Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 12, 2026) - PreveCeutical Medical Inc. (CSE: PREV) (OTCQB: PRVCF) (FSE:18H0) ("PreveCeutical"), a health sciences company that develops innovative options for preventive and curative therapies utilizing organic and nature-identical products, today announced that BioGene Therapeutics Inc. (the "Company"), a company that it is a significant shareholder of, has appointed Raj S. Pruthi, MD, MHA, FACS, as a Director of the Company. Dr. Pruthi, a renowned physician-scientist, executive leader, and board-level strategist with over two decades of experience in academic medicine, global pharmaceutical leadership, and biotechnology innovation, will lead BioGene's clinical strategy and advance its innovative gene therapy programs targeting metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity.
Dr. Pruthi brings deep expertise in registrational clinical trial design and execution, global regulatory engagement (FDA and EMA), capital markets strategy, and cross-functional leadership. Most recently, as Chief Medical Officer at Relmada Therapeutics, Inc. since June 2025, he has led the development of the NDV-011 program for bladder cancer, overseeing a Phase 2 open-label study and preparations for a multinational Phase 3 registrational trial set to begin in the first half of 2026. In this role, he managed KOL engagement, site recruitment, patient assessments, and execution, while also contributing to external engagements with investors, patient advocacy groups, and regulatory bodies. Dr. Pruthi played a key role in a public offering that raised over $100 million in net proceeds, extending the company's cash runway into 2028, and, most recently a PIPE that raised an additional $160 million.
Prior to Relmada, Dr. Pruthi served as Chief Medical Officer at enGene Inc. from April 2024 to June 2025, where he spearheaded a global gene therapy registrational program for bladder cancer across over 60 countries, including North America, Europe, and APAC, with a planned BLA submission in 2026. He grew the medical and clinical development teams from 5 to nearly 20 members, managing a $32 million annual budget and overseeing CRO performance.
From September 2022 to April 2024, Dr. Pruthi was Senior Global Medical Affairs Leader for Bladder Cancer and Senior Medical Director in Oncology at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine (Janssen), where he authored three large Phase 3 trials (400-500 patients each) for evidence generation and registrational purposes. He contributed to FDA and EMA approvals, including the FDA approval of TAR-200 in September 2025 for BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, and integrated patient-reported outcomes, digital health, and remote monitoring into study designs.
Before his industry transition, Dr. Pruthi had a distinguished academic career from March 2000 to September 2022, serving as a tenured Professor and Department Chair of Urology at leading institutions including the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the University of North Carolina (UNC). He pioneered robotic surgical techniques, such as robotic radical cystectomy and intracorporeal urinary diversion, and performed them as a Visiting Professor in Europe, China, and South Korea. His academic contributions include over 220 peer-reviewed publications, more than 20 book chapters, over 420 scientific presentations, and leadership in national guideline development, including the AUA Bladder Cancer Guidelines Committee since 2004.
Dr. Pruthi has held numerous national leadership roles, including Past-President and President of the Society of Academic Urology, Chair of the Advisory Council for Urology at the American College of Surgeons, Chair of the AUA Publications Committee, and membership in prestigious societies such as the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons and the Clinical Society of Genitourinary Surgeons. He has been recognized with awards such as "Best Doctors in America" annually from 2013 to 2021, Castle Connolly's "America's Top Doctors," and multiple teaching excellence honours.
Committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Dr. Pruthi has championed diverse leadership in urology, noting that at UCSF, 25% of faculty and 44% of residents were female-exceeding national averages. His efforts include health services research on racial disparities in cancer care and initiatives to increase opportunities for underrepresented minorities.
In education and mentorship, Dr. Pruthi has mentored residents, fellows, and faculty, emphasizing personalized career development. At UCSF and UNC, he expanded residency programs, implemented innovative training tools like app-based feedback and surgical simulations, and fostered a culture of faculty wellness and development, resulting in high satisfaction rates and successful graduate outcomes.
Dr. Pruthi earned his MD from Duke University School of Medicine, completed surgical and urology training at Stanford University, and holds a Master of Health Administration from UNC Chapel Hill. He is board-certified by the American Board of Urology and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
"I am thrilled to join BioGene Therapeutics at this pivotal time in its growth," said Dr. Raj S. Pruthi. "The Company's focus on dual gene therapy for metabolic health aligns perfectly with my passion for innovative, patient-centered solutions. Drawing from my experience in leading global registrational trials, regulatory strategies, and team building in gene therapy and oncology, I look forward to collaborating with the team to accelerate the Company's clinical programs and deliver transformative therapies for diabetes and obesity, addressing unmet needs in preventive and curative medicine."
Stephen Van Deventer, Chairman and CEO of PreveCeutical Medical Inc., commented, "We are delighted to welcome Dr. Pruthi to BioGene Therapeutics. His proven track record in gene therapy, regulatory strategy, clinical trial execution, and academic leadership will be instrumental as we advance our pipeline. Raj's expertise in scaling teams, securing funding, and driving FDA approvals strengthens our leadership and positions BioGene for success in developing cutting-edge treatments that leverage nature and science for better health outcomes."
The Company has granted 100,000 stock options (each, an "Option") to Dr. Pruthi with each Option exercisable into one common share of the Company (each, a "Share") at an exercisable price of $5.00 per Share until March 10, 2030. The Company has also granted Dr. Pruthi 500,000 restricted share units (each, an "RSU"). The Options and the RSUs vest as to 25% on March 10, 2026, 25% on March 10, 2027, 25% on March 10, 2028 and 25% on March 10, 2029.
About PreveCeutical Medical Inc.
PreveCeutical is a health sciences company that develops innovative options for preventive and curative therapies utilizing organic and nature identical products. PreveCeutical aims to be a leader in preventive health sciences and currently has five research and development programs, including: dual gene therapy for curative and prevention therapies for diabetes and obesity; the Sol-gel Program; Nature Identical™ peptides for treatment of various ailments; nonaddictive analgesic peptides as a replacement to the highly addictive analgesics such as morphine, fentanyl and oxycodone; and a therapeutic product for treating athletes who suffer from concussions (mild traumatic brain injury). For more information about PreveCeutical, please visit our website www.PreveCeutical.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
About BioGene Therapeutics Inc.
BioGene Therapeutics Inc. ("BioGene") is a Texas-based life sciences company focused on advancing innovative therapies in metabolic health and gene-based treatments. As a key component of BioGene's expansion, BioGene Australia operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of BioGene in Texas, leveraging the strategic benefits of Australia's 43.5% R&D tax cashback incentive. This subsidiary supports ongoing research and development activities in Australia, where BioGene capitalizes on exceptional scientific talent and the nation's commitment to advancing life sciences. Currently, BioGene Australia is engaged in pioneering research into GLP-1 receptor agonists and advanced diabetes treatments, including gene therapies designed to address the growing global diabetes and obesity crisis.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors,
PreveCeutical Medical Inc. & BioGene Therapeutics Inc.
"Stephen Van Deventer"
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
For further information, please contact:
Stephen Van Deventer
(604) 306-9669
info@PreveCeutical.com
Forward-Looking Statements:
This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the Company delivering transformative therapies for diabetes and obesity and the Company successfully developing cutting-edge treatments that leverage nature and science for better health outcomes. The forward-looking statements reflect management's current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements including adverse market conditions and other factors beyond the control of the parties. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include general market conditions and other factors beyond the control of the Company; regulations and policies affecting the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry adversely affecting the future results or performance of PreveCeutical or BioGene; the Company's failure to obtain the required consents and approvals for the Acquisition and the Distribution; and the Company determining that the Distribution is not an optimal strategy following tax and business consultations. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288230
Dr. Pruthi brings deep expertise in registrational clinical trial design and execution, global regulatory engagement (FDA and EMA), capital markets strategy, and cross-functional leadership. Most recently, as Chief Medical Officer at Relmada Therapeutics, Inc. since June 2025, he has led the development of the NDV-011 program for bladder cancer, overseeing a Phase 2 open-label study and preparations for a multinational Phase 3 registrational trial set to begin in the first half of 2026. In this role, he managed KOL engagement, site recruitment, patient assessments, and execution, while also contributing to external engagements with investors, patient advocacy groups, and regulatory bodies. Dr. Pruthi played a key role in a public offering that raised over $100 million in net proceeds, extending the company's cash runway into 2028, and, most recently a PIPE that raised an additional $160 million.
Prior to Relmada, Dr. Pruthi served as Chief Medical Officer at enGene Inc. from April 2024 to June 2025, where he spearheaded a global gene therapy registrational program for bladder cancer across over 60 countries, including North America, Europe, and APAC, with a planned BLA submission in 2026. He grew the medical and clinical development teams from 5 to nearly 20 members, managing a $32 million annual budget and overseeing CRO performance.
From September 2022 to April 2024, Dr. Pruthi was Senior Global Medical Affairs Leader for Bladder Cancer and Senior Medical Director in Oncology at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine (Janssen), where he authored three large Phase 3 trials (400-500 patients each) for evidence generation and registrational purposes. He contributed to FDA and EMA approvals, including the FDA approval of TAR-200 in September 2025 for BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, and integrated patient-reported outcomes, digital health, and remote monitoring into study designs.
Before his industry transition, Dr. Pruthi had a distinguished academic career from March 2000 to September 2022, serving as a tenured Professor and Department Chair of Urology at leading institutions including the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the University of North Carolina (UNC). He pioneered robotic surgical techniques, such as robotic radical cystectomy and intracorporeal urinary diversion, and performed them as a Visiting Professor in Europe, China, and South Korea. His academic contributions include over 220 peer-reviewed publications, more than 20 book chapters, over 420 scientific presentations, and leadership in national guideline development, including the AUA Bladder Cancer Guidelines Committee since 2004.
Dr. Pruthi has held numerous national leadership roles, including Past-President and President of the Society of Academic Urology, Chair of the Advisory Council for Urology at the American College of Surgeons, Chair of the AUA Publications Committee, and membership in prestigious societies such as the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons and the Clinical Society of Genitourinary Surgeons. He has been recognized with awards such as "Best Doctors in America" annually from 2013 to 2021, Castle Connolly's "America's Top Doctors," and multiple teaching excellence honours.
Committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Dr. Pruthi has championed diverse leadership in urology, noting that at UCSF, 25% of faculty and 44% of residents were female-exceeding national averages. His efforts include health services research on racial disparities in cancer care and initiatives to increase opportunities for underrepresented minorities.
In education and mentorship, Dr. Pruthi has mentored residents, fellows, and faculty, emphasizing personalized career development. At UCSF and UNC, he expanded residency programs, implemented innovative training tools like app-based feedback and surgical simulations, and fostered a culture of faculty wellness and development, resulting in high satisfaction rates and successful graduate outcomes.
Dr. Pruthi earned his MD from Duke University School of Medicine, completed surgical and urology training at Stanford University, and holds a Master of Health Administration from UNC Chapel Hill. He is board-certified by the American Board of Urology and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
"I am thrilled to join BioGene Therapeutics at this pivotal time in its growth," said Dr. Raj S. Pruthi. "The Company's focus on dual gene therapy for metabolic health aligns perfectly with my passion for innovative, patient-centered solutions. Drawing from my experience in leading global registrational trials, regulatory strategies, and team building in gene therapy and oncology, I look forward to collaborating with the team to accelerate the Company's clinical programs and deliver transformative therapies for diabetes and obesity, addressing unmet needs in preventive and curative medicine."
Stephen Van Deventer, Chairman and CEO of PreveCeutical Medical Inc., commented, "We are delighted to welcome Dr. Pruthi to BioGene Therapeutics. His proven track record in gene therapy, regulatory strategy, clinical trial execution, and academic leadership will be instrumental as we advance our pipeline. Raj's expertise in scaling teams, securing funding, and driving FDA approvals strengthens our leadership and positions BioGene for success in developing cutting-edge treatments that leverage nature and science for better health outcomes."
The Company has granted 100,000 stock options (each, an "Option") to Dr. Pruthi with each Option exercisable into one common share of the Company (each, a "Share") at an exercisable price of $5.00 per Share until March 10, 2030. The Company has also granted Dr. Pruthi 500,000 restricted share units (each, an "RSU"). The Options and the RSUs vest as to 25% on March 10, 2026, 25% on March 10, 2027, 25% on March 10, 2028 and 25% on March 10, 2029.
About PreveCeutical Medical Inc.
PreveCeutical is a health sciences company that develops innovative options for preventive and curative therapies utilizing organic and nature identical products. PreveCeutical aims to be a leader in preventive health sciences and currently has five research and development programs, including: dual gene therapy for curative and prevention therapies for diabetes and obesity; the Sol-gel Program; Nature Identical™ peptides for treatment of various ailments; nonaddictive analgesic peptides as a replacement to the highly addictive analgesics such as morphine, fentanyl and oxycodone; and a therapeutic product for treating athletes who suffer from concussions (mild traumatic brain injury). For more information about PreveCeutical, please visit our website www.PreveCeutical.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
About BioGene Therapeutics Inc.
BioGene Therapeutics Inc. ("BioGene") is a Texas-based life sciences company focused on advancing innovative therapies in metabolic health and gene-based treatments. As a key component of BioGene's expansion, BioGene Australia operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of BioGene in Texas, leveraging the strategic benefits of Australia's 43.5% R&D tax cashback incentive. This subsidiary supports ongoing research and development activities in Australia, where BioGene capitalizes on exceptional scientific talent and the nation's commitment to advancing life sciences. Currently, BioGene Australia is engaged in pioneering research into GLP-1 receptor agonists and advanced diabetes treatments, including gene therapies designed to address the growing global diabetes and obesity crisis.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors,
PreveCeutical Medical Inc. & BioGene Therapeutics Inc.
"Stephen Van Deventer"
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
For further information, please contact:
Stephen Van Deventer
(604) 306-9669
info@PreveCeutical.com
Forward-Looking Statements:
This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the Company delivering transformative therapies for diabetes and obesity and the Company successfully developing cutting-edge treatments that leverage nature and science for better health outcomes. The forward-looking statements reflect management's current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements including adverse market conditions and other factors beyond the control of the parties. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include general market conditions and other factors beyond the control of the Company; regulations and policies affecting the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry adversely affecting the future results or performance of PreveCeutical or BioGene; the Company's failure to obtain the required consents and approvals for the Acquisition and the Distribution; and the Company determining that the Distribution is not an optimal strategy following tax and business consultations. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288230
