Candel Therapeutics, Inc.

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )

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Filed by a Party other than the Registrant☐

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117 Kendrick St, Suite 450

Needham, MA 02494

NOTICE OF 2026 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

To be held on June 23, 2026

Notice is hereby given that the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, or Annual Meeting, of Candel Therapeutics, Inc., will be held online on June 23, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. You may attend the meeting virtually via the Internet at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/CADL2026 where you will be able to vote electronically and submit questions. You will need the 16-digit control number included with your proxy card in order to attend the Annual Meeting. The purpose of the Annual Meeting is the following:

To elect four Class II directors to our board of directors, to serve until the 2029 annual meeting of stockholders and until their successor has been duly elected and qualified, or until their earlier death, resignation or removal;

To ratify the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026; and

To transact any other business properly brought before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the Annual Meeting.

The proposal for the election of directors relates solely to the election of four Class II directors nominated by the board of directors.

Only Candel Therapeutics, Inc. stockholders of record at the close of business on April 24, 2026, will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof.

Candel Therapeutics, Inc. is following the Securities and Exchange Commission’s “Notice and Access” rule that allows companies to furnish their proxy materials by posting them on the Internet. As a result, we are mailing to our stockholders a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, or the Notice, instead of a paper copy of the accompanying proxy statement and our Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, or 2025 Annual Report. We plan to mail the Notice on or about April 29, 2026, and it contains instructions on how to access both the 2025 Annual Report and accompanying proxy statement over the Internet. This method provides our stockholders with expedited access to proxy materials and not only lowers the cost of printing and distribution but also reduces the environmental impact of the Annual Meeting. If you would like to receive a print version of the proxy materials, free of charge, please follow the instructions on the Notice.

Please see the “General Information” section of the proxy statement that accompanies this notice for more details regarding the logistics of the virtual Annual Meeting, including the ability of stockholders to submit questions during the Annual Meeting, and technical details and support related to accessing the virtual platform.

Your vote is important. Whether or not you expect to attend the virtual meeting, it is important that your shares be represented. To ensure that your vote is recorded promptly, please vote as soon as possible, even if you plan to attend the meeting, by submitting your proxy via the Internet at the address listed on the proxy card or by signing, dating and returning the proxy card. Even if you have voted by proxy, you may still vote at the virtual meeting. Please note, however, that if your shares are held through a broker, bank or other nominee and you wish to vote at the meeting, you must obtain a proxy issued in your name from that record holder.

By order of the Board of Directors,

/s/ Paul Peter Tak

Paul Peter Tak, M.D., Ph.D., FMedSci

Chief Executive Officer

Needham, MA

April 29, 2026