Peptris raises Rs 70 Cr in Series A round led by IAN Alpha Fund

Bengaluru-based AI-powered drug discovery company, Peptris, has raised Rs 70 crore ($7.7 million) in a Series A funding round led by IAN Alpha Fund and Speciale Invest.

The round also saw participation from Tenacity Ventures, BYT Ventures and other investors. 

The company said the new funding will help its research efforts and grow its science and technology teams.

Read also- Vervesemi raises $10 million in Series A round

Narayanan Venkatasubramanian, Co-founder & CEO, Peptris, said, “Our mission has been to harness AI to address meaningful healthcare challenges that enhance quality of life, not merely extend lifespan. The true reward lies in seeing this work translate into hope for patients, relief for caregivers, and a more accessible future for those with limited or unaffordable treatment options. Peptris is especially encouraged to have IAN Alpha Fund share this conviction as an early backer, reinforcing our commitment to building impactful, patient-centered innovation.”

Rajnish Kapur, Managing Partner, IAN Alpha Fund, said, “Drug discovery is becoming economically unsustainable, with expenses nearly doubling every nine years and pre-clinical development swallowing disproportionate time and capital. The use of AI for molecule discovery, which re-engineers the economics of early drug discovery by enabling faster decisions, reducing costs, and significantly accelerating go-to-market timelines, really excited us. This is driven by a team with scientific depth and computational rigor. This innovation could absolutely help change the drug discovery ecosystem not only in India but globally. At its core, this investment is about serving humanity better.”

About Peptris 

Founded in 2019 by Narayanan Venkatasubramanian, Shridhar Narayanan, Anand Budni, and Amit Mahajan, Peptris develops AI models that create new molecules and predict key drug development parameters, helping reduce failures in drug research. This approach has already led to the discovery of Novel Chemical Entities (NCEs) and opportunities for drug repurposing and rescue.

The Bengaluru-based company highlights that, despite scientific advances, drug discovery remains slow, costly and risky, especially in the pre-clinical stage where promising programs often fail due to time, capital and scientific uncertainty.

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Peptris’ platform not only generates novel molecules but also predicts critical development metrics early, enabling faster and better-informed decisions. Multiple programs are already progressing toward clinical development.

The startup plans to launch several new NCE programs along with repurposing and rescue initiatives for shelved clinical-stage drugs. Operating on a B2B model, Peptris partners with pharma, biotech and select FMCG companies to license assets and co-develop programs. Its therapeutic focus includes rare diseases, inflammation, oncology, and women’s health, aiming to create lasting impact for patients, caregivers and global healthcare systems.

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