[S-8] Cue Biopharma, Inc. Employee Benefit Plan Registration

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Cue Biopharma filed a Form S-8 to register securities under its 2025 Stock Incentive Plan, enabling the company to grant equity awards to employees, directors and other service providers. The registration statement incorporates by reference the company’s annual report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, its quarterly reports for the quarters ended March 31, 2025 and June 30, 2025, and a set of current reports and other SEC filings, and it updates the company’s description of its common stock via Exhibit 4.2 to the 2024 annual report.

The filing omits plan narrative from Part I because those documents were provided separately to plan participants under Rule 428; exhibits included or incorporated by reference cover the 2025 Stock Incentive Plan, the amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws, legal opinion and auditor consents, a power of attorney and the calculation of filing fee tables. The statement also summarizes the company’s indemnification framework for directors and officers, including indemnification agreements and directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.

Positive

• Registers equity awards under the 2025 Stock Incentive Plan, enabling formal employee and service-provider equity compensation
• Incorporates key SEC filings by reference, including the 2024 annual report and quarterly reports, ensuring continuity of disclosure
• Affirms indemnification protections for directors and officers and notes maintenance of D&O insurance
• Filing includes or references material exhibits: plan document, amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws, legal opinion and auditor consents

Negative

• The provided excerpt does not disclose the number of shares or aggregate offering size being registered, so dilution cannot be quantified
• Plan information is omitted from Part I of the filing and was provided separately to participants under Rule 428, limiting visibility within the registration statement
• No financial or dilution metrics are included in the text provided, preventing assessment of the plan’s potential impact on EPS or share count

Insights

Equity Compensation Specialist

TL;DR Routine S-8 registration to enable employee equity grants; minimal immediate market impact but permits future grants.

The Form S-8 registers securities under the 2025 Stock Incentive Plan, which is the standard mechanism for granting stock-based compensation to employees, directors and service providers. The plan document itself is incorporated by reference as an exhibit and Part I plan disclosures were provided to participants under Rule 428, consistent with common practice. The filing does not disclose share counts or dilution metrics in the provided excerpt, so the potential dilutive impact cannot be assessed from this text alone. Impact to shareholders is procedural unless and until specific award sizes or share limits are disclosed.

Corporate Governance Expert

TL;DR Governance and indemnification provisions reaffirmed; indemnification, advancement and D&O insurance are clearly described.

The registration statement summarizes indemnification under Delaware law, citing Section 145 and Section 102(b)(7) principles and noting that the company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide for indemnification and advancement of expenses. It also discloses that the company maintains directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and has entered into indemnification agreements with each director and executive officer. These disclosures align with standard corporate governance protections and reduce personal liability risk for management, though they do not eliminate statutory exceptions to liability.

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 12, 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

Cue Biopharma, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware		47-3324577
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
40 Guest Street Boston, MA		02135
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

2025 Stock Incentive Plan

(Full title of the plan)

Daniel R. Passeri

Chief Executive Officer

Cue Biopharma, Inc.

40 Guest Street

Boston, MA 02135

(Name and address of agent for service)

(617) 949-2680

(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

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.

Large accelerated filer		☐		Accelerated filer		☐
Non-accelerated filer		☒		Smaller reporting company		☒
				Emerging growth company		☐

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. ☐

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1. Plan Information.

The information required by Item 1 is omitted from this registration statement and included in documents sent or given to participants in the plan covered by this registration statement pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and the Note to Part I of Form S-8.

Item 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.

The written statement required by Item 2 is omitted from this registration statement and included in documents sent or given to participants in the plan covered by this registration statement pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act and the Note to Part I of Form S-8.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The Registrant is subject to the informational and reporting requirements of Sections 13(a), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and in accordance therewith files reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”). The following documents, which are on file with the Commission, are incorporated in this registration statement by reference:

(a)The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the Commission on March 31, 2025, including the information specifically incorporated by reference into the Annual Report on Form 10-K from the Registrant’s definitive proxy statement for the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders;

(b)The Registrant’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2025 and June 30, 2025, as filed with the Commission on May 12, 2025 and August 12, 2025, respectively;

(c)The Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the Commission on March 12, 2025, April 14, 2025, April 15, 2025 (excluding Item 2.02), June 10, 2025 and July 1, 2025; and

(d)The description of the Registrant’s common stock contained in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A, as filed with the Commission on December 13, 2017, as the description therein has been updated and superseded by the description of the Registrant’s capital stock contained in Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the Commission on March 31, 2025, and including any amendments and reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for the purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Not applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The following summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) and the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) and the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Bylaws.

Section 145 of the DGCL provides, generally, that a corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (except actions by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation against all expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in

settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. A corporation may similarly indemnify such person for expenses actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of any action or suit by or in the right of the corporation, provided that such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, in the case of claims, issues and matters as to which such person shall have been adjudged liable to the corporation, provided that a court shall have determined, upon application, that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all of the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which such court shall deem proper.

Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL provides, generally, that the Certificate of Incorporation may contain a provision eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director or officer to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer, provided that such provision may not eliminate or limit the liability of (i) a director or officer for any breach of the director’s or officer’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) a director or officer for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) a director under section 174 of the DGCL, (iv) a director or officer for any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit, or (v) an officer in any action by or in the right of the corporation. No such provision may eliminate or limit the liability of a director or officer for any act or omission occurring prior to the date when such provision became effective.

Article VI of the Certificate of Incorporation states that the Registrant’s directors shall not be personally liable to the Registrant or to its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, notwithstanding any provision of law imposing such liability. Under Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty can be limited or eliminated except (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders; (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL (relating to unlawful payment of dividend or unlawful stock purchase or redemption); or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

Article V of the Certificate of Incorporation provides that the Registrant shall indemnify (and advance expenses to) its officers and directors to the full extent permitted by the DGCL.

The Registrant has directors’ and officers’ liability insurance insuring its directors and officers against liability for acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers, subject to certain exclusions. Such insurance also insures the Registrant against losses which it may incur in indemnifying its officers and directors. As permitted by the DGCL, the Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and executive officers that require the Registrant to indemnify such persons against various actions including, but not limited to, third-party actions where such director or executive officer, by reason of his or her corporate status, is a party or is threatened to be made a party to an action, or by reason of anything done or not done by such director in any such capacity. The Registrant intends to indemnify directors and executive officers against all costs, judgments, penalties, fines, liabilities, amounts paid in settlement by or on behalf of such directors or executive officers and for any expenses actually and reasonably incurred by such directors or executive officers in connection with such action, if such directors or executive officers acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Registrant, and with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful. The Registrant also intends to advance to its directors and executive officers’ expenses (including attorney’s fees) incurred by such directors and executive officers in advance of the final disposition of any action after the receipt by the Registrant of a statement or statements from directors or executive officers requesting such payment or payments from time to time, provided that such statement or statements are accompanied by an undertaking, by or on behalf of such directors or executive officers, to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that they are not entitled to be indemnified against such expenses by the Registrant.

The indemnification agreements also set forth certain procedures that will apply in the event of a claim for indemnification or advancement of expenses, including, among others, provisions about providing notice to the Registrant of any action in connection with which a director or executive officer seeks indemnification or

advancement of expenses from the Registrant and provisions concerning the determination of entitlement to indemnification or advancement of expenses.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

The following exhibits are incorporated herein by reference:

Number		Description
4.1		Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (File No. 001-38327) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 12, 2025)
4.2		Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.5 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-220550) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 5, 2017)
5.1*		Opinion of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, counsel to the Registrant
23.1*		Consent of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.2*		Consent of RSM US LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
24.1*		Power of attorney (included on the signature pages of this registration statement)
99.1		Cue Biopharma, Inc. 2025 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-38327) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 10, 2025)
107*		Calculation of Filing Fee Tables

* Filed herewith.

Item 9. Undertakings.

1.The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

a.To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

i.To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

ii.To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Filing Fee Tables” in the effective registration statement; and

iii.To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (i) and (ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

b.That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

c.To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

2.The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

3.Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

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 City of Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on this 12th day of August, 2025.

CUE BIOPHARMA, INC.
By:		/s/ Daniel R. Passeri
		Daniel R. Passeri
		Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES

We, the undersigned officers and directors of Cue Biopharma, Inc., hereby severally constitute and appoint Daniel R. Passeri, Lucinda Warren and Colin Sandercock, and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys with full power to them, and each of them singly, to sign for us and in our names in the capacities indicated below, the registration statement on Form S-8 filed herewith and any and all subsequent amendments to said registration statement, and generally to do all such things in our names and on our behalf in our capacities as officers and directors to enable Cue Biopharma, Inc. to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said attorneys, or any of them, to said registration statement and any and all amendments thereto.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature		Title		Date
/s/ Daniel R. Passeri Daniel R. Passeri		Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal executive, financial and accounting officer)		August 12, 2025
/s/ Jill Broadfoot Jill Broadfoot		Director		August 12, 2025
/s/ Pamela Garzone Pamela Garzone		Director		August 12, 2025
/s/ Patrick Verheyen		Director		August 12, 2025
Patrick Verheyen
/s/ Peter Kiener		Director		August 12, 2025
Peter Kiener
/s/ Frank Morich		Director		August 12, 2025
Frank Morich
/s/ Pasha Sarraf		Director		August 12, 2025
Pasha Sarraf

FAQ

What does Cue Biopharma’s Form S-8 for CUE register?

The filing registers securities to be issued under the 2025 Stock Incentive Plan for employees, directors and other service providers.

How many shares are covered by the CUE 2025 Stock Incentive Plan registration?

The number of shares or aggregate offering size is not disclosed in the provided excerpt; the filing references Calculation of Filing Fee Tables (Exhibit 107) and the plan (Exhibit 99.1) for detailed figures.

Which SEC filings does the Form S-8 incorporate by reference?

It incorporates the company’s annual report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, quarterly reports for the quarters ended March 31, 2025 and June 30, 2025, and certain current reports and other filings identified in the statement.

Are the Stock Incentive Plan documents included in this filing?

The plan is incorporated by reference (Exhibit 99.1) and Part I plan disclosures were provided separately to participants pursuant to Rule 428.

What indemnification protections for directors and officers does the filing describe?

The filing summarizes indemnification under Delaware law, states that the certificate of incorporation limits director liability where permitted, notes indemnification agreements with each director and officer, and discloses D&O insurance and advancement of expenses.

Who authorized or signed the registration statement for Cue Biopharma (CUE)?

The registration statement is signed on behalf of Cue Biopharma by Daniel R. Passeri as Chief Executive Officer; a power of attorney also names other authorized officers including Lucinda Warren and Colin Sandercock, and the filing lists director signatories.