As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 5, 2020

Registration No. 333-            

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

SANGAMO THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Amended and Restated Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan

(Full title of the plan)

Alexander D. Macrae

President and Chief Executive Officer

Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc.

7000 Marina Blvd.

Brisbane, California 94005

(510) 970-6000

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

Copies to:

Chadwick L. Mills

Cooley LLP

101 California St., 5th Floor

San Francisco, California 94111-5800

Tel: (415) 693-2000

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.  ☐

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is being filed by Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Registrant”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) for the purpose of registering an additional 9,900,000 shares of the Registrant’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) to be issued pursuant to the Registrant’s Amended and Restated 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2018 Plan”). The Registrant previously registered 19,131,725 shares of the Registrant’s Common Stock that are or may become issuable under the 2018 Plan pursuant to the Registrant’s registration statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-225552) filed with the Commission on June 11, 2018 (the “Prior Form S-8”). This Registration Statement relates to securities of the same class as those to which the Prior Form S-8 relates and is submitted in accordance with General Instruction E of Form S-8. Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, the contents of the Prior Form S-8 is incorporated by reference herein.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference

The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Commission are incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement:

All reports and other documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, other than Current Reports furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits furnished on such form that relate to such items, after the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part of this Registration Statement from the date of filing such reports and documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes that statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not constitute a part of this Registration Statement, except as so modified or superseded.

Item 8. Exhibits

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-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Brisbane, State of California, on August 5, 2020.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Alexander D. Macrae, Sung H. Lee and Gary H. Loeb, and each of them, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with the full power of substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place or stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this registration statement (including post-effective amendments), and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and 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 attorney-in-fact and agent, or his or her substitute or substitutes, 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 date indicated.

Exhibit 5.1

Chadwick L. Mills

+1 650 843 5654

cmills@cooley.com

August 5, 2020

Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc.

7000 Marina Blvd.

Brisbane, California 94005

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission covering the offering of up to 9,900,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock, $0.01 par value (the “Shares”), pursuant to the Company’s Amended and Restated 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2018 Plan”).

In connection with this opinion, we have examined and relied upon the Registration Statement and related prospectus, the Company’s Seventh Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and Third Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended, each as currently in effect, the 2018 Plan and originals or copies certified to our satisfaction of such other records, documents, certificates, memoranda and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinion expressed below. We have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as copies, the accuracy, completeness and authenticity of certificates of public officials and the due authorization, execution and delivery by all persons other than by the Company of all documents where authorization, execution and delivery are prerequisites to the effectiveness thereof. As to certain factual matters, we have relied upon a certificate of an officer of the Company and have not independently verified such matters.

Our opinion is expressed only with respect to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. We express no opinion to the extent that any other laws are applicable to the subject matter hereof and express no opinion and provide no assurance as to compliance with any federal or state securities law, rule or regulation.

On the basis of the foregoing, and in reliance thereon, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when sold and issued in accordance with the 2018 Plan, the Registration Statement and related prospectus, will be validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable (except as to shares issued pursuant to certain deferred payment arrangements, which will be fully paid and nonassessable when such deferred payments are made in full).

We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

Cooley LLP    101 California Street    5th Floor    San Francisco, CA    94111-5800

t: (415) 693-2000 f: (415) 693-2222 cooley.com

August 5, 2020 Page Two

Sincerely,

Cooley LLP

Cooley LLP    101 California Street    5th Floor    San Francisco, CA    94111-5800

t: (415) 693-2000 f: (415) 693-2222 cooley.com

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the Amended and Restated 2018 Equity Incentive Plan of Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. of our reports dated February 28, 2020, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc., and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc., included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Redwood City, CA

August 5, 2020