tm2622183-1_s3asr - none

TABLE OF CONTENTS

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 6, 2026

Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

ACLARIS THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)

46-0571712

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

701 Lee Road, Suite 103
Wayne, PA 19087
(484) 324-7933

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code of registrant’s principal executive offices)

Neal Walker
Chief Executive Officer
Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc.
701 Lee Road, Suite 103
Wayne, PA 19087
(484) 324-7933

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

Copies to:

Mark Ballantyne
David Brinton
Cooley LLP
11951 Freedom Drive
Reston, Virginia 20190-5640
(703) 456-8000

Kevin Balthaser
Chief Financial Officer
Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc.
701 Lee Road, Suite 103
Wayne, PA 19087
(484) 324-7933

From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement

(Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public)

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. ☒

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☒

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐

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. ☐

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

We are filing this registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, using an automatic “shelf” registration process to replace our prior registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-285370), or the Prior Registration Statement. In accordance with Rule 415(a)(6) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, the offering of securities under the Prior Registration Statement will be deemed terminated as of the date of effectiveness of this registration statement, which became automatically effective upon filing.

This registration statement contains:

•

a base prospectus, which covers the offering, issuance and sale by the registrant of an indeterminate amount of the registrant’s common stock, preferred stock, debt securities and/or warrants from time to time in one or more offerings; and

•

a prospectus, which covers the offering, issuance and sale by the registrant of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $150,000,000 of the registrant’s common stock that may be issued and sold from time to time under a second amended and restated sales agreement with Leerink Partners LLC and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., as sales agents, dated August 6, 2026, or the Sales Agreement.

The base prospectus immediately follows this explanatory note. The specific terms of any securities to be offered pursuant to the base prospectus other than the shares under the Sales Agreement will be specified in one or more prospectus supplement to the base prospectus.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROSPECTUS

Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants

From time to time, we or selling securityholders may offer and sell any combination of shares of our common stock, shares of our preferred stock, debt securities and/or warrants to purchase any of such securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings as described in this prospectus. We or selling securityholders may also offer securities as may be issuable upon conversion, redemption, repurchase, exchange or exercise of any securities registered hereunder, including any applicable anti-dilution provisions.

This prospectus provides a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer securities, we will specify in an accompanying prospectus supplement the terms of the securities being offered. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with these offerings.

The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, as well as any documents incorporated by reference, before you invest in any of the securities being offered.

This prospectus may not be used to consummate a sale of any securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “ACRS.” On August 5, 2026, the last reported sale price of our common stock was $6.36 per share. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to any other listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market or any securities market or other exchange of the securities, if any, covered by the prospectus supplement.

We or selling securityholders may sell these securities directly to investors, through agents designated from time to time or to or through underwriters or dealers, on a continuous or delayed basis. If any agents or underwriters are involved in the sale of any securities with respect to which this prospectus is being delivered, the names of such agents or underwriters and any applicable fees, commissions, discounts or over-allotment options will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The price to the public of such securities and the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise, we will not receive any proceeds from the sale of securities by selling securityholders. For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section titled “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus.

We are a “smaller reporting company” under the federal securities laws and, as such, are subject to reduced public company reporting requirements. See “Prospectus Summary — Implications of Being a Smaller Reporting Company.”

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should review carefully the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” on page 5 of this prospectus and in any applicable prospectus supplement and related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

The date of this prospectus is August 6, 2026.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is a part of an automatic registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process as a “well-known seasoned issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. Under this shelf registration process, we or selling securityholders may offer and sell, either individually or in combination, from time to time in one or more offerings, any combination of the securities described in this prospectus. No limit exists on the aggregate number or amount of securities we or selling securityholders may sell pursuant to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we or selling securityholders may offer. Each time we or selling securityholders sell securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus or in any documents that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

You should read this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, together with the information incorporated herein by reference as described under the heading “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference,” before investing in any of the securities offered.

THIS PROSPECTUS MAY NOT BE USED TO CONSUMMATE A SALE OF SECURITIES UNLESS IT IS ACCOMPANIED BY A PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT.

Neither we, nor any selling securityholder, agent, underwriter or dealer has authorized any person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. This prospectus, any applicable supplement to this prospectus or any related free writing prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do this prospectus, any applicable supplement to this prospectus or any related free writing prospectus constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction.

You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front of the document or that any information we have incorporated by reference is correct on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference, even though this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus is delivered, or securities are sold, on a later date.

This prospectus and the information incorporated herein by reference contain summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed, will be filed or will be incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described below under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

Unless otherwise mentioned or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this prospectus to “Aclaris,” “company,” “we,” “us” and “our” or similar references refer to Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information from this prospectus and does not contain all of the information that you need to consider in making your investment decision. You should carefully read the entire prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, including the risks of investing in our securities discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should also carefully read the information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, including our financial statements and related notes, and the exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, before making your investment decision.

Company Overview

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel small and large molecule product candidates for immuno-inflammatory diseases. Our proprietary KINect drug discovery platform coupled with our integrated discovery approach to small and large molecules enables us to identify and advance product candidates designed to have superior target affinity, specificity and potency. We are seeking to identify and consummate transactions with third-party partners to further develop, obtain marketing approval for and/or commercialize our novel product candidates.

Risks Associated with our Business

Our business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those highlighted in the section titled “Risk Factors” immediately following this prospectus summary and those described under similar headings in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. These risks include:

•

We have incurred significant losses since our inception. We expect to incur losses over the next several years and may never achieve or maintain profitability.

•

We will need substantial additional funding to meet our financial obligations and to pursue our business objectives. If we are unable to raise capital when needed, we could be forced to curtail our planned operations.

•

We have a limited history as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing and partnering our product candidates, which may make it difficult to evaluate the success of our business to date and to assess our future viability.

•

If we are unable to successfully develop our product candidates and identify and consummate transactions with third-party partners to further develop, obtain marketing approval for and/or commercialize our product candidates, or experience significant delays in doing so, our business will be harmed.

•

Our future success depends on our ability to retain key executives and to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel.

•

We rely heavily on third parties for clinical trials, manufacturing, and development support. Their performance impacts our timelines and success.

•

If we are unable to obtain and maintain patent protection for our product candidates, or if the scope of the patent protection obtained is not sufficiently broad, our competitors could develop and commercialize technology and drugs similar or identical to ours, and our ability to successfully identify and consummate transactions with potential third-party partners to commercialize our technology and product candidates may be impaired.

•

We face substantial competition, which may result in others discovering, developing or commercializing drugs before or more successfully than we do.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Corporate Information

We were incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in July 2012. Our principal executive offices are located at 701 Lee Road, Suite 103, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087. Our telephone number is (484) 324-7933. Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “ACRS.”

Our internet website address is www.aclaristx.com. We do not incorporate the information on or accessible through our website into this prospectus. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of this prospectus. We have included our website address in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference.

“Aclaris,” the Aclaris logo, KINect and our other trademarks or service marks appearing in this prospectus or incorporated herein by reference are our property. This prospectus and the information incorporated herein by reference contains additional trade names, trademarks and service marks of others, which are the property of their respective owners.

Implications of Being a Smaller Reporting Company

We are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements and reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation. To the extent we take advantage of any reduced disclosure obligations, it may make the comparison of our financial statements with other public companies difficult or impossible.

Securities That May Be Offered

We or selling securityholders may offer shares of our common stock and preferred stock, various series of debt securities and/or warrants to purchase any of such securities, from time to time in one or more offerings under this prospectus, together with any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of the relevant offering. We or selling securityholders may also offer common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities upon the exercise of warrants. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we or selling securityholders may offer pursuant to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Each time we or selling securityholders offer a type or series of securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will describe the specific amounts, prices and other important terms of the securities, including, to the extent applicable:

•

designation or classification;

•

aggregate principal amount or aggregate offering price;

•

maturity;

•

original issue discount;

•

rates and times of payment of interest or dividends;

•

redemption, conversion, exchange or sinking fund terms;

•

conversion or exchange prices or rates and any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the conversion or exchange prices or rates and in the securities or other property receivable upon conversion or exchange;

•

ranking;

•

restrictive covenants;

•

voting or other rights; and

•

material U.S. federal income tax considerations.

The applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus or in documents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

we have incorporated by reference. However, no prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus will offer a security that is not registered and described in this prospectus at the time of the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

This prospectus may not be used to consummate a sale of securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

We or selling securityholders may sell the securities directly to investors or through underwriters, dealers or agents. We, any selling securityholders and our and their underwriters or agents reserve the right to accept or reject all or part of any proposed purchase of securities. If we or selling securityholders do offer securities through underwriters or agents, we will include in the applicable prospectus supplement:

•

the names of those underwriters or agents;

•

applicable fees, discounts and commissions to be paid to them;

•

details regarding over-allotment options, if any; and

•

the estimated net proceeds to us.

Common Stock. We may issue shares of our common stock from time to time. The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders and do not have cumulative voting rights. Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding shares of preferred stock, the holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors out of legally available funds. Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of liabilities and the liquidation preferences of any then outstanding shares of preferred stock. Our common stock does not carry any preemptive rights enabling a holder to subscribe for, or receive shares of, any class of our common stock or any other securities convertible into shares of any class of our common stock, or any redemption rights.

Preferred Stock. We may issue shares of our preferred stock from time to time, in one or more series. Under our certificate of incorporation, our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the stockholders (unless such stockholder action is required by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange or market on which our securities are then traded), to designate up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series and to determine the designations, voting powers, preferences and rights of each series of the preferred stock, as well as the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including dividend rights, conversion rights, preemptive rights, terms of redemption or repurchase, liquidation preferences, sinking fund terms and the number of shares constituting any series or the designation of any series, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of the common stock. Any convertible preferred stock we may issue will be convertible into our common stock or exchangeable for our other securities. Conversion may be mandatory or at the holder’s option and would be at prescribed conversion rates.

If we sell any series of preferred stock under this prospectus, we will fix the designations, voting powers, preferences and rights of such series of preferred stock, as well as the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, in the certificate of designation relating to that series. We will file as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of any certificate of designation that describes the terms of the series of preferred stock that we are offering before the issuance of the related series of preferred stock. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement (and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you) related to the series of preferred stock being offered, as well as the complete certificate of designation that contains the terms of the applicable series of preferred stock.

Debt Securities. We may issue debt securities from time to time, in one or more series, as either senior or subordinated debt or as senior or subordinated convertible debt. The senior debt securities will rank equally with any other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. The subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner described in the instrument governing the debt, to all of our senior indebtedness. Convertible debt securities will be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock or other securities. Conversion may be mandatory or at the holder’s option and would be at prescribed conversion rates.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The debt securities issued under this prospectus will be issued under one or more documents called indentures, which are contracts between us and a national banking association or other eligible party, as trustee. In this prospectus, we have summarized certain general features of the debt securities. We urge you, however, to read the applicable prospectus supplement (and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you) related to the series of debt securities being offered, as well as the complete indentures that contain the terms of the debt securities. A form of indenture has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and supplemental indentures and forms of debt securities containing the terms of the debt securities being offered will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or will be incorporated by reference from reports that we file with the SEC.

Warrants. We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities in one or more series. We may issue warrants independently or together with common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from these securities. In this prospectus, we have summarized certain general features of the warrants. We urge you, however, to read the applicable prospectus supplement (and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you) related to the particular series of warrants being offered, as well as the complete warrant agreements and warrant certificates that contain the terms of the warrants. Forms of the warrant agreements and forms of warrant certificates containing the terms of the warrants being offered have been filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and supplemental warrant agreements and forms of warrant certificates will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or will be incorporated by reference from reports that we file with the SEC.

We will evidence each series of warrants by warrant certificates that we will issue. Warrants may be issued under an applicable warrant agreement that we enter into with a warrant agent. We will indicate the name and address of the warrant agent, if applicable, in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of warrants being offered.

Selling Securityholders

Selling securityholders are persons or entities that, directly or indirectly, have acquired or will from time to time acquire from us, our securities. Information about selling securityholders, if any, will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. See the section titled “Selling Securityholders” in this prospectus.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully review the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated by our subsequent quarterly and other reports and documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, before deciding whether to purchase any of the securities being registered pursuant to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Each of the risk factors described in the documents referenced above could adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition, as well as adversely affect the value of an investment in our securities, and the occurrence of any of these risks might cause you to lose all or part of your investment. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently believe are immaterial may also significantly impair our business operations.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein contain forward-looking statements. These are based on our management’s current beliefs, expectations and assumptions about future events, conditions and results and on information currently available to us. Discussions containing these forward-looking statements may be found, among other places, in the Sections entitled “Business,” “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contained in the documents incorporated herein.

Any statements in this prospectus, or incorporated herein, about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus include statements about:

•

our plans to develop our product candidates;

•

the timing of our planned clinical trials of our product candidates and the reporting of the results from these trials;

•

the clinical utility of our product candidates and our expectations about their properties and therapeutic effects;

•

our plans and expectations related to manufacturing capabilities and strategy;

•

our expectations regarding coverage and reimbursement of our product candidates, if approved;

•

the timing of our regulatory filings and approvals for our product candidates;

•

our intellectual property position;

•

our plans to identify and consummate transactions with third-party partners to further develop, obtain marketing approval for and/or commercialize our product candidates, and earn revenue from such arrangements;

•

our expectations regarding competition;

•

the size and growth potential of the markets for our product candidates;

•

our expectations regarding our continued reliance on third parties;

•

the impacts of macroeconomic conditions on our business;

•

our expectations regarding our use of capital;

•

our estimates regarding future revenue, expenses and needs for additional financing;

•

our use of cash and other resources, including our expected use of proceeds from any offering under this prospectus, if any; and

•

other risks and uncertainties, including those listed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings we make with the SEC.

We caution you that the foregoing list may not contain all of the forward-looking statements made in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein.

In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the words “may,” “might,” “can,” “will,” “to be,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “objective,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “likely,” “continue” and “ongoing,” or the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology intended to identify statements about the future, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These forward-looking statements reflect our management’s beliefs and views with respect to future events and are based on estimates and assumptions as of the date the statement is made and are subject to risks and uncertainties. In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date the statement is made, and while we believe such information

TABLE OF CONTENTS

forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

You should refer to the “Risk Factors” section contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, for a discussion of important factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. Given these risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this prospectus will prove to be accurate, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Furthermore, if our forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by us or any other person that we will achieve our objectives and plans in any specified time frame, or at all.

Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or developments occurring after the date of this prospectus, even if new information becomes available in the future.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

USE OF PROCEEDS

We will retain broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds from the sale of the securities offered hereby. Except as described in any applicable prospectus supplement or in any free writing prospectuses that we may authorize to be provided to you in connection with a specific offering, we currently intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities offered hereby, if any, primarily to fund the research and development of the product candidates in our pipeline and for working capital and general corporate purposes. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to invest in or acquire businesses or technologies that we believe are complementary to our own, although we have no current plans, commitments or agreements with respect to any acquisitions as of the date of this prospectus. We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus our intended use for the net proceeds received from the sale of any securities sold pursuant to the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus. Pending these uses, we plan to invest these net proceeds in short-term, interest-bearing investments, investment-grade instruments, certificates of deposit or direct or guaranteed obligations of the United States.

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise, we will not receive any proceeds from the sale of securities by selling securityholders.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

The following description of our capital stock and provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and certain provisions of Delaware law are summaries. References to our certificate of incorporation herein refer to our certificate of incorporation as amended to the date of this prospectus. You should also refer to the certificate of incorporation (including the certificate of amendment thereto) and the bylaws, which are filed as exhibits to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and are incorporated by reference herein.

Common Stock

Under our certificate of incorporation, we are authorized to issue up to 400,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.00001 par value per share, all of which shares of preferred stock are undesignated. Our board of directors may establish the rights and preferences of the preferred stock from time to time. As of June 30, 2026, we had outstanding 139,824,273 shares of common stock and no shares of preferred stock outstanding.

Voting Rights

Each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote for each share on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, including the election of directors. Under our certificate of incorporation and the bylaws, common stockholders do not have cumulative voting rights. Because of this, the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors can elect all of the directors standing for election, if they should so choose.

Dividends

Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then-outstanding preferred stock, holders of common stock are entitled to receive ratably those dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the board of directors out of legally available funds.

Liquidation

In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all debts and other liabilities and the satisfaction of any liquidation preference granted to the holders of any then-outstanding shares of preferred stock.

Rights and Preferences

Holders of common stock have no preemptive, conversion or subscription rights and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate in the future.

Preferred Stock

Pursuant to our certificate of incorporation, our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the stockholders (unless such stockholder action is required by applicable law or stock exchange listing rules), to designate and issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, to fix the designations, powers, preferences, privileges and relative participating, optional or special rights and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of the common stock, and to increase or decrease the number of shares of any such series, but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding.

Our board of directors, without stockholder approval, can issue preferred stock with voting, conversion or other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of common stock. Preferred stock could be issued quickly with terms designed to delay or prevent a change in control of our

TABLE OF CONTENTS

company or make removal of management more difficult. Additionally, the issuance of preferred stock may have the effect of decreasing the market price of the common stock and may adversely affect the voting power of holders of common stock and reduce the likelihood that common stockholders will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation.

Our board of directors will fix the designations, voting powers, preferences and rights of each series, as well as the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of the preferred stock of each series that we offer under this prospectus and applicable prospectus supplements in the certificate of designation relating to that series. We will file as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of any certificate of designation that describes the terms of the series of preferred stock we are offering before the issuance of that series of preferred stock. This description will include:

•

the title and stated value;

•

the number of shares we are offering;

•

the liquidation preference per share;

•

the purchase price per share;

•

the dividend rate per share, dividend period and payment dates and method of calculation for dividends;

•

whether dividends will be cumulative or non-cumulative and, if cumulative, the date from which dividends will accumulate;

•

our right, if any, to defer payment of dividends and the maximum length of any such deferral period;

•

the procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any;

•

the provisions for a sinking fund, if any;

•

the provisions for redemption or repurchase, if applicable, and any restrictions on our ability to exercise those redemption and repurchase rights;

•

any listing of the preferred stock on any securities exchange or market;

•

whether the preferred stock will be convertible into our common stock or other securities of ours, including depositary shares and warrants, and, if applicable, the conversion period, the conversion price, or how it will be calculated, and under what circumstances it may be adjusted;

•

whether the preferred stock will be exchangeable into debt securities, and, if applicable, the exchange period, the exchange price, or how it will be calculated, and under what circumstances it may be adjusted;

•

voting rights, if any, of the preferred stock;

•

preemption rights, if any;

•

restrictions on transfer, sale or other assignments, if any;

•

whether interests in the preferred stock will be represented by depositary shares;

•

a discussion of any material or special U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the preferred stock;

•

the relative ranking and preferences of the preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights if we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs;

•

any limitations on issuances of any class or series of preferred stock ranking senior to or on a parity with the series of preferred stock being issued as to dividend rights and rights if we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs; and

•

any other specific terms, rights, preferences, privileges, qualifications or restrictions of the preferred stock.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the state of our incorporation, provides that the holders of preferred stock will have the right to vote separately as a class (or, in some cases, as a series) on an amendment to our certificate of incorporation if the amendment would change the par value or, unless the certificate of incorporation provided otherwise, the number of authorized shares of the class or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the class or series so as to adversely affect the class or series, as the case may be. This right is in addition to any voting rights that may be provided for in the applicable certificate of designation.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

Section 203 of the DGCL

We are subject to Section 203 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or the DGCL, which prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any business combination with any interested stockholder for a period of three years after the date that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, with the following exceptions:

•

before such date, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

•

upon completion of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction began, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding, but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder, those shares owned (i) by persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or

•

on or after such date, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 662∕3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

In general, Section 203 defines a “business combination” to include the following:

•

any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder;

•

any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation involving the interested stockholder;

•

subject to certain exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder;

•

any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock or any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; or

•

the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits by or through the corporation.

In general, Section 203 defines an “interested stockholder” as an entity or person who, together with the person’s affiliates and associates, beneficially owns, or within three years prior to the time of determination of interested stockholder status did own, 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation

Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws

Our certificate of incorporation provides for our board of directors to be divided into three classes with staggered three-year terms. Only one class of directors is elected at each annual meeting of stockholders, with the other classes continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year terms. Because our stockholders do not have cumulative voting rights, stockholders holding a majority of the shares of common stock outstanding are able to elect all of our directors. The certificate of incorporation and bylaws also provide that directors may be removed by the stockholders only for cause upon the vote of 662∕3% or more

TABLE OF CONTENTS

of outstanding common stock. Furthermore, the authorized number of directors may be changed only by resolution of the board of directors, and vacancies and newly created directorships on the board of directors may, except as otherwise required by law or determined by the board, only be filled by a majority vote of the directors then serving on the board, even though less than a quorum.

The certificate of incorporation and bylaws also provide that all stockholder actions must be effected at a duly called meeting of stockholders and stockholders cannot act by written consent without a meeting. The bylaws also provide that only the chairman of the board, chief executive officer or the board of directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors may call a special meeting of stockholders.

The bylaws also provide that stockholders seeking to present proposals before a meeting of stockholders or to nominate candidates for election as directors at a meeting of stockholders must provide timely advance notice in writing, and specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice.

The certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that the stockholders cannot amend many of the provisions described above except by a vote of 662∕3% or more of outstanding common stock.

The combination of these provisions make it more difficult for our existing stockholders to replace the board of directors as well as for another party to obtain control of us by replacing our board of directors. Since our board of directors has the power to retain and discharge our officers, these provisions also make it more difficult for existing stockholders or another party to effect a change in management. In addition, the authorization of undesignated preferred stock makes it possible for our board of directors to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to change our control.

These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continued stability in the composition of our board of directors and its policies and to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to reduce our vulnerability to hostile takeovers and to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and may have the effect of delaying changes in control of the company or to our management. As a consequence, these provisions may also inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our stock that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. We believe that the benefits of these provisions, including increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure the company, outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging takeover proposals, because negotiation of takeover proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.

Choice of Forum

Our certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the exclusive forum for the following types of actions or proceedings under Delaware statutory or common law: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our certificate of incorporation or bylaws or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. However, this exclusive forum provision would not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.

In addition, our bylaws provide that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act, and that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the federal forum selection provision.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

We may issue debt securities from time to time, in one or more series, as either senior or subordinated debt or as senior or subordinated convertible debt. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any debt securities that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any debt securities offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. Unless the context requires otherwise, whenever we refer to the indenture, we also are referring to any supplemental indentures that specify the terms of a particular series of debt securities.

We will issue the debt securities under the indenture that we will enter into with the trustee named in the indenture. The indenture will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or the Trust Indenture Act. We have filed the form of indenture as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and supplemental indentures and forms of debt securities containing the terms of the debt securities being offered will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or will be incorporated by reference from reports that we file with the SEC.

The following summary of material provisions of the debt securities and the indenture is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplements and any related free writing prospectuses related to the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus, as well as the complete indenture that contains the terms of the debt securities.

General

The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities that we may issue. It provides that we may issue debt securities up to the principal amount that we may authorize and may be in any currency or currency unit that we may designate. Except for the limitations on consolidation, merger and sale of all or substantially all of our assets contained in the indenture, the terms of the indenture do not contain any covenants or other provisions designed to give holders of any debt securities protection against changes in our operations, financial condition or transactions involving us.

We may issue the debt securities issued under the indenture as “discount securities,” which means they may be sold at a discount below their stated principal amount. These debt securities, as well as other debt securities that are not issued at a discount, may be issued with “original issue discount,” or OID, for U.S. federal income tax purposes because of interest payment and other characteristics or terms of the debt securities. Material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to debt securities issued with OID will be described in more detail in any applicable prospectus supplement.

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of debt securities being offered, including:

•

the title of the series of debt securities;

•

any limit upon the aggregate principal amount that may be issued;

•

the maturity date or dates;

•

the form of the debt securities of the series;

•

the applicability of any guarantees;

•

whether or not the debt securities will be secured or unsecured, and the terms of any secured debt;

•

whether the debt securities rank as senior debt, senior subordinated debt, subordinated debt or any combination thereof, and the terms of any subordination;

•

if the price (expressed as a percentage of the aggregate principal amount thereof) at which such debt securities will be issued is a price other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount thereof payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof, or if applicable, the portion of the principal amount of such debt securities that is convertible into another security or the method by which any such portion shall be determined;

TABLE OF CONTENTS

•

the interest rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, or the method for determining the rate and the date interest will begin to accrue, the dates interest will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payment dates or the method for determining such dates;

•

our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of any such deferral period;

•

if applicable, the date or dates after which, or the period or periods during which, and the price or prices at which, we may, at our option, redeem the series of debt securities pursuant to any optional or provisional redemption provisions and the terms of those redemption provisions;

•

the date or dates, if any, on which, and the price or prices at which we are obligated, pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund or analogous fund provisions or otherwise, to redeem, or at the holder’s option to purchase, the series of debt securities and the currency or currency unit in which the debt securities are payable;

•

the denominations in which we will issue the series of debt securities, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

•

any and all terms, if applicable, relating to any auction or remarketing of the debt securities of that series and any security for our obligations with respect to such debt securities and any other terms which may be advisable in connection with the marketing of debt securities of that series;

•

whether the debt securities of the series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of a global security or securities; the terms and conditions, if any, upon which such global security or securities may be exchanged in whole or in part for other individual securities; and the depositary for such global security or securities;

•

if applicable, the provisions relating to conversion or exchange of any debt securities of the series and the terms and conditions upon which such debt securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, including the conversion or exchange price, as applicable, or how it will be calculated and may be adjusted, any mandatory or optional (at our option or the holders’ option) conversion or exchange features, the applicable conversion or exchange period and the manner of settlement for any conversion or exchange;

•

if other than the full principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of debt securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof;

•

additions to or changes in the covenants applicable to the particular debt securities being issued, including, among others, the consolidation, merger or sale covenant;

•

additions to or changes in the events of default with respect to the securities and any change in the right of the trustee or the holders to declare the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, with respect to such securities to be due and payable;

•

additions to or changes in or deletions of the provisions relating to covenant defeasance and legal defeasance;

•

additions to or changes in the provisions relating to satisfaction and discharge of the indenture;

•

additions to or changes in the provisions relating to the modification of the indenture both with and without the consent of holders of debt securities issued under the indenture;

•

the currency of payment of debt securities if other than U.S. dollars and the manner of determining the equivalent amount in U.S. dollars;

•

whether interest will be payable in cash or additional debt securities at our or the holders’ option and the terms and conditions upon which the election may be made;

•

the terms and conditions, if any, upon which we will pay amounts in addition to the stated interest, premium, if any and principal amounts of the debt securities of the series to any holder that is not a “United States person” for federal tax purposes;

•

any restrictions on transfer, sale or assignment of the debt securities of the series; and

TABLE OF CONTENTS

•

any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the debt securities, any other additions or changes in the provisions of the indenture, and any terms that may be required by us or advisable under applicable laws or regulations.

Conversion or Exchange Rights

We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock or our other securities. We will include provisions as to settlement upon conversion or exchange and whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. We may include provisions pursuant to which the number of shares of our common stock or our other securities that the holders of the series of debt securities receive would be subject to adjustment.

Consolidation, Merger or Sale

Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the indenture will not contain any covenant that restricts our ability to merge or consolidate, or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of our assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety. However, any successor to or acquirer of such assets (other than a subsidiary of ours) must assume all of our obligations under the indenture or the debt securities, as appropriate.

Events of Default under the Indenture

Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the following are events of default under the indenture with respect to any series of debt securities that we may issue:

•

if we fail to pay any installment of interest on any series of debt securities, as and when the same shall become due and payable, and such default continues for a period of 90 days; provided, however, that a valid extension of an interest payment period by us in accordance with the terms of any indenture supplemental thereto shall not constitute a default in the payment of interest for this purpose;

•

if we fail to pay the principal of, or premium, if any, on any series of debt securities as and when the same shall become due and payable whether at maturity, upon redemption, by declaration or otherwise, or in any payment required by any sinking or analogous fund established with respect to such series; provided, however, that a valid extension of the maturity of such debt securities in accordance with the terms of any indenture supplemental thereto shall not constitute a default in the payment of principal or premium, if any;

•

if we fail to observe or perform any other covenant or agreement contained in the debt securities or the indenture, other than a covenant specifically relating to another series of debt securities, and our failure continues for 90 days after we receive written notice of such failure, requiring the same to be remedied and stating that such is a notice of default thereunder, from the trustee or holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series; and

•

if specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur.

If an event of default with respect to debt securities of any series occurs and is continuing, other than an event of default specified in the last bullet point above, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, by notice to us in writing, and to the trustee if notice is given by such holders, may declare the unpaid principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest, if any, due and payable immediately. If an event of default specified in the last bullet point above occurs with respect to us, the principal amount of and accrued interest, if any, of each issue of debt securities then outstanding shall be due and payable without any notice or other action on the part of the trustee or any holder.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of an affected series may waive any default or event of default with respect to the series and its consequences, except defaults or

TABLE OF CONTENTS

events of default regarding payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, unless we have cured the default or event of default in accordance with the indenture. Any waiver shall cure the default or event of default.

Subject to the terms of the indenture, if an event of default under an indenture shall occur and be continuing, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under such indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of the applicable series of debt securities, unless such holders have offered the trustee reasonable indemnity. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee, with respect to the debt securities of that series, provided that:

•

the direction so given by the holder is not in conflict with any law or the applicable indenture; and

•

subject to its duties under the Trust Indenture Act, the trustee need not take any action that might involve it in personal liability or might be unduly prejudicial to the holders not involved in the proceeding.

A holder of the debt securities of any series will have the right to institute a proceeding under the indenture or to appoint a receiver or trustee, or to seek other remedies only if:

•

the holder has given written notice to the trustee of a continuing event of default with respect to that series;

•

the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request,

•

such holders have offered to the trustee indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred by the trustee in compliance with the request; and

•

the trustee does not institute the proceeding, and does not receive from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series other conflicting directions within 90 days after the notice, request and offer.

These limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder of debt securities if we default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities.

We will periodically file statements with the trustee regarding our compliance with specified covenants in the indenture.

Modification of Indenture; Waiver

We and the trustee may change an indenture without the consent of any holders with respect to specific matters:

•

to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the indenture or in the debt securities of any series;

•

to comply with the provisions described above under “Description of Debt Securities — Consolidation, Merger or Sale;”

•

to provide for uncertificated debt securities in addition to or in place of certificated debt securities;

•

to add to our covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions such new covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions for the benefit of the holders of all or any series of debt securities, to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and the continuance, of a default in any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an event of default or to surrender any right or power conferred upon us in the indenture;

•

to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations, and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms, or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of debt securities, as set forth in the indenture;

•

to make any change that does not adversely affect the interests of any holder of debt securities of any series in any material respect;

TABLE OF CONTENTS

•

to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of the debt securities of any series as provided above under “Description of Debt Securities — General” to establish the form of any certifications required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of the indenture or any series of debt securities, or to add to the rights of the holders of any series of debt securities;

•

to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment under any indenture by a successor trustee; or

•

to comply with any requirements of the SEC in connection with the qualification of any indenture under the Trust Indenture Act.

In addition, under the indenture, the rights of holders of a series of debt securities may be changed by us and the trustee with the written consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series that is affected. However, unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, we and the trustee may make the following changes only with the consent of each holder of any outstanding debt securities affected:

•

extending the fixed maturity of any debt securities of any series;

•

reducing the principal amount, reducing the rate of or extending the time of payment of interest, or reducing any premium payable upon the redemption of any series of any debt securities; or

•

reducing the percentage of debt securities, the holders of which are required to consent to any amendment, supplement, modification or waiver.

Discharge

Each indenture provides that we can elect to be discharged from our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt securities, except for specified obligations, including obligations to:

•

provide for payment;

•

replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities of the series;

•

pay principal of and premium and interest on any debt securities of the series;

•

maintain paying agencies;

•

hold monies for payment in trust;

•

recover excess money held by the trustee;

•

compensate and indemnify the trustee; and

•

appoint any successor trustee.

In order to exercise our rights to be discharged, we must deposit with the trustee money or government obligations sufficient to pay all the principal of, any premium, if any, and interest on, the debt securities of the series on the dates payments are due.

Form, Exchange and Transfer

We will issue the debt securities of each series only in fully registered form without coupons and, unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. The indenture provides that we may issue debt securities of a series in temporary or permanent global form and as book-entry securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, or another depositary named by us and identified in the applicable prospectus supplement with respect to that series. To the extent the debt securities of a series are issued in global form and as book-entry, a description of terms relating to any book-entry securities will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

At the option of the holder, subject to the terms of the indenture and the limitations applicable to global securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the holder of the debt securities of any

TABLE OF CONTENTS

series can exchange the debt securities for other debt securities of the same series, in any authorized denomination and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.

Subject to the terms of the indenture and the limitations applicable to global securities set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the debt securities may present the debt securities for exchange or for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed if so required by us or the security registrar, at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for this purpose. Unless otherwise provided in the debt securities that the holder presents for transfer or exchange, we will impose no service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange, but we may require payment of any taxes or other governmental charges.

We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement the security registrar, and any transfer agent in addition to the security registrar, that we initially designate for any debt securities. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of each series.

If we elect to redeem the debt securities of any series, we will not be required to:

•

issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any debt securities of that series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any debt securities that may be selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of the mailing; or

•

register the transfer of or exchange any debt securities so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any debt securities we are redeeming in part.

Information Concerning the Trustee

The trustee, other than during the occurrence and continuance of an event of default under an indenture, undertakes to perform only those duties as are specifically set forth in the applicable indenture. Upon an event of default under an indenture, the trustee must use the same degree of care as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to this provision, the trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers given it by the indenture at the request of any holder of debt securities unless it is offered reasonable security and indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that it might incur.

Payment and Paying Agents

Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make payment of the interest on any debt securities on any interest payment date to the person in whose name the debt securities, or one or more predecessor securities, are registered at the close of business on the regular record date for the interest.

We will pay principal of and any premium and interest on the debt securities of a particular series at the office of the paying agents designated by us, except that unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make interest payments by check that we will mail to the holder or by wire transfer to certain holders. Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will designate the corporate trust office of the trustee as our sole paying agent for payments with respect to debt securities of each series. We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement any other paying agents that we initially designate for the debt securities of a particular series. We will maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.

All money we pay to a paying agent or the trustee for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any debt securities that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holder of the debt security thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

The following description, together with the additional information we may include in any applicable prospectus supplement and free writing prospectus, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, which may consist of warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock or debt securities and may be issued in one or more series. Warrants may be offered independently or in combination with common stock, preferred stock or debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any series of warrants in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The following description of warrants will apply to the warrants offered by this prospectus unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement for a particular series of warrants may specify different or additional terms.

We have filed forms of the warrant agreements and forms of warrant certificates containing the terms of the warrants that may be offered as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We will file as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of warrant and/or the warrant agreement and warrant certificate, as applicable, that contain the terms of the particular series of warrants we are offering, and any supplemental agreements, before the issuance of such warrants. The following summaries of material terms and provisions of the warrants are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the form of warrant and/or the warrant agreement and warrant certificate, as applicable, and any supplemental agreements applicable to a particular series of warrants that we may offer under this prospectus. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement related to the particular series of warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, as well as any related free writing prospectus, and the complete form of warrant and/or the warrant agreement and warrant certificate, as applicable, and any supplemental agreements, that contain the terms of the warrants.

General

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of warrants being offered, including:

•

the offering price and aggregate number of warrants offered;

•

the currency for which the warrants may be purchased;

•

if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security or each principal amount of such security;

•

in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of one warrant and the price at, and currency in which, this principal amount of debt securities may be purchased upon such exercise;

•

in the case of warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock, the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock, as the case may be, purchasable upon the exercise of one warrant and the price at which these shares may be purchased upon such exercise;

•

the effect of any merger, consolidation, sale or other disposition of our business on the warrant agreements and the warrants;

•

the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants;

•

any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price or number of securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants;

•

the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and expire;

•

the manner in which the warrant agreements and warrants may be modified;

•

a discussion of any material or special U.S. federal income tax considerations of holding or exercising the warrants;

TABLE OF CONTENTS

•

the terms of the securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; and

•

any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of or restrictions on the warrants.

Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the securities purchasable upon such exercise, including:

•

in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the right to receive payments of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities purchasable upon exercise or to enforce covenants in the applicable indenture; or

•

in the case of warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock, the right to receive dividends, if any, or, payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up or to exercise voting rights, if any.

Exercise of Warrants

Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase the securities that we specify in the applicable prospectus supplement at the exercise price that we describe in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrants may be exercised as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants offered. Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, warrants may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants offered thereby. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.

Upon receipt of payment and the warrant or warrant certificate, as applicable, properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent, if any, or any other office, including ours, indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, issue and deliver the securities purchasable upon such exercise. If less than all of the warrants (or the warrants represented by such warrant certificate) are exercised, a new warrant or a new warrant certificate, as applicable, will be issued for the remaining warrants.

Governing Law

Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, the warrants and any warrant agreements will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Warrants

Each warrant agent, if any, will act solely as our agent under the applicable warrant agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any warrant. A single bank or trust company may act as warrant agent for more than one issue of warrants. A warrant agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable warrant agreement or warrant, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a warrant may, without the consent of the related warrant agent or the holder of any other warrant, enforce by appropriate legal action its right to exercise, and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of, its warrants.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LEGAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

We can issue securities in registered form or in the form of one or more global securities. We describe global securities in greater detail below. We refer to those persons who have securities registered in their own names on the books that we or any applicable trustee, depositary or warrant agent maintain for this purpose as the “holders” of those securities. These persons are the legal holders of the securities. We refer to those persons who, indirectly through others, own beneficial interests in securities that are not registered in their own names, as “indirect holders” of those securities. As we discuss below, indirect holders are not legal holders, and investors in securities issued in book-entry form or in street name will be indirect holders.

Book-Entry Holders

We may issue securities in book-entry form only, as we will specify in the applicable prospectus supplement. This means securities may be represented by one or more global securities registered in the name of a financial institution that holds them as depositary on behalf of other financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system. These participating institutions, which are referred to as participants, in turn, hold beneficial interests in the securities on behalf of themselves or their customers.

Only the person in whose name a security is registered is recognized as the holder of that security. Global securities will be registered in the name of the depositary or its participants. Consequently, for global securities, we will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the securities, and we will make all payments on the securities to the depositary. The depositary passes along the payments it receives to its participants, which in turn pass the payments along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers; they are not obligated to do so under the terms of the securities.

As a result, investors in a global security will not own securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests in a global security, through a bank, broker or other financial institution that participates in the depositary’s book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As long as the securities are issued in global form, investors will be indirect holders, and not legal holders, of the securities.

Street Name Holders

We may terminate a global security or issue securities that are not issued in global form. In these cases, investors may choose to hold their securities in their own names or in “street name.” Securities held by an investor in street name would be registered in the name of a bank, broker or other financial institution that the investor chooses, and the investor would hold only a beneficial interest in those securities through an account he or she maintains at that institution.

For securities held in street name, we or any applicable trustee or depositary will recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions in whose names the securities are registered as the holders of those securities, and we or any such trustee or depositary will make all payments on those securities to them. These institutions pass along the payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. Investors who hold securities in street name will be indirect holders, not legal holders, of those securities.

Legal Holders

Our obligations, as well as the obligations of any applicable trustee or third party employed by us or a trustee, run only to the legal holders of the securities. We do not have obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect holder of a security or has no choice because we are issuing the securities only in global form.

For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the legal holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment or notice even if that legal holder is required, under agreements with its participants or customers or by law, to pass it along to the indirect holders but does not do so. Similarly, we may want to obtain the approval of the holders to amend an indenture, to relieve us of the consequences

TABLE OF CONTENTS

of a default or of our obligation to comply with a particular provision of an indenture, or for other purposes. In such an event, we would seek approval only from the legal holders, and not the indirect holders, of the securities. Whether and how the legal holders contact the indirect holders is up to the legal holders.

Special Considerations for Indirect Holders

If you hold securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form because the securities are represented by one or more global securities or in street name, you should check with your own institution to find out:

•

how it handles securities payments and notices;

•

whether it imposes fees or charges;

•

how it would handle a request for the holders’ consent, if ever required;

•

whether and how you can instruct it to send you securities registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is permitted in the future;

•

how it would exercise rights under the securities if there were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests; and

•

if the securities are in book-entry form, how the depositary’s rules and procedures will affect these matters.

Global Securities

A global security is a security that represents one or any other number of individual securities held by a depositary. Generally, all securities represented by the same global security will have the same terms.

Each security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we issue to, deposit with and register in the name of a financial institution or its nominee that we select. The financial institution that we select for this purpose is called the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, DTC will be the depositary for all securities issued in book-entry form.

A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary, its nominee or a successor depositary, unless special termination situations arise. We describe those situations below under “— Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated.” As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and legal holder of all securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial interests in a global security. Beneficial interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that does. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be a legal holder of the security, but only an indirect holder of a beneficial interest in the global security.

If the prospectus supplement for a particular security indicates that the security will be issued as a global security, then the security will be represented by a global security at all times unless and until the global security is terminated. If termination occurs, we may issue the securities through another book-entry clearing system or decide that the securities may no longer be held through any book-entry clearing system.

Special Considerations for Global Securities

As an indirect holder, an investor’s rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. We do not recognize an indirect holder as a holder of securities and instead deal only with the depositary that holds the global security.

If securities are issued only as global securities, an investor should be aware of the following:

•

an investor cannot cause the securities to be registered in his or her name, and cannot obtain non-global certificates for his or her interest in the securities, except in the special situations we describe below;

TABLE OF CONTENTS

•

an investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or her own bank or broker for payments on the securities and protection of his or her legal rights relating to the securities, as we describe above;

•

an investor may not be able to sell interests in the securities to some insurance companies and to other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form;

•

an investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in the global security in circumstances where certificates representing the securities must be delivered to the lender or other beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be effective;

•

the depositary’s policies, which may change from time to time, will govern payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to an investor’s interest in the global security;

•

we and any applicable trustee have no responsibility for any aspect of the depositary’s actions or for its records of ownership interests in the global security, nor will we or any applicable trustee supervise the depositary in any way;

•

the depositary may, and we understand that DTC will, require that those who purchase and sell interests in the global security within its book-entry system use immediately available funds, and your broker or bank may require you to do so as well; and

•

financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system, and through which an investor holds its interest in the global security, may also have their own policies affecting payments, notices and other matters relating to the securities.

There may be more than one financial intermediary in the chain of ownership for an investor. We do not monitor and are not responsible for the actions of any of those intermediaries.

Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated

In a few special situations described below, a global security will terminate and interests in it will be exchanged for physical certificates representing those interests. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in securities transferred to their own names, so that they will be direct holders. We have described the rights of holders and street name investors above.

Unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, a global security will terminate when the following special situations occur:

•

if the depositary notifies us that it is unwilling, unable or no longer qualified to continue as depositary for that global security and we do not appoint another institution to act as depositary within 90 days;

•

if we notify any applicable trustee that we wish to terminate that global security; or

•

if an event of default has occurred with regard to securities represented by that global security and has not been cured or waived.

The applicable prospectus supplement may also list additional situations for terminating a global security that would apply only to the particular series of securities covered by the prospectus supplement. When a global security terminates, the depositary, and neither we nor any applicable trustee, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions that will be the initial direct holders.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We or selling securityholders may sell the securities covered hereby from time to time pursuant to underwritten public offerings, direct sales to the public, negotiated transactions, block trades or a combination of these methods. A distribution of these securities offered by this prospectus may also be effected through the issuance of derivative securities, including without limitation, warrants. We or selling securityholders may sell the securities to or through underwriters or dealers, through agents, or directly to one or more purchasers. We or selling securityholders may distribute securities from time to time in one or more transactions:

•

at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed;

•

at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

•

at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or

•

at negotiated prices.

We may also sell equity securities covered by this registration statement in an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act. Such offering may be made into an existing trading market for such securities in transactions at other than a fixed price on or through the facilities of the Nasdaq Global Select Market or any other securities exchange or quotation or trading service on which such securities may be listed, quoted or traded at the time of sale. Such at the market offerings, if any, may be conducted by underwriters acting as principal or agent.

A prospectus supplement or supplements (and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you) will describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including, to the extent applicable:

•

the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents;

•

the name or names of any managing underwriter or underwriters;

•

the amounts of securities underwritten or purchased by each of them;

•

the name or names of any selling securityholders;

•

the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds we will receive from the sale;

•

any over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us;

•

any agency fees or underwriting discounts and other items constituting agents’ or underwriters’ compensation;

•

any public offering price;

•

any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and

•

any securities exchange or market on which the securities may be listed.

Only underwriters named in the prospectus supplement are underwriters of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement.

If underwriters are used in the sale, they will acquire the securities for their own account and may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to the conditions set forth in the applicable underwriting agreement. We or selling securityholders may offer the securities to the public through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters or by underwriters without a syndicate. Subject to certain conditions, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement, other than securities covered by any overallotment or other option. Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may change from time to time. We or selling securityholders may use underwriters with whom we have a material relationship. We will describe in the prospectus supplement, naming the underwriter, the nature of any such relationship.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

We or selling securityholders may sell securities directly or through agents we designate from time to time. We will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of securities, and we will describe any commissions and other compensation we will pay the agent in the prospectus supplement. Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, our agent will act on a best-efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

We may authorize agents or underwriters to solicit offers by certain types of institutional investors to purchase securities from us at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. We will describe the conditions to these contracts and the commissions we must pay for solicitation of these contracts in the prospectus supplement.

We may provide agents and underwriters with indemnification against civil liabilities related to this offering, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribution with respect to payments that the agents or underwriters may make with respect to these liabilities. Agents and underwriters may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.

All securities we may offer, other than common stock, will be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters may make a market in these securities, but will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We cannot guarantee the liquidity of the trading markets for any securities.

Any underwriter may engage in overallotment, stabilizing transactions, short covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Overallotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum price. Short covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution is completed to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a stabilizing or covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time. These transactions may be effected on any exchange or over-the-counter market or otherwise.

Any underwriters or agents who are qualified market makers on the Nasdaq Global Select Market may engage in passive market making transactions in the securities on the Nasdaq Global Select Market in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act, during the business day prior to the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of the securities. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security; if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded. Passive market making may stabilize the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LEGAL MATTERS

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, certain legal matters in connection with the offering and the validity of the securities offered by this prospectus, and any supplement thereto, will be passed upon by Cooley LLP, Reston, Virginia. Additional legal matters may be passed upon for us or any underwriters, dealers or agents, by counsel that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement.

EXPERTS

The financial statements incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

This prospectus is part of a registration statement we filed with the SEC. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits to the registration statement. For further information with respect to us and the securities we are offering under this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed as a part of the registration statement. Neither we nor any selling securityholder, agent, underwriter or dealer has authorized any person to provide you with different information than the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We are not making an offer of these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front page of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of the securities offered by this prospectus.

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers, such as us, that file electronically with the SEC.

Copies of certain information filed by us with the SEC are also available on our website at www.aclaristx.com. Information contained in or accessible through our website does not constitute a part of this prospectus and is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have included our website address as an inactive textual reference only.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The SEC file number for the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus is 001-37581. The documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus contain important information that you should read about us.

The following documents are incorporated by reference into this document:

•

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on February 26, 2026;

•

our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2026 and June 30, 2026 filed with the SEC on May 7, 2026 and August 6, 2026, respectively;

•

our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 6, 2026, April 28, 2026, and June 4, 2026, to the extent the information in such reports is filed and not furnished; and

•

the description of our common stock contained in Exhibit 4.1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on February 26, 2026, and any amendment or report filed with the SEC for the purpose of updating such description.

We also incorporate by reference into this prospectus all documents (other than current reports furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits filed on such form that are related to such items) that are filed by us with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus but prior to the termination of the offering. These documents include periodic reports, such as Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, as well as proxy statements.

We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered, without charge upon written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus but not delivered with the prospectus, including exhibits that are specifically incorporated by reference into such documents. You should direct any requests for documents to Aclaris Therapeutics Inc., Attn: Matthew Rothman, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, 701 Lee Road, Suite 103, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087; telephone: (484) 324-7933.

Any statement contained in this prospectus or contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or any subsequently filed supplement to this prospectus, or document deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus, modifies or supersedes such statement.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROSPECTUS

[MISSING IMAGE: lg_aclaristherapeutics-4c.jpg]

$150,000,000
Common Stock

We have entered into a second amended and restated sales agreement, dated as of August 6, 2026, or the Sales Agreement, with Leerink Partners LLC and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., or the Sales Agents, relating to shares of our common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, offered by this prospectus. Pursuant to this prospectus, we may offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000 from time to time through the Sales Agents acting as sales agents in accordance with the terms of the Sales Agreement.

Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or the Exchange, under the symbol “ACRS.” On August 5, 2026, the last reported sale price of our common stock was $6.36 per share.

Sales of our common stock, if any, under this prospectus may be made in sales deemed to be “at the market” offerings as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. The Sales Agents are not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of securities, but will act as sales agents using commercially reasonable efforts consistent with their normal trading and sales practices, on mutually agreed terms between the Sales Agents and us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in any escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

The compensation to the Sales Agents for sales of common stock sold pursuant to the Sales Agreement will be an amount equal to 3.0% of the gross proceeds of any shares of common stock sold under the Sales Agreement. In connection with the sale of the common stock on our behalf, the Sales Agents will be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation of the Sales Agents will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have also agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to the Sales Agents with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act.

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should review carefully the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-4 of this prospectus and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

Leerink PartnersCantor

The date of this prospectus is August 6, 2026.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus relates to part of an automatic registration statement on Form S-3 that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process as a “well-known seasoned issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. Under this shelf registration process, we may sell any combination of the securities described in the base prospectus included in the shelf registration statement in one or more offerings. This prospectus covers the offering, issuance and sale by us of shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150.0 million under the Sales Agreement. Such shares may be offered and sold from time to time through the Sales Agents under this prospectus.

This prospectus relates to the offering of our common stock. Before buying any of the common stock that we are offering, we urge you to carefully read this prospectus, together with the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and any free writing prospectus or prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering when making your investment decision. You should also read and consider the information in the documents we have referred you to under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference.” These documents contain important information that you should consider when making your investment decision.

This prospectus describes the terms of this offering of common stock and also adds to and updates information contained in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus, on the one hand, and the information contained in any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus that was filed with the SEC before the date of this prospectus, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this prospectus. If any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date (for example, a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus) the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.

We have not, and the Sales Agents have not, authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different than or in addition to the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not, and the Sales Agents are not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and in any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, is accurate only as of the date of those respective documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. You should read this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, in their entirety before making an investment decision.

S-ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights certain information about us, this offering and selected information contained elsewhere in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. This summary is not complete and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before deciding whether to invest in our common stock. For a more complete understanding of our company and this offering, we encourage you to read and consider carefully the more detailed information in this prospectus, including the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and the information included in any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, including the information under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus on page S-4 and in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

Company Overview

Risks Associated with our Business

•

We have incurred significant losses since our inception. We expect to incur losses over the next several years and may never achieve or maintain profitability.

•

Our future success depends on our ability to retain key executives and to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel.

•

We rely heavily on third parties for clinical trials, manufacturing, and development support. Their performance impacts our timelines and success.

•

We face substantial competition, which may result in others discovering, developing or commercializing drugs before or more successfully than we do.

S-1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Corporate Information

Implications of Being a Smaller Reporting Company

S-2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE OFFERING

Common stock offered by us

Shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150.0 million.

Common stock to be outstanding after this offering

Up to 163,409,178 shares, assuming sales of 23,584,905 shares of our common stock in this offering at an offering price of $6.36 per share, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on August 5, 2026. The actual number of shares issued will vary depending on how many shares of our common stock we choose to sell and the prices at which such sales occur.

Plan of Distribution

“At the market offering” that may be made from time to time through our Sales Agents. See “Plan of Distribution” on page S-10.

Use of Proceeds

Risk Factors

Investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should read the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference herein for a discussion of factors to consider carefully before deciding to invest in shares of our common stock.

Nasdaq Global Select Market Symbol

“ACRS”

The number of shares of our common stock that will be outstanding after this offering is based on 139,824,273 shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2026, and excludes:

•

15,392,992 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options outstanding as of June 30, 2026, at a weighted average exercise price of $5.93 per share;

•

3,441,263 shares of our common stock issuable upon the vesting and settlement of restricted stock units outstanding as of June 30, 2026;

•

3,000,000 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants outstanding as of June 30, 2026 with an exercise price of $0.00001 per share;

•

502,380 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2024 Inducement Plan as of June 30, 2026;

•

6,754,427 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2025 Equity Incentive Plan as of June 30, 2026; and

•

7,262,517 shares of our common stock issued and sold pursuant to the prior sales agreement with the Sales Agents subsequent to June 30, 2026.

S-3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding whether to invest in our securities, you should consider carefully the risks and uncertainties described below and discussed under the section titled “Risk Factors” contained in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated by our subsequent filings under Exchange Act, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus in its entirety, with other information in this prospectus, and the information and documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering before you make a decision to invest in our common stock. The risks described in is document are not the only ones we face, but those that we consider to be material. There may be other unknown or unpredictable economic, business, competitive, regulatory or other factors that could have material adverse effects on our future results. Past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results or trends in future periods. If any of these risks actually occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flow could be harmed. This could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline, resulting in a loss of all or part of your investment. Please also read carefully the section below titled “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

Additional Risks Related to This Offering

Purchasers in this offering may experience dilution.

The offering price per share in this offering may exceed the net tangible book value per share of our common stock outstanding prior to this offering. Assuming that an aggregate of 23,584,905 shares of our common stock are sold at a price of $6.36 per share, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on August 5, 2026, for aggregate gross proceeds of $150.0 million, and after deducting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, you would experience immediate dilution of $4.72 per share, representing the difference between our as adjusted net tangible book value per share as of June 30, 2026 after giving effect to this offering and the assumed offering price. The exercise of stock options or warrants and vesting of restricted stock units would result in further dilution of your investment. See the section entitled “Dilution” below for a more detailed illustration of the dilution you would incur if you participate in this offering. Because the sales of the shares offered hereby will be made directly into the market or in negotiated transactions, the prices at which we sell these shares will vary and these variations may be significant. Purchasers of the shares we sell, as well as our existing stockholders, will experience significant dilution if we sell shares at prices significantly below the price at which they invested.

You may experience future dilution as a result of future equity offerings.

In order to raise additional capital, we may in the future offer additional shares of our common stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock. We cannot assure you that we will be able to sell shares or other securities in any other offering at a price per share that is equal to or greater than the price per share paid by investors in this offering, and investors purchasing shares or other securities in the future could have rights superior to existing stockholders. The price per share at which we sell additional shares of our common stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock in future transactions may be higher or lower than the price per share in this offering

Our management might apply the net proceeds from this offering in ways with which you do not agree and in ways that may impair the value of your investment.

We currently intend to use the net proceeds from this offering primarily to fund the research and development of the product candidates in our pipeline and for working capital and general corporate purposes. Pending these uses, we expect to invest the net proceeds in short-term, interest-bearing obligations, certificates of deposit or direct or guaranteed obligations of the United States or foreign government agencies. Our management has broad discretion as to the use of these proceeds and you will be relying on the judgment of our management regarding the application of these proceeds. We might apply these proceeds in ways with which you do not agree, or in ways that do not yield a favorable return. If our management applies these proceeds in a manner that does not yield a significant return, if any, on our investment of these

S-4

TABLE OF CONTENTS

net proceeds, it could compromise our ability to pursue our growth strategy and adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

The common stock offered hereby will be sold in “at the market offerings,” and investors who buy shares at different times will likely pay different prices.

Investors who purchase shares in this offering at different times will likely pay different prices, and so may experience different outcomes in their investment results. We will have discretion, subject to market demand, to vary the timing, prices, and numbers of shares sold, and there is no minimum or maximum sales price. Investors may experience a decline in the value of their shares as a result of share sales made at prices lower than the prices they paid.

It is not possible to predict the actual number of shares we will sell under the Sales Agreement, or the gross proceeds resulting from those sales.

Subject to certain limitations in the Sales Agreement and compliance with applicable law, we have the discretion to deliver a placement notice to the Sales Agents at any time throughout the term of the Sales Agreement. The number of shares that are sold through the Sales Agents after delivering a placement notice will fluctuate based on a number of factors, including the market price of the common stock during the sales period, the limits we set with the Sales Agents in any applicable placement notice, and the demand for our common stock during the sales period. Because the price per share of each share sold will fluctuate during the sales period, it is not currently possible to predict the number of shares that will be sold or the gross proceeds to be raised in connection with those sales, if any.

S-5

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Any statements in this prospectus, or incorporated herein, about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and are forward-looking statements. Within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, the forward-looking statements in this prospectus include statements about:

•

our plans to develop our product candidates;

•

the timing of our planned clinical trials of our product candidates and the reporting of the results from these trials;

•

the clinical utility of our product candidates and our expectations about their properties and therapeutic effects;

•

our plans and expectations related to manufacturing capabilities and strategy;

•

our expectations regarding coverage and reimbursement of our product candidates, if approved;

•

the timing of our regulatory filings and approvals for our product candidates;

•

our intellectual property position;

•

our expectations regarding competition;

•

the size and growth potential of the markets for our product candidates;

•

our expectations regarding our continued reliance on third parties;

•

the impacts of macroeconomic conditions on our business;

•

our expectations regarding our use of capital;

•

our estimates regarding future revenue, expenses and needs for additional financing; and

•

our use of cash and other resources, including our expected use of proceeds from any sale of securities under this prospectus, if any; and

•

other risks and uncertainties, including those listed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings we make with the SEC.

We caution you that the foregoing list may not contain all of the forward-looking statements made in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein.

S-6

TABLE OF CONTENTS

statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

You should refer to the “Risk Factors” section contained in this prospectus and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, for a discussion of important factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. Given these risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this prospectus will prove to be accurate, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Furthermore, if our forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by us or any other person that we will achieve our objectives and plans in any specified time frame, or at all.

S-7

TABLE OF CONTENTS

USE OF PROCEEDS

We may issue and sell shares of our common stock under this prospectus having aggregate sales proceeds of up to $150.0 million from time to time. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time. The amount of proceeds from this offering will depend upon the number of shares of our common stock sold and the market price at which they are sold. There can be no assurance that we will be able to sell any shares under or fully utilize the Sales Agreement as a source of financing.

We currently intend to use the net proceeds from this offering primarily to fund the research and development of the product candidates in our pipeline and for working capital and general corporate purposes. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to invest in or acquire businesses or technologies that we believe are complementary to our own, although we have no current plans, commitments or agreements with respect to any acquisitions as of the date of this prospectus. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses of the net proceeds from the sale of securities, if any, under this prospectus. Accordingly, we will retain broad discretion over the use of such proceeds. Pending these uses, we expect to invest the net proceeds in short-term, interest-bearing obligations, certificates of deposit or direct or guaranteed obligations of the United States or foreign government agencies.

S-8

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DILUTION

Our historical net tangible book value as of June 30, 2026 was $122.5 million, or $0.88 per share of common stock. Historical net tangible book value per share is determined by dividing our total tangible assets (total assets less intangible assets and right of use assets), less total liabilities, by the number of shares of our common stock outstanding on June 30, 2026.

After giving effect to the issuance and sale of our common stock in the aggregate amount of $150.0 million in this offering at an assumed offering price of $6.36 per share, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on August 5, 2026, and after deducting commissions and estimated aggregate offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of June 30, 2026 would have been $267.7 million, or $1.64 per share. This represents an immediate increase of $0.76 in the net tangible book value per share to existing stockholders and immediate dilution of $4.72 in the net tangible book value per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering. The following table illustrates this per share dilution to the new investors purchasing shares of our common stock in this offering:

Assumed public offering price per share			$	6.36
Net tangible book value per share of as June 30, 2026	$	0.88
Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to this offering	$	0.76
As adjusted net tangible book value per share as of June 30, 2026, after giving effect to this offering			$	1.64
Dilution per share to investors purchasing our common stock in this offering			$	4.72

The information discussed above is based on 139,824,273 shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2026, and excludes:

•

15,392,992 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options outstanding as of June 30, 2026, at a weighted average exercise price of $5.93 per share;

•

3,441,263 shares of our common stock issuable upon the vesting and settlement of restricted stock units outstanding as of June 30, 2026;

•

3,000,000 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants outstanding as of June 30, 2026 with an exercise price of $0.00001 per share;

•

502,830 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2024 Inducement Plan as of June 30, 2026;

•

6,754,427 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2025 Equity Incentive Plan as of June 30, 2026; and

•

7,262,517 shares of our common stock issued and sold pursuant to the prior sales agreement with the Sales Agents subsequent to June 30, 2026.

To the extent that outstanding options or warrants outstanding are exercised or shares are issued upon the vesting of outstanding restricted stock units or we issue additional options, restricted stock units, warrants or shares of our common stock in the future, there will be further dilution to investors purchasing common stock in this offering. In addition, we may choose to raise additional capital due to market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. To the extent that additional capital is raised through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to our stockholders.

S-9

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We entered into the Sales Agreement with Leerink Partners LLC and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., or the Sales Agents, under which we may offer and sell our shares of common stock from time to time through the Sales Agents. Pursuant to this prospectus, we may offer and sell shares of common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150.0 million. Sales of our common stock, if any, will be made at market prices by any method that is deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act, including sales made directly on the Nasdaq Global Select Market or any other trading market for our common stock. The description below of the material provisions of the Sales Agreement does not purport to be a complete statement of its terms and conditions. A copy of the Sales Agreement is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

The Sales Agents will offer our common stock subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement on a daily basis or as otherwise agreed upon by us and the Sales Agents. We will designate the maximum amount of common stock to be sold through the Sales Agents on a daily basis or otherwise determine such maximum amount together with the Sales Agents. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, the Sales Agents will use their commercially reasonable efforts to sell on our behalf all of the shares of common stock requested to be sold by us. We may only instruct one Sales Agent to sell shares of common stock on any single given day. We may instruct the Sales Agents not to sell common stock if the sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by us in any such instruction. The Sales Agents or we may suspend the offering of our common stock being made through the Sales Agents under the Sales Agreement upon proper notice to the other party or parties. We, and each of the Sales Agents solely with respect to itself, have the right, by giving written notice as specified in the Sales Agreement, to terminate the Sales Agreement in each party’s sole discretion at any time. The offering of our common stock pursuant to the Sales Agreement will otherwise terminate upon the termination of the Sales Agreement as provided therein

The aggregate compensation payable to the Sales Agents is equal to 3.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds from the sale of the shares sold through them pursuant to the Sales Agreement. We have also agreed to reimburse the Sales Agents up to an aggregate of $75,000 of the Sales Agents’ actual outside legal expenses incurred by the Sales Agents in connection with this offering, and for certain ongoing expenses. In accordance with FINRA Rule 5110 these reimbursed fees and expenses are deemed to be sales compensation in connection with this offering. We estimate that the total expenses of the offering payable by us, excluding commissions payable to the Sales Agents under the Sales Agreement, will be approximately $300,000.

The remaining sales proceeds, after deducting any expenses payable by us and any transaction fees imposed by any governmental, regulatory, or self-regulatory organization in connection with the sales, will equal our net proceeds for the sale of such common stock.

A Sales Agent will provide written confirmation to us following the close of trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on each day in which common stock is sold through it as sales agent under the Sales Agreement. Each confirmation will include the number of shares of common stock sold through it as sales agent on that day, the volume weighted average price of the shares sold, the percentage of the daily trading volume and the net proceeds to us.

We will report at least quarterly the number of shares of common stock sold through the Sales Agents under the Sales Agreement and the net proceeds to us in connection with the sales of common stock.

Settlement for sales of common stock will occur on the first business day that is also a trading day following the date on which any sales were made in return for payment of the net proceeds to us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

In connection with the sales of our common stock on our behalf, the Sales Agents will each be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation paid to the Sales Agents will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed in the Sales Agreement to provide indemnification and contribution to the Sales Agents against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. As Sales Agents, Leerink Partners LLC and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. will not engage in any transactions that stabilize our common stock.

The Sales Agents and their affiliates may in the future provide various investment banking, commercial banking, financial advisory and other financial services for us and our affiliates, for which services they may in the future receive customary fees.

S-10

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The following documents are incorporated by reference into this document:

•

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on February 26, 2026;

•

our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2026, and June 30, 2026 filed with the SEC on May 7, 2026 and August 6, 2026, respectively;

•

our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 6, 2026, April 28, 2026, and June 4, 2026, to the extent the information in such reports is filed and not furnished; and

•

S-11

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon by Cooley LLP, Reston, Virginia. Covington & Burling LLP, New York, New York is acting as counsel for the Sales Agents in connection with this offering.

EXPERTS

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

This prospectus is part of a registration statement we filed with the SEC. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits to the registration statement. For further information with respect to us and the securities we are offering under this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed as a part of the registration statement. Neither we nor any agent, underwriter or dealer has authorized any person to provide you with information that is different than or in addition to the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering. We are not making an offer of these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front page of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of the securities offered by this prospectus.

S-12

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

The following table sets forth the estimated costs and expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, payable by us in connection with the offering of the securities being registered. All the amounts shown are estimates.

SEC registration fee	$	#
Accounting fees and expenses		*
Legal fees and expenses		*
Transfer agent fees and expenses		*
Trustee fees and expenses		*
Printing and miscellaneous expenses		*
Total	$	*

In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act, we are deferring payment of the registration fee for the securities offered by this registration statement, other than with respect to the registration fees applicable to the offering of up to $150,000,000 of shares of common stock pursuant to the prospectus.

These fees are calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances and, accordingly, cannot be estimated at this time.

Item 15. Indemnification of Officers and Directors

We are incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware. Under Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or the DGCL, we have broad powers to indemnify our directors and officers against liabilities they may incur in such capacities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. Section 145 of the DGCL generally provides that a Delaware corporation has the power to indemnify its present and former directors, officers, employees and agents against expenses incurred by them in connection with any suit to which they are or are threatened to be made, a party by reason of their serving in such positions so long as they acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action, they had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws include provisions that (i) eliminate the personal liability of our directors for monetary damages resulting from breaches of their fiduciary duty to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law, (ii) require us to indemnify our directors to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL or other applicable law and (iii) provide us with the power, in our discretion, to indemnify our other officers, employees and other agents as set forth in the DGCL or other applicable law. We believe that these provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors and officers. These provisions do not eliminate our directors’ or officers’ duty of care, and, in appropriate circumstances, equitable remedies such as injunctive or other forms of non-monetary relief will remain available under the DGCL. In addition, each director will continue to be subject to liability pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL, for breach of such director’s duty of loyalty to us, for acts or omissions not in good faith or involving intentional misconduct, for knowing violations of law, for acts or omissions that such director believes to be contrary to our best interests or the best interests of our stockholders, for any transaction from which such director derived an improper personal benefit, for acts or omissions involving a reckless disregard for such director’s duty to us or to our stockholders when such director was aware or should have been aware of a risk of serious injury to us or to our stockholders, for acts or omission that constitute an unexcused pattern of inattention that amounts to an abdication of such director’s duty to us or to our stockholders, for improper transactions between such director and us and for

II-1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

improper loans to directors and officers. These provisions also do not affect a director’s responsibilities under any other law, such as the federal securities law or state or federal environmental laws.

Item 16. Exhibits

	Exhibit Number			Description of Document
	1.1*			Form of Underwriting Agreement.
	1.2			Second Amended and Restated Sales Agreement by and among the Registrant, Leerink Partners LLC and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., dated as of August 6, 2026.
	3.1			Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-37581), filed with the SEC on October 13, 2015).
	3.2			Certificate of Amendment to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-37581), filed with the SEC on June 5, 2025).
	3.3			Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-37581), filed with the SEC on June 24, 2020).
	4.1*			Form of Specimen Preferred Stock Certificate and Certificate of Designation of Preferred Stock.
	4.2			Form of Indenture, between the Registrant and one or more trustees to be named.
	4.3*			Form of Debt Securities.
	4.4			Form of Common Stock Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate.
	4.5			Form of Preferred Stock Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate.
	4.6			Form of Debt Securities Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate.
	5.1			Opinion of Cooley LLP.
	23.1			Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
	23.2			Consent of Cooley LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
	24.1			Power of Attorney (included on signature page).
	25.1**			Statement of Eligibility of Trustee under the Indenture.
	107			Filing Fee Table

To be filed, if applicable, by amendment or by a report filed under the Exchange Act and incorporated herein by reference.

To be filed, if applicable, in accordance with the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and Rule 5b-3 thereunder.

Item 17. Undertakings

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) 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 of 1933;

(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 SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b)

II-2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table 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 the undertakings set forth in paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) above 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 SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement or are contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of this registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, 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.

(3) 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.

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(i)

Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii)

Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: (i) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; (ii) any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; (iii) the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and (iv) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

II-3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(6) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) 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.

(7) To file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 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 SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 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 of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

II-4

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

	Date: August 6, 2026			ACLARIS THERAPEUTICS, INC.
				By: /s/ Neal Walker Neal Walker Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Neal Walker and Kevin Balthaser, jointly and severally, as true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full powers of substitution and resubstitution, for them and in their name, place, and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and generally to do all such things in their names and behalf in their capacities as officers and directors to enable the Registrant to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all requirements of 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 connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitutes or substitute, 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.

Signature	Title	Date
/s/ Neal Walker Neal Walker	Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board of Directors (Principal Executive Officer)	August 6, 2026
/s/ Kevin Balthaser Kevin Balthaser	Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)	August 6, 2026
/s/ Christopher Molineaux Christopher Molineaux	Lead Independent Director	August 6, 2026
/s/ Anand Mehra, M.D. Anand Mehra, M.D.	Director	August 6, 2026
/s/ William Humphries William Humphries	Director	August 6, 2026
/s/ Andrew Schiff Andrew Schiff	Director	August 6, 2026
/s/ Hugh Davis Hugh Davis	President, Chief Operating Officer and Director	August 6, 2026

	Page
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS		ii
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY		1
RISK FACTORS		5
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS		6
USE OF PROCEEDS		8
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK		9
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES		14
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS		21
LEGAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES		23
SELLING SECURITYHOLDERS		26
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION		27
LEGAL MATTERS		29
EXPERTS		29
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION		29
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE		30