Peptris Technologies receives ₹86 crore for AI drug development

The Technology Development Board (TDB), operating under India’s Department of Science and Technology, has signed an agreement to provide ₹86 crore in financial assistance to Bengaluru-based Peptris Technologies Private Limited. The funding, provided through an Optionally Convertible Debt (OCD) arrangement under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, will support a ₹172 crore project titled ‘VIGOR: Advancing AI-Discovered Molecules from Bench to Clinic’.

The initiative aims to bridge the gap between computational AI discoveries and viable therapeutic candidates. Over a three-year period, the programme will focus on advancing four specific drug candidates from Technology Readiness Level (TRL)-4 to TRL-6. This process involves preclinical research, experimental validation, formulation development, and preparation for clinical trials.

The four targeted drug candidates include PEPR111 for neuromuscular disorders and oncology, PEPRX101 for alopecia, PEPR202 for neuropathy, and PEPR112 for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The project seeks to address significant unmet medical needs by leveraging Peptris’ proprietary AI-driven drug discovery platform.