Aura Biosciences Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing precision immunotherapies for solid tumors, designed to preserve organ function in cancer patients. The company leverages a proprietary platform using virus-like particles, or VLPs, conjugated with drugs or loaded with nucleic acids to create virus-like drug conjugates, or VDCs, enabling targeted treatment of various solid tumors. Its lead candidate, bel-sar (belzupacap sarotalocan), is in late-stage clinical development for primary choroidal melanoma and other ocular oncology indications, and in early-stage development for bladder cancer. This approach aims to selectively destroy cancer cells while activating the immune system for long-lasting anti-tumor effects. Aura Biosciences focuses on oncology, particularly in ocular and urologic cancers, serving oncologists and healthcare institutions primarily in the United States. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company operates in the biotechnology sector, advancing therapies for rare and challenging cancer types where traditional treatments often compromise vision or organ function.