The Technology Development Board (TDB), under the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, has signed an agreement with Peptris Technologies Private Limited, Bengaluru, for financial support of ₹86 crore under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund. This funding, provided through Optionally Convertible Debt (OCD), supports the VIGOR programme titled 'Advancing AI-Discovered Molecules from Bench to Clinic' which has a total project cost of ₹172 crore.
The programme aims to advance four AI-discovered drug candidates from Technology Readiness Level (TRL)-4 to TRL-6 through preclinical development, validation and preparation for clinical trials. The specific drug candidates include PEPR111 targeting neuromuscular disorders and oncology, PEPRX101 focused on alopecia, PEPR202 targeting neuropathy, and PEPR112 focused on DMD (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy).
The development programme envisages a structured progression over three years, encompassing advanced preclinical and investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies, formulation development, clinical trial preparation and initiation activities. The project leverages Peptris' proprietary AI-driven drug discovery platform and will utilize global contract research organisation (CRO) networks to support development and validation.
Sh. Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Secretary, TDB, emphasized that the application of artificial intelligence in pharmaceutical research has the potential to transform how new drug candidates are identified and developed, noting that translating promising discoveries into validated therapeutic candidates requires sustained investment and rigorous scientific evaluation. The representative of Peptris Technologies stated that this partnership will support their efforts to translate promising computational discoveries into therapeutic candidates with potential to progress towards clinical development, particularly addressing unmet medical needs.