize of Cambridge University, John Glyn Young Fellows Prize of Royal Society of Medicine, PJ Hay Medal of the North of England Ophthalmology Society, the Syme Medal, and the King James IV Professorship of Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He has written multiple book chapters and over 200 academic papers. He is a member of Macula Society, council member of Oxford Ophthalmological Congress, and has served as honorary secretary of the International Society of Ocular Oncology. He led the clinical team that fitted the world's first fully digitally made 3D printed ocular prosthetic.

About Aura Biosciences

Aura Biosciences is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing precision immunotherapies to treat solid tumors designed to preserve the function of the organ with cancer. Our lead candidate bel-sar is in late-stage clinical development for the treatment of patients with primary uveal melanoma, and other ocular oncology indications as well as in early-stage clinical development in bladder cancer. We are evaluating the safety and efficacy of bel-sar as a potential vision-sparing therapy in an ongoing global Phase 3 CoMpass trial for the first-line treatment of adult patients with early-stage uveal melanoma. Bel-sar is also being evaluated in additional solid cancers, including bladder cancer. Our mission is to develop vision and organ-sparing therapies to improve patient outcomes in cancer. Aura is headquartered in Boston, MA. For more information, visit aurabiosciences.com. Visit us @AuraBiosciences and on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, and other federal securities laws. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward looking statements. Words such as "may," "will," "could," "should," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "projects," "seeks," "endeavor," "potential," "continue" or the negative of such words or other similar expressions that can be used to identify forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements include express or implied statements regarding Aura's future expectations, plans and prospects, including, without limitation, statements regarding the therapeutic potential of bel-sar for the treatment of cancers including early-stage uveal melanoma.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are neither promises nor guarantees, and investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond Aura's control and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, uncertainties inherent in clinical trials and in the availability and timing of data from ongoing clinical trials; the expected timing for submissions for regulatory approval or review by governmental authorities; the risk that the results of Aura's preclinical and clinical trials may not be predictive of future results in connection with future clinical trials; the risk that interim data from ongoing clinical trials may not be predictive of final data from completed clinical trials; the risk that governmental authorities may disagree with Aura's clinical trial designs, even where Aura has obtained agreement with governmental authorities on the design of such trials, such as the Phase 3 special protocol assessment agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; whether Aura will receive regulatory approvals to conduct trials or to market products; whether Aura's cash resources will be sufficient to fund its foreseeable and unforeseeable operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements; Aura's ongoing and planned preclinical activities; and Aura's ability to initiate, enroll, conduct or complete ongoing and planned clinical trials. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include those risks and uncertainties described under the heading "Risk Factors" in Aura's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and in subsequent filings made by Aura with the SEC, which are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Except as required by law, Aura disclaims any intention or responsibility for updating or revising any forward-looking statements contained in this press release in the event of new information, future developments or otherwise. These forward-looking statements are based on Aura's current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof and no representations or warranties (express or implied) are made about the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements.

Investor and Media Contact:

Alex Dasalla
Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
IR@aurabiosciences.com