Peptris Secures $8.98 Mn from TDB for AI Drug Development

The project has a total cost of ₹172 crore, equivalent to approximately $17.96 million at an exchange rate of ₹95.78 per US dollar. The programme aims to advance the four drug candidates from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 to TRL-6 over three years through preclinical development, experimental validation and preparation for clinical trials.

Four Drug Candidates Target Different Diseases

Peptris' VIGOR programme focuses on four drug candidates targeting different medical conditions:

• PEPR111: Targets neuromuscular disorders and oncology.
• PEPRX101: Focuses on alopecia, a condition associated with hair loss.
• PEPR202: Targets neuropathy.
• PEPR112: Focuses on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

All four candidates are currently at TRL-4. The programme aims to advance them to TRL-6 through further development and validation. Planned activities include advanced preclinical studies, formulation development, investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies and preparation for clinical trials, subject to scientific and regulatory requirements.

How Peptris Plans to Use the Funding

Peptris will use its proprietary AI-driven drug discovery platform alongside established drug development processes to advance the selected molecules. The company also plans to work with global contract research organisations (CROs) to support experimental validation and development.

Artificial intelligence can help researchers identify promising molecules and explore potential treatments. However, translating computational discoveries into viable drug candidates requires extensive laboratory testing, preclinical studies and regulatory preparation.

TDB Supports AI-Driven Drug Development

The financial support is being provided through the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, with the assistance structured as optionally convertible debt. The initiative aims to support technology-intensive projects and help advance innovations towards practical applications.

The programme also aligns with India's efforts to strengthen domestic capabilities in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and AI-driven healthcare innovation.

About Peptris Technologies

Peptris Technologies is a Bengaluru-based biotechnology startup that uses artificial intelligence to support drug discovery. Its platform is designed to identify potential drug candidates and accelerate the development of new therapies.

Through its VIGOR programme, the company aims to progress four selected molecules through preclinical development and validation, bringing them closer to potential clinical evaluation.

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