UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

January 23, 2026

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

Aprea Therapeutics, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

Item 3.01. Notice of Delisting or Failure to Satisfy a Continued Listing Rule or Standard; Transfer of Listing.

On January 23, 2026, Aprea Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) received a deficiency letter from the Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Department (the “Staff”) of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) notifying the Company that, for the last 30 consecutive business days, the closing bid price for the Company’s common stock has been below the minimum $1.00 per share required for continued listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) (the “Minimum Bid Price Requirement”).

The Nasdaq deficiency letter has no immediate effect on the listing of the Company’s common stock, and its common stock will continue to trade on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “APRE” at this time.

In accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A) the Company has been provided a compliance period of 180 calendar days, or until July 22, 2026, in which to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement. If the Company evidences a closing bid price of at least $1.00 per share for a minimum of 10 consecutive business days during the 180-day compliance period, the Staff will provide the Company with written confirmation that is has regained compliance. In the event the Company does not regain compliance with the $1.00 bid price requirement by July 22, 2026, the Company may be eligible for consideration of a second 180-day compliance period if it meets the continued listing requirement for market value of publicly held shares and all other initial listing standards for Nasdaq’s Capital Market, other than the minimum bid price requirement. In addition, the Company would also be required to notify Nasdaq of its intent to cure the minimum bid price deficiency.

If the Company does not regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement by the end of the compliance period (or the second compliance period, if applicable), the Company’s common stock will become subject to delisting. In the event that the Company receives notice that its common stock is being delisted, the Nasdaq listing rules permit the Company to appeal a delisting determination by the Staff to a hearings panel.

The Company intends to monitor the closing bid price of its common stock and may, if appropriate, consider available options to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement, including initiating a reverse stock split. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement or will otherwise be in compliance with other Nasdaq Listing Rules.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.