As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 24, 2023

Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

Oncorus, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

4 Corporate Drive

Andover, Massachusetts 01810

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Oncorus, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan

Oncorus, Inc. 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

(Full title of the plan)

Theodore (Ted) Ashburn, M.D., PhD.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Oncorus, Inc.

4 Corporate Drive

Andover, Massachusetts 01810

Tel: (339) 240-3330

(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. ☐

REGISTRATION OF ADDITIONAL SHARES PURSUANT TO GENERAL INSTRUCTION E

Pursuant to General Instruction E to Form S-8, Oncorus, Inc. (the “Registrant’) is filing this Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") for the purpose of registering (i) 1,298,656 shares of its common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), issuable to eligible persons under the Registrant’s 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2020 Plan”), pursuant to the provisions of the 2020 Plan providing for an automatic increase in the number of shares of Common Stock reserved and available for issuance under the 2020 Plan on January 1, 2023, and (ii) 259,731 shares of Common Stock issuable to eligible persons under the Registrant's 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”), pursuant to the provisions of the ESPP providing for an automatic increase in the number of shares of Common Stock reserved and available for issuance under the ESPP on January 1, 2023. In accordance with the instructional note to Part I of Form S-8 as promulgated by the Commission, the information specified by Part I of the Form S-8 has been omitted from this Registration Statement.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF CONTENTS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENTS ON FORM S-8

This Registration Statement relates to securities of the same class as those that were previously registered by the Registrant on Form S-8 (File Nos. 333-249425, 333-254097 and 333-263393), filed with the Commission on October 9, 2020, March 10, 2021 and March 9, 2022 (the “Prior Registration Statements”). Pursuant to General Instruction E to Form S-8, the information contained in the Prior Registration Statements is hereby incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement.

PART II

* Filed herewith

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, 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 Cambridge, Massachusetts, on this 24th day of March, 2023.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Theodore (Ted) Ashburn, M.D., PhD., Richard Wanstall and Brian Shea, and each of them, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with the full power of substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place or stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this Registration Statement (including post-effective amendments), and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, 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 he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.