Ministry of Science signs MoU with Peptris for collab in AI-based drug discovery and development

The Ministry of Science's Technology Development Board (TDB) has signed an agreement with Bengaluru-based Peptris Technologies Pvt Ltd for financial support of Rs 86 crore to accelerate the development of next-generation therapies through Artificial Intelligence (AI), it said on Monday.

According to an official statement, the project called 'VIGOR--Moving AI-Discovered Molecules from the Lab to the Clinic' has a total cost of Rs 172 crore. The aim is to advance four experimental drugs to technology readiness levels (TRLs) 4 to 6, requiring preclinical development, validation, and preparation for clinical trials. Financial support will be provided through optionally convertible debt (OCD).

"The application of artificial intelligence in pharmaceutical research has the potential to transform the way new drugs are identified and developed. However, converting promising discoveries into proven therapeutics requires sustained investment, rigorous scientific evaluation, and a structured development process," Rajesh Kumar Pathak, TDB Secretary, said in the statement.


"Through the RDI Fund, TDB is supporting such technology-intensive programs to bridge the gap between innovation and clinical development, as well as strengthen India's capabilities in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and AI-based healthcare innovation," he added.

The ministry noted that AI is opening new possibilities in the field of drug discovery by enabling researchers to identify promising molecules, investigate disease mechanisms, and accelerate the discovery of potential treatments. However, transforming computational discoveries into viable drugs requires extensive experimental validation, preclinical studies, and clinical development.

"Peptris' VIGOR program seeks to address this important shift by leveraging its proprietary AI-powered drug discovery platform to advance a portfolio of molecules toward clinical development. The program focuses on therapeutic areas with significant unmet medical needs and aims to identify and develop novel treatments through a combination of computational capabilities, scientific validation, and established drug-development processes.

"The program includes four experimental drugs: PEPR111, which targets neuromuscular disorders and cancer; PEPRX101, which targets hair loss (alopecia); PEPR202, which targets neuropathy; and PEPR112, which targets diabetes mellitus (DMD). Each experimental drug is currently at the TRL-4 stage, and the project aims to advance it to TRL-6," it said.

The VIGOR program is designed to accelerate the development of new therapeutic candidates by leveraging Peptris' AI-based drug discovery capabilities and existing platform experience. This approach combines AI-enabled discovery with established drug development expertise, including the use of a global contract research organization (CRO) network to assist with development and validation.

A representative from Peptris Technologies Pvt. Ltd. said the support from TDB under the RDI fund will help advance its VIGOR program and bring AI-discovered molecules to critical preclinical development stages.

"Our approach combines AI-driven discovery with experimental validation and established drug development processes to address unmet needs in the medical field. This partnership will support our efforts to translate promising computational discoveries into therapeutics that have the potential to move into clinical development," he said.