In the high-stakes world of pharmaceutical research, the journey from a laboratory idea to a pharmacy shelf is often called the “Valley of Death.” For every drug that makes it to market, thousands fail at the pre-clinical stage due to unforeseen safety issues, high costs, or scientific uncertainty.
Bengaluru-based Peptris is determined to bridge this gap. The drug discovery pioneer has just raised ₹70 crore ($7.7 million) in Series A funding to scale its AI-driven platform. The round was co-led by IAN Alpha Fund and Speciale Invest, with participation from Tenacity Ventures, BYT Ventures, and other strategic backers.
The AI “Oracle” for Molecular Success
Founded in 2019, Peptris isn’t just another biotech firm; it is a deep-tech powerhouse. The company has developed sophisticated AI models that act as predictive “oracles” for drug development. Instead of the traditional trial-and-error method in a wet lab which can take years Peptris uses Generative AI to:
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Generate Novel Chemical Entities (NCEs): Designing entirely new molecules from scratch.
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Predict Critical Parameters: Forecasting a molecule’s toxicity, solubility, and efficacy before a single test tube is touched.
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Shorten Timelines: Compressing pre-clinical research from the industry standard of 3–4 years down to just 12–18 months.
The Three-Pronged Strategy: Novelty, Repurposing, and Rescue
What sets Peptris apart is its “Circular Discovery” model. While many startups focus solely on new drugs, Peptris maximizes the value of existing scientific data through three distinct avenues:
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Novel Chemical Entities (NCEs): Building the blockbusters of tomorrow for oncology and inflammation.
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Drug Repurposing: Finding new therapeutic uses for already-approved drugs (e.g., using a known anti-inflammatory to treat a rare genetic disorder).
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Drug Rescue: This is the firm’s most intriguing pillar. Peptris uses AI to identify “rescues”—taking drugs that other companies shelved during clinical trials (often due to lack of efficacy for their original target) and finding the specific disease where they actually work.
“Our mission is to harness AI to address meaningful healthcare challenges that enhance quality of life, not merely extend lifespan,” says Narayanan Venkatasubramanian, Co-founder and CEO. “The true reward lies in seeing this work translate into hope for patients with limited or unaffordable treatment options.”
Therapeutic Focus: Where the Need is Greatest
The fresh capital will be deployed over the next 24 months to advance Peptris’ pipeline toward clinical readiness. The startup follows a B2B engagement model, partnering with global pharma, biotech, and FMCG companies.
| Therapeutic Area | Strategic Objective |
| Rare Diseases | Developing mutation-agnostic therapies like PEPR124 for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). |
| Oncology | Discovering selective inhibitors for hard-to-treat solid tumors. |
| Women’s Health | Addressing long-overlooked gaps in endometriosis and reproductive health. |
| Inflammation | Targeting chronic autoimmune pathways with higher precision. |
A Global Ambition from Bengaluru
With a founding team that blends expertise in algorithms (CEO Narayanan Venkatasubramanian), drug hunting (CSO Shridhar Narayanan), and data science (Amit Mahajan & Anand Budni), Peptris is ready for the world stage.
The funding will fuel an expansion of their biology and data science teams, alongside building business development hubs in the US and Europe. By treating drug discovery as a data-optimization problem rather than a gamble, Peptris is making “affordable medicine” a technological certainty rather than a policy goal.
By: Vanshika Tayal
