# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001460702
**File Stem:** 0001493152-25-017162
**Filing Date:** 2025-10
**Character Count:** 21574
**Document Hash:** 350454df4e4db7544be8a8a7d8e33860
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001493152-25-017162.hdr.sgml**: 20251007

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001493152-25-017162

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 8-K

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 15

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20251001

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Financial Statements and Exhibits

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20251007

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20251006

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc.
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001460702
- **STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:** PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834]
- **ORGANIZATION NAME:** 03 Life Sciences
- **EIN:** 263474527
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** DE
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 8-K
- **SEC ACT:** 1934 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 001-37428
- **FILM NUMBER:** 251378063

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 2042 CORTE DEL NOGAL
- **STREET 2:** CARLSBAD
- **CITY:** CALIFORNIA
- **STATE:** CA
- **ZIP:** 92011
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** (760) 918-9165

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 2042 CORTE DEL NOGAL
- **STREET 2:** CARLSBAD
- **CITY:** CALIFORNIA
- **STATE:** CA
- **ZIP:** 92011

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** RITTER PHARMACEUTICALS INC
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20090402

?xml version='1.0' encoding='ASCII'?

**UNITED STATES**

**SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION**

**Washington, D.C. 20549**

**FORM 8-K**

**CURRENT REPORT**

**Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934**

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) **October 1, 2025**

**Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc.**

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Delaware** | **001-37428** | **26-3474527** |
| (State or other jurisdiction<br> of incorporation) | (Commission<br> File Number) | (IRS Employer<br> Identification No.) |

---

---

| |
|:---|
| **5857 Owens Avenue, Suite 300, Carlsbad, California 92008** |
| (Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code) |

---

Registrant's telephone number, including area code **(760) 452-8111**

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Title of each class** | **Trading Symbol(s)** | **Name of each exchange on which registered** |
| Common stock (par value $0.001 per share) | QLGN | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |

---

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 4.01** | **Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant.** |

---

*Resignation of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm*

On October 1, 2025, WithumSmith+Brown, PC ("Withum") notified the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors (the "Audit Committee") of Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc. (the "Company") that it had resigned as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm, effective immediately. The Audit Committee accepted Withum's resignation.

Withum advised the Company in writing (the "Notice") that its withdrawing its engagement with the Company relating to the terms outlined in the engagement letter dated April 14, 2025 with respect to quarterly reviews of the interim consolidated financial statements for the period ended September 30, 2025 and the engagement letter dated September 8, 2025 with respect to the audit of the consolidated financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2025.

The reports of Withum on the Company's consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2024 did not contain an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles, except for the inclusion of an explanatory paragraph regarding the substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern.

During the period from July 11, 2024 through the Company's most recent fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, and the subsequent interim period through October 1, 2025, there were no disagreements (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions) or disputes between the Company and Withum on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of Withum, would have caused Withum to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreements in connection with the reports on the Company's financial statements for such periods. In addition, during the Company's most recent fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and the subsequent interim period through October 1, 2025, there were no "reportable events" (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions), except for material weaknesses in the Company's internal control over financial reporting related to: (i) the lack of sufficient number of personnel within the accounting function to adequately segregate duties, (ii) the lack of designed and implemented effective Information Technology General Controls ("ITGC") related to access controls to financial accounting systems, and (iii) the lack of formalized documentation of its processes and controls that could be evaluated for proper design and implementation.

The Company provided Withum with a copy of this Current Report on Form 8-K prior to its filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and requested that Withum furnish the Company with a letter addressed to the SEC, pursuant to Item 304(a)(3) of Regulation S-K, stating whether it agrees with the above statements and, if it does not agree, the respects in which it does not agree. A copy of the letter, dated October 6, 2025, is filed as Exhibit 16.1 (which is incorporated by reference herein) to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

*Appointment of New Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm*

Effective October 3, 2025, the Company's Audit Committee approved the engagement of Macias Gini & O'Connell LLP ("MGO") as the Company's new independent registered public accounting firm for the final year ending December 31, 2025, and to perform interim reviews of the Company's unaudited financial information for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2025, the three-month period ended March 31, 2026, the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2026, and the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2026, subject to the completion of client acceptance procedures.

During the most recent fiscal year and any subsequent interim period prior to the engagement of MGO, the Company did not consult with MGO regarding (i) the application of accounting principles to a specific completed or proposed transaction, (ii) the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company's financial statements, or (iii) any matter that was either the subject of a disagreement or a reportable event as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) and (v) of Regulation S-K.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 5.02.** | **Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers.** |

---

*Officer Appointments*

Effective October 2, 2025, the Company appointed Jiawei Wang as the Co-Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

Mr. Wang, age 34, currently serves as President of the Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. ("FF"), and was the FF's Vice President of Global Capital Markets from May 2018 to April 2022. Prior to that, he was Global Head of Capital Markets at FF from January 2018 to May 2018, and General Manager of China Capital Markets from March 2017 to January 2018. He was the co-founder and Executive Chairman of AIBOT Inc. from September 2022 to March 2025 and now serves as the Chairman of AIBOT Inc., an AI-driven, intelligent eVTOL aircraft developer. Before joining the FF, Mr. Wang worked at Le Holdings Co. Ltd. as Director of Corporate Development from 2015 to 2017. He co-founded Global Galaxy Inc., a private investment firm in September 2013 and worked as a private equity analyst at Knights Investment Group from December 2013 to February 2014.

There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Wang and any other persons, pursuant to which Mr. Wang was selected as an officer of the Company. Mr. Wang has no family relationships with any of the Company's directors or executive officers.

Effective October 2, 2025, the Company appointed Koti Meka as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company.

Mr. Meka, age 56, serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc., where he has managed finance operations, led financial planning and analysis, and supported initiatives in process improvement, target setting, and cost reduction. Previously, Mr. Meka spent 14 years at Ford Motor Company in various roles focused on cost optimization, product development finance, and corporate finance. His experience also includes work as a Management Consultant at Accenture and as a Product & Application Engineer at Detroit Diesel. Mr. Meka holds an MBA from the University of Michigan-Dearborn, an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Wayne State University, and a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, India.

There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Meka and any other persons, pursuant to which Mr. Meka was selected as an officer of the Company. Mr. Meka has no family relationships with any of the Company's directors or executive officers.

There are no compensation arrangements, plans, or agreements entered into between the Company and the newly appointed officers of the Company.

*Director Appointments*

In connection with the previously disclosed private placement offering (the Offering") that closed on September 29, 2025, the Board of Directors (the "Board") of the Company appointed three new members to serve as directors of the Board.

On September 26, 2025, as previously disclosed the Board appointed Kevin Chen to serve as an independent member of the Board.

Further, on October 2, 2025, Chad Chen and Jie Sheng were appointed as members of the Board.

Mr. Chen, age 42, serves as a board member of Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. Mr. Chen is a partner with the law firm of Yoka \| Smith, LLP ("Yoka Smith"), where he has practiced since 2012. He represents national and multinational clients in both litigation and non-litigation matters. Mr. Chen's litigation practice includes representing corporate clients in commercial and business disputes, product liability defense, and class action defense. His non-litigation practice encompasses contract management, counseling on business transactions and serving as outside general counsel in dealing with local, state, and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of Commerce, United States International Trade Commission, and various tax authorities. Prior to joining Yoka Smith, Mr. Chen worked in-house at an alternative energy company and was an associate with Collins + Collins, LLP (formerly Collins Collins, Muir + Stewart LLP). He received his Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, California and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from the University of California, Irvine.

Mr. Sheng, age 42, serves as the Head of Operations & Finance Director of FF Global Partners LLC. Previously, Mr. Sheng served as Deputy Managing Director of China Aviation Fuel (Europe) Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corporation ("CAO"), a Singapore Exchange-listed Company, which in turn is a majority-owned subsidiary of China National Aviation Fuel Group Corporation ("CNAF"), a Fortune 500 company, the largest Chinese state-owned aviation fuel supplier which integrates the purchase, transportation, storage, quality management, sales and into-plane service of aviation fuel in China.

There are no compensation arrangements, plans, or agreements entered into between the Company and the newly appointed Board members of the Company.

*Committee Appointments*

Additionally, the Board appointed Jie Sheng to serve as the Chairman of the Audit Committee, as well as Graydon Bensler and Chad Chen to serve as members of the Audit Committee.

The Board also appointed Chad Chen, Kevin Chen, and Jie Sheng to all serve as members of both the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Compensation Committee.

*Director Resignations*

In connection with the Offering, Cody Price and Robert Lim resigned as members of the Board. These resignations were not a result of any disagreements with the Company on any matter relating to the Company's operations, policies, or practices.

Further, in connection with the Offering, Campbell Becher resigned as a member of the Board. Mr. Becher remains as the Company's President. Mr. Becher's resignation as a member of the Board was not the result of any disagreements with the Company on any matter relating to the Company's operations, policies, or practices.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 9.01.** | **Financial Statements and Exhibits.** |

---

(d) Exhibits.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Exhibit No.** | **Description** |
| 16.1 | [Letter from WithumSmith+Brown dated October 6, 2025.](ex16-1.htm) |
| 99.1 | [Press Release dated October 6, 2025](ex99-1.htm) |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document). |

---

**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 hereunto duly authorized.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| Date: October 6, 2025 | **QUALIGEN THERAPEUTICS, INC.** | **QUALIGEN THERAPEUTICS, INC.** |
|  | By: | */s/ Kevin A. Richardson II* |
|  | Name: | Kevin A. Richardson II |
|  | Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |

---

## Exhibit 16.1

**Exhibit 16.1**

October 6, 2025

Office of the Chief Accountant

Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, N.E.

Washington, DC 20549

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have read the statements included under Item 4.01 of the Form 8-K dated October 6, 2025 to be filed by our former client Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc. We agree with the statements under Item 4.01 insofar as they relate to our Firm. We are not in a position to agree or disagree with other statements contained therein.

Very truly yours,

/s/WithumSmith+Brown, PC

San Francisco, California

## Exhibit 99.1

**Exhibit 99.1**

**Qualigen Therapeutics (NASDAQ: QLGN) Announces Executives, Board of Directors Appointments and Auditor Transition**

Carlsbad, CA – October 6, 2025 – Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: QLGN) (the "Company") today announced a series of key leadership and governance changes aimed at strengthening its executive team, enhancing financial transparency, and supporting the Company's next phase of strategic growth.

**Executive Appointments**

Effective October 2, 2025, Jerry (Jiawei) Wang was appointed as Co-Chief Executive Officer, and Koti Meka was appointed as Chief Financial Officer of Qualigen Therapeutics.

Mr. Wang is the Global President and one of the original founding team members of Faraday Future and was deeply involved in strategic development from its inception starting from 2014, including successfully raising more than $3 billion funding, and led the successful initial public offering (IPO) in 2021.

Mr. Meka is the CFO of Faraday Future. Prior to joining Faraday Future in February 2016, Meka worked at Ford Motor Company from July 2002 to February 2016 in cost optimization, product development finance and corporate finance.

Their appointments underscore the Company's commitment to building a globally oriented management team with deep operational and financial expertise.

**Board of Directors Expansion and Changes**

In connection with the Company's recently closed private placement on September 29, 2025, Qualigen's Board of Directors appointed three new members:

● Kevin Chen, Independent Director (appointed September 26, 2025)

● Chad Chen, Director

● Jay Sheng, Director

![](ex99-1_001.jpg)

The Board also appointed:

● Jay Sheng as Chairman of the Audit Committee;

● Graydon Bensler and Chad Chen as members of the Audit Committee; and

● Chad Chen, Kevin Chen, and Jay Sheng as members of both the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee and the Compensation Committee.

Mr. Sheng, is currently the board member of Faraday Future, and the Head of Operations & Finance Director of FF Global Partners LLC, a position he has held since June 2022. From October 2018 to June 2022, Mr. Sheng served as Deputy Managing Director of China Aviation Fuel (Europe) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corporation ("CAO"), a Singapore Exchange-listed Company and a subsidiary of a Fortune 500 Company.

Mr. Kevin Chen is currently Chief Economist and Chief Investment Officer of Horizon Financial. He holds board positions at several publicly listed companies, including CurrenC Group, Australian Oilseeds Investments, and Scage Future, all on Nasdaq, as well as Capitan Investment Ltd. on the Toronto Stock Exchange. His academic roles include serving as an adjunct associate professor at New York University and as a guest speaker at institutions such as Harvard University, Fordham University, Pace University, and IESE Business School.

Mr. Chad Chen is the current board member of Faraday Future, and a partner with the law firm of Yoka \| Smith, LLP, where he has practiced since 2012. He represents national and multinational clients in both litigation and non-litigation matters. Mr. Chen's litigation practice includes representing corporate clients in commercial and business disputes, product liability defense, and class action defense. His non-litigation practice encompasses contract management, counseling on business transactions and serving as outside general counsel in dealing with local, state, and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of Commerce, United States International Trade Commission, and various tax authorities. Prior to joining Yoka Smith, Mr. Chen worked in-house at an alternative energy company.

In connection with the same offering, Cody Price and Robert Lim resigned from the Board, and Campbell Becher resigned from his position as Director while continuing to serve as the Company's President. All resignations were amicable and not the result of any disagreement with the Company's operations, policies, or practices.

**Auditor Transition**

On October 3, 2025, the Audit Committee approved the engagement of Macias Gini & O'Connell LLP ("MGO") as the Company's new independent registered public accounting firm to audit the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, and to perform interim reviews for the Company's 2025–2026 financial reporting periods, subject to the completion of client acceptance procedures. MGO is also the auditor of Faraday Future.

On October 1, 2025, WhitumSmith+Brown, PC ("Withum") notified the Company's Audit Committee of its resignation as Qualigen's independent registered public accounting firm, effective immediately. Withum's resignation is not the result of any disagreement with the Company's operations, policies, or practices.

"These appointments and governance enhancements mark an important step forward for Qualigen Therapeutics," said Kevin Richardson, the Co-CEO of the Company. "With strengthened leadership, new board expertise, and a renewed commitment to transparency and compliance, we are well positioned to execute our long-term growth strategy and build lasting shareholder value."

**About Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc.**

Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: QLGN) is a biotechnology company headquartered in Carlsbad, California, focused on developing and commercializing innovative oncology and immunology therapeutics. The Company is actively pursuing crypto and web3 strategic initiatives that integrate advanced technologies and capital market innovation to accelerate global growth.

**Investor & Media Contact**

Investor Relations Department

Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc.

5857 Owens Avenue, Suite 300, Carlsbad, CA 92008

Tel: +1 (760) 452-8111

Email: info@qualigeninc.com