Shilpa CDMO, a complex chemistry Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO), has announced an investment of USD 50 million to expand its peptide manufacturing capabilities amid rising global demand for GLP-1 drugs and next-generation peptide therapeutics.

The phased investment, planned over the next few years, will add 10 KL of Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis (SPPS) reactor capacity to the company’s three existing clinical-phase manufacturing lines. A fourth line dedicated to commercial manufacturing at Shilpa’s Raichur Unit-I campus is scheduled to commence operations in December 2026, with commercial supplies expected to ramp up through 2027.

As part of the expansion, the company plans to install additional 2 KL, 3 KL and 5 KL SPPS reactors, establishing one of the largest multi-tonne peptide manufacturing capacities in India.

The upcoming commercial manufacturing line will feature 500-litre and 1,000-litre reactors within a single block, supporting annual production of up to one metric tonne. The facility’s purification infrastructure will include two 2-metre Dynamic Axial Compression (DAC) columns and a 10,000 litres-per-hour preparative High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) system. It will also be equipped with 1,000-litre-per-hour nanofiltration capabilities and a 1,000-litre large-scale lyophiliser.

The expansion builds on Shilpa’s existing capabilities in cytotoxic and peptide conjugate product development, with one of its manufacturing lines dedicated to cytotoxic peptide production using SPPS technology.

Commenting on the investment, Keshav Bhutada, Chief Executive Officer, Shilpa CDMO, said that peptides are emerging as a significant area of pharmaceutical development, with opportunities extending beyond the current demand for GLP-1 therapies. He highlighted the growing complexity of molecules and conjugates being developed for oncology and rare diseases, which require specialised expertise in route design, synthesis, purification and scale-up.

Bhutada added that the investment is aimed at addressing the evolving requirements of the peptide market by providing biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies with an integrated platform to advance complex peptide programmes from early-stage development to commercial manufacturing.

The expanded peptide operation will comprise six parallel current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) manufacturing lines, enabling multiple programmes to be executed independently. The platform will support SPPS, Liquid-Phase Peptide Synthesis (LPPS) and hybrid synthesis, combining both approaches to customise manufacturing processes according to the molecule, development stage and intended commercial scale.

The company’s technical capabilities cover linear, cyclic and branched peptides, including molecules incorporating unnatural and D-amino acids, lipidation, conjugation and radioligand peptides.

Shilpa’s peptide business currently employs more than 100 scientists and manufacturing specialists. This includes an R&D team of over 50 specialists focused on peptide chemistries and 45 chemists working across production and purification. The team is further supported by the wider Shilpa Group’s workforce of more than 350 PhD-qualified professionals.