Aura Biosciences is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing precision cancer therapies designed to preserve organ function while treating tumors. The company's lead product, bel-sar, is a virus-like drug conjugate combining modified human papillomavirus capsid proteins with light-activated cytotoxic molecules, which works through direct tumor cell destruction upon light activation and secondary immune-mediated antitumor response. Bel-sar is in late-stage development across multiple oncology indications, with early choroidal melanoma as the lead program, as well as clinical programs in other ocular cancers and bladder cancer, targeting patients where current standard-of-care treatments such as radiotherapy and enucleation result in significant vision loss or functional impairment. Upon approval, the company intends to commercialize independently in ocular oncology, leveraging a focused specialist physician base, while the broader bladder cancer market represents a significant commercial opportunity given disease prevalence and treatment burden globally.