UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 6-K

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER

PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-16 OR 15D-16 UNDER THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Dated October 2, 2020

Commission File Number 001-36421

AURINIA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

N/A

(Translation of Registrant’s Name)

#1203-4464 Markham Street

Victoria, British Columbia

V8Z7X8

(250) 708-4272

(Address and telephone number of registrant’s principal executive offices)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F  ☐            Form 40-F  ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b) (1):  ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b) (7):  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in this Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Yes  ☒             No  ☐

This Form 6-K is hereby filed and incorporated by reference in the registrant’s Registration Statement on Form F-10 (File No. 333-238785).

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, thereunto duly authorized.

Dated: October 2, 2020

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit 99.1 included with this report on Form 6-K is hereby incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Registration Statement on Form F-10 of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (File No. 333-238785), as amended or supplemented.

Exhibit 99.1

Aurinia Announces New Employment Inducement Grants Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

VICTORIA, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--October 2, 2020--Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:AUPH) (TSX:AUP) (“Aurinia” or the “Company”), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on advancing voclosporin in multiple indications, today announced that the Company’s Compensation Committee granted 9 new employees non-qualified stock options to purchase an aggregate of 96,000 common shares, at a per share exercise price of $14.73 USD, the closing trading price on September 30, 2020. One-third of the options vest in October 2021, and the balance of the options vests in a series of 24 equal monthly installments thereafter. The inducement options were granted as an inducement material to the new employees entering into employment with Aurinia in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). For the purposes of TSX approval, the Company relied on the exemption set forth in Section 602.1 of the TSX Company Manual, which provides that the TSX will not apply its standards to certain transactions involving eligible inter-listed issuers on a recognized exchange, such as Nasdaq.

The inducement stock options also have a ten year term and are subject to the terms and conditions of the stock option agreement pursuant to which the option was granted.

About Aurinia

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals is a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapies to treat targeted patient populations that are impacted by serious diseases with a high unmet medical need. The Company is currently developing an investigational drug, for the treatment of lupus nephritis and dry eye syndrome. The Company’s head office is in Victoria, British Columbia and focuses its development efforts globally. For further information, see our website at www.auriniapharma.com.

Contacts

Investor & Corporate Contact:

        Glenn Schulman, PharmD, MPH 

        Corporate Communications, Aurinia 

        gschulman@auriniapharma.com

Media Contact

        Stefan Riley 

        Ten Bridge Communications 

        stefan@tenbridgecommunications.com