Aurinia Files Form S-8 to Register Shares Underlying Previously Disclosed Inducement Awards for Newly Hired Employees

EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: AUPH) (Aurinia or the Company) today announced the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Under U.S. federal securities laws, equity awards issued as employee compensation must be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, via an S-8 registration statement or qualify for an exemption from registration. This Form S-8 registers previously issued and disclosed stock options and restricted stock units (RSUs) that were granted as inducement awards to employees entering employment with Aurinia in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

Aurinia will not receive any proceeds from any sales of shares underlying such equity awards by the employees that are registered under this Form S-8. However, upon the exercise of stock options exercisable for shares covered by the Form S-8, Aurinia will receive the proceeds from such exercise. Under SEC rules and regulations for the shares underlying equity awards to be freely tradeable, an S-8 registration statement must be filed. The filing is administrative in nature and solely relates to equity awards (options and RSUs) that have already been publicly disclosed.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy these securities nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Aurinia

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals is a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company focused on delivering therapies to treat targeted patient populations with a high unmet medical need that are impacted by autoimmune, kidney and rare diseases. In January 2021, the Company introduced LUPKYNIS^® (voclosporin), the first FDA-approved oral therapy for the treatment of adult patients with active lupus nephritis (LN). The Company’s head office is in Edmonton, Alberta, its U.S. commercial hub is in Rockville, Maryland, and the Company focuses its development efforts globally.