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Rutgers elects entrepreneur Navneet Puri as charter trustee
The appointment recognizes Puri's decades-long contributions to pharmaceutical innovation and entrepreneurship.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 16, Jul 2026
- 17:27 EDT
- 54
Navneet Puri / LinkedIn/Navneet Puri
Rutgers University elected Indian-origin pharmaceutical entrepreneur Navneet Puri as one of five new charter trustees for the 2026-27 academic year.
Puri is a pharmaceutical entrepreneur best known for founding InnoPharma Inc. and Nevakar Inc. Four years after earning his doctorate, he launched InnoPharma in Piscataway, New Jersey.
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The research and development company specialized in complex generic and specialty injectable and ophthalmic medicines and was later acquired by Pfizer. Under his leadership, InnoPharma developed more than 30 products in various stages of development, including 10 generic medicines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
In 2015, Puri founded Nevakar Inc., a pharmaceutical company focused on sterile injectable medicines for critical patient care and ophthalmic products.
He served as the company's chairman and chief executive officer before transitioning to founder and board member. Puri currently serves as Vice President of Worldwide Research and Development at Pfizer and plans to leave the company at the end of the month to launch a new venture.
Beyond Pfizer, Puri has recently taken on leadership roles at ABAN Consulting, Foundation Venture Capital Group and Lactiga, and serves on the board of Xeris Pharmaceuticals.
A graduate of the Rutgers College of Pharmacy, Puri earned his PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Rutgers University in 1999.
He also holds a master's degree in pharmaceutics and drug design from the University of Mississippi and a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from Panjab University in Chandigarh.
Rutgers announced Puri's appointment as part of its 2026-27 board of trustees leadership announcements, naming him among five newly elected charter trustees.
Charter trustees are elected by the board of trustees and serve six-year terms, helping advance the university's educational mission and providing oversight on matters assigned to the board.
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