What happened
The Technology Development Board (TDB) under India's Department of Science & Technology signed an agreement with Peptris Technologies to fund the VIGOR programme. The deal provides ₹86 crore in financial support to advance four AI-discovered drug candidates from the laboratory stage to preclinical development.
According to PSU Connect, the Technology Development Board (TDB) under the Department of Science & Technology (DST) signed an agreement with Bengaluru-based Peptris Technologies Private Limited on October 12, 2026. The agreement provides financial support of ₹86 crore under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund.
The funding supports Peptris’s VIGOR programme, which has a total project cost of ₹172 crore. The TDB support is structured as Optionally Convertible Debt. The objective is to advance four drug candidates from Technology Readiness Level (TRL)-4 to TRL-6 through preclinical development, validation, and preparation for clinical trials over a structured three-year duration.
The four molecules under the VIGOR programme are PEPR111 (targeting neuromuscular disorders and oncology), PEPRX101 (focused on alopecia), PEPR202 (targeting neuropathy), and PEPR112 (focused on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy). Peptris will use its proprietary AI-driven drug discovery platform alongside experimental validation and global contract research organisation networks.
Source details: psuconnect.in ↗
Why it matters
This funding represents a significant state-backed investment in AI-driven pharmaceutical research in India. By supporting the transition of computational discoveries into clinical candidates, the initiative aims to bridge the gap between AI identification and practical therapeutic development, specifically targeting areas with high unmet medical needs.
This agreement marks a concrete step in India's ecosystem for AI-enabled drug discovery. Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Secretary of TDB, stated that the application of AI in pharmaceutical research has the potential to transform how new drug candidates are identified and developed.
The initiative addresses the critical gap between computational discovery and clinical development. By focusing on therapeutic areas with significant unmet medical needs, such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and neuropathy, the programme aims to translate promising computational discoveries into viable therapeutic candidates.
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What to watch next
Monitor the progress of the four specific drug candidates (PEPR111, PEPRX101, PEPR202, and PEPR112) as they move from Technology Readiness Level 4 to 6. Watch for the completion of preclinical studies and the subsequent preparation for clinical trials over the next three years.
The primary milestone is the advancement of the four candidates from TRL-4 to TRL-6. This involves advanced preclinical studies, IND-enabling work, and formulation development.
Stakeholders should watch for the completion of the three-year development programme and the subsequent readiness for clinical trials. The success of this state-funded initiative may influence further public investment in AI-led healthcare innovation in India.