The Technology Development Board (TDB), under the Department of Science and Technology, has signed an agreement to provide ₹86 crore in financial support to Bengaluru-based Peptris Technologies Private Limited for advancing artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery and development.
The support has been provided under the Research Development and Innovation Fund for a project titled VIGOR: Advancing AI-Discovered Molecules from Bench to Clinic. The project has a total cost of ₹172 crore and aims to advance four drug candidates from early-stage technology readiness to a stage closer to clinical development.
The programme will focus on preclinical development, scientific validation and preparations for clinical trials. The four candidates target conditions including neuromuscular disorders, oncology, alopecia, neuropathy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used in pharmaceutical research to identify promising molecules, analyse disease mechanisms and help researchers narrow down potential treatments. However, computational predictions must undergo extensive laboratory testing, preclinical evaluation and regulatory assessment before a medicine can be tested in humans.
Peptris plans to combine its AI-based discovery platform with experimental validation and established drug-development processes. The programme is expected to progress over three years, subject to scientific results and applicable regulatory requirements.
TDB Secretary Rajesh Kumar Pathak said the application of AI in pharmaceutical research could transform how drug candidates are identified. He also highlighted the need for sustained investment, rigorous evaluation and a structured pathway to move promising discoveries towards clinical development.
The initiative is intended to help bridge the gap between early research and potential therapeutic products while strengthening India’s biotechnology and pharmaceutical innovation ecosystem.
The funding does not mean the four candidates have been approved as medicines. Their further development will depend on research outcomes, safety assessments and the required regulatory clearances.
The project represents an effort to support the translation of AI-led research into potential treatments, particularly in areas where effective therapeutic options remain limited.
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