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

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 8, 2024

IKENA ONCOLOGY, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(857) 273-8343

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

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 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On July 8, 2024, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Ikena Oncology, Inc. (the “Company”) appointed Jotin Marango, M.D., Ph.D. to serve as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer, effective as of July 15, 2024 (the “Effective Date”), in addition to his role as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Head of Corporate Development.

Dr. Marango has served as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Head of Corporate Development since April 2022. Prior to joining the Company, he served as Senior Vice President, Chief Business Officer at Aptose Biosciences Inc. (Nasdaq: APTO) from June 2019 to April 2022 and also as its Chief Financial Officer from May 2021 to April 2022. Before that, from September 2017 to April 2019, Dr. Marango worked as an Equity Research Analyst at Roth Capital Partners covering small and mid-cap biotechnology companies focused on hematology, oncology and rare diseases. Dr. Marango also served as Chief Operating Officer at the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation from 2012 to 2015, where he oversaw venture philanthropy initiatives in therapeutic development. Through his education and career, Dr. Marango has solidified a passion for working in oncology and facilitating growth for businesses looking to make a difference in cancer research. Dr. Marango holds a B.A. in Chemistry with Honors from Harvard University and earned his M.D. and Ph.D. from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New York University.

In connection with Dr. Marango’s promotion to Chief Operating Officer, his salary was increased to $470,000 per year, effective as of the Effective Date. Dr. Marango was also granted an option to purchase 400,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, which shall vest upon the Company’s consummation of a strategic transaction as determined by the Board, subject to Dr. Marango’s continuous service relationship with the Company.

There are no arrangements or understandings between Dr. Marango and any other persons pursuant to which Dr. Marango was promoted to Chief Operating Officer. There are no family relationships between Dr. Marango and any director, executive officer or any other person nominated or chosen by the Company to become a director or executive officer. There are no related person transactions (within the meaning of Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission) between Dr. Marango and the Company.

SIGNATURE

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