COGT Cogent Biosciences Inc

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 26, 2024

Registration No. 333-    

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

COGENT BIOSCIENCES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

275 Wyman Street, 3rd Floor

Waltham, Massachusetts 02451

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, Zip Code)

Amended and Restated Cogent Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Stock Option and Incentive Plan

Cogent Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

(Full title of the plans)

Andrew Robbins

President and Chief Executive Officer

275 Wyman Street, 3rd Floor

Waltham, Massachusetts 02451

(Name and address of agent for service)

(617) 945-5576

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

Copies to:

Sean C. Feller

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

2029 Century Park East, Suite 4000

Los Angeles, CA 90067

(310) 552-8500

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

INTRODUCTION

This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is filed by Cogent Biosciences, Inc. (the “Registrant”) to register an additional (i) 3,444,970 shares of its common stock, par value $0.001 per share, available for issuance pursuant to the Amended and Restated Cogent Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (the “2018 Plan”) and (ii) 125,000 shares of Common Stock available for issuance pursuant to the Cogent Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”).

Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, the information contained in the Registrant’s Registration Statements on Form S-8 filed on August 8, 2023 (Registration No. 333-273802), March 14, 2023 (Registration No. 333-270522), March 17, 2022 (Registration No. 333-263638), August 17, 2021 (Registration No. 333-258865), March 16, 2021 (Registration No. 333-254320), March 26, 2020 (Registration No. 333-237406), March 28, 2019 (Registration No. 333-230559) and April 4, 2018 (Registration No. 333-224137), together with all exhibits filed therewith or incorporated therein by reference, is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part hereof, except for those items being updated by this Registration Statement.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Waltham, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on February 26, 2024.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Andrew Robbins, John Green, and Evan Kearns, and each of them severally, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, in connection with the Registration Statement, including to sign and file in the name and on behalf of the undersigned as a director or officer of Cogent Biosciences, Inc. (1) any and all amendments or supplements (including any and all stickers and post-effective amendments) to the Registration Statement, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, and (2) any and all additional registration statements, and any and all amendments thereto, relating to the same offering of securities as those that are covered by the Registration Statement that are filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any applicable securities exchange or securities self-regulatory body, 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 or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the following persons have signed this Registration Statement in the capacities and on the date(s) indicated.

Exhibit 5.1

				Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP   2029 Century Park East Los Angeles, CA 90067-3026 Tel 310.552.8500 www.gibsondunn.com

February 26, 2024

Cogent Biosciences, Inc.

275 Wyman Street, 3rd Floor

Waltham, Massachusetts 02451

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) of Cogent Biosciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), in connection with the offering by the Company of up to 3,569,970 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Shares”). The Shares are to be issued under the Amended and Restated Cogent Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Stock Option and Incentive Plan and the Cogent Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (collectively, the “Plans”).

In arriving at the opinions expressed below, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction as being true and complete copies of the originals, of such documents, corporate records, certificates of officers of the Company and of public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable to enable us to render the opinions set forth below. In our examination, we have assumed without independent investigation the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity and competency of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies.

We have also assumed that there are no agreements or understandings between or among the Company and any participants in the Plans that would expand, modify or otherwise affect the terms of the Plans or the respective rights or obligations of the participants thereunder. Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, exceptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when issued and sold against payment therefor as set forth in the Plans, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

We render no opinion herein as to matters involving the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”). We are not admitted to practice in the State of Delaware; however, we are generally familiar with the DGCL as currently in effect and have made such inquiries as we consider necessary to render the opinions above. This opinion is limited to the effect of the current state of the DGCL and the facts as they currently exist. We assume no obligation to revise or supplement this opinion in the event of future changes in such law or the interpretations thereof or such facts.

We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving these consents, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission.

Abu Dhabi • Beijing • Brussels • Century City • Dallas • Denver • Dubai • Frankfurt • Hong Kong • Houston • London • Los Angeles

Munich • New York • Orange County • Palo Alto • Paris • Riyadh • San Francisco • Singapore • Washington, D.C.

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of Cogent Biosciences, Inc. of our report dated February 26, 2024 relating to the financial statements and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, which appears in Cogent Biosciences, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Exhibit 107

CALCULATION OF FILING FEE TABLE

Form S-8

Cogent Biosciences, Inc.

Table 1 – Newly Registered Securities