SEC Form S-8 filed by Barinthus Biotherapeutics plc

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 20, 2025

Registration No. 333-       

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8 REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Under

The Securities Act of 1933

BARINTHUS BIOTHERAPEUTICS PLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Share Award Plan 2021

2021 Employee Share Purchase Plan

(Full Title of the Plans)

William Enright

President

Barinthus Biotherapeutics North America, Inc.

855 N. Wolfe Street, Suite 102

Baltimore, MD 21205

+1 (410) 916-7930

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copies to:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ¨

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Registration Statement on Form S-8 relating to the Share Award Plan 2021 (the “2021 Plan”) and the 2021 Employee Share Purchase Plan (the “2021 ESPP”) of Barinthus Biotherapeutics plc (the “Registrant”) registers additional securities of the same class as other securities for which registration statements filed on Form S-8 (SEC File No. 333-255664, SEC File No. 333-263844, SEC File No. 333-270815 and SEC File No. 333-278111) of the Registrant are effective. Accordingly, the information contained in the Registrant’s registration statements on Form S-8 (SEC File No. 333-255664, SEC File No. 333-263844, SEC File No. 333-270815 and SEC File No. 333-278111) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2021, March 25, 2022, March 24, 2023 and March 20, 2024, respectively, is hereby incorporated by reference pursuant to General Instruction E.

The number of securities reserved and available for issuance under the 2021 Plan is subject to an automatic annual increase on each January 1 by an amount equal to the lesser of: (i) 4.0% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares as of January 1 of such year, or (ii) such amount as determined by the Compensation Committee of the Registrant’s Board of Directors. Accordingly, on January 1, 2025, the number of ordinary shares reserved and available for issuance under the 2021 Plan increased by 1,609,386 shares. The number of securities reserved and available for issuance under the 2021 ESPP is also subject to an automatic annual increase on each January 1, beginning in 2022, by an amount equal to the lesser of: (i) 735,136 Shares, (ii) 1.0% of the amount of ordinary shares issued and outstanding on the immediately preceding December 31, or (iii) such lesser number of ordinary shares determined by the Compensation Committee of the Registrant’s Board of Directors. Accordingly, on January 1, 2025, the number of ordinary shares reserved and available for issuance under the 2021 ESPP increased by 402,346 shares.

Part II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 8. Exhibits.

See the Exhibit Index for a list of exhibits filed as part of this Registration Statement, which Exhibit Index is incorporated herein by reference.

EXHIBIT INDEX

*            Filed herewith.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Village of Harwell, United Kingdom, on the 20^th day of March, 2025.

POWER OF ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES

KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENT, that each individual whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints each of William Enright and Gemma Brown as such person’s true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person in such person’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement on Form S-8, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that any said attorney- in-fact and agent, or any substitute or substitutes of any of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following person in the capacities and on the date indicated.