By: IPP Bureau
Last updated : November 03, 2026 8:58 pm
First commercial line comes online in December 2026 as CDMO scales capacity for GLP-1s and next-generation complex peptides
Shilpa CDMO, a specialized business unit of Shilpa Medicare Limited, is deploying $50 million in phased investments to establish one of India's largest multi-tonne peptide manufacturing platforms.
Through multi-year phased investments, Shilpa is adding 10 KL of SPPS reactor capacity to its three existing clinical manufacturing lines. A fourth line dedicated to commercial production will launch at the Raichur Unit-I facility in December 2026, with commercial supply accelerating in 2027. The CDMO also plans to deploy consecutive 2 KL, 3 KL, and 5 KL SPPS reactors, establishing one of India's largest multi-tonne peptide manufacturing hubs.
The new commercial line features 500 L and 1,000 L reactors in a single block supporting annual production of up to one metric tonne. Purification includes two 2-metre DAC columns with a 10000 LPH preparative HPLC system. The line will also include 1000L/hr nano filtration and a large scale lyophilizer of 1000 L capacity.
The expansion builds on Shilpa’s existing cytotoxic and peptide conjugate product development capabilities, with one line dedicated to cytotoxic peptide manufacturing usings solid-phase peptide synthesis.
Keshav Bhutada, Chief Executive Officer of Shilpa CDMO, said: “Peptides are becoming one of the most important areas of pharmaceutical development, but the opportunity goes well beyond current GLP-1 demand. Innovator pipelines in oncology and rare diseases are producing increasingly sophisticated molecules and conjugates that require much greater expertise in route design, synthesis, purification and scale-up.
We are investing for where the peptide market is going next. Our aim is to give biotech and pharmaceutical partners a platform that can take challenging peptide programmes from early development through to reliable commercial supply.”
Shilpa CDMO’s expanded peptide operations feature six parallel cGMP manufacturing lines designed to run multiple programs independently. The platform supports solid-phase (SPPS), liquid-phase (LPPS), and hybrid (SPPS + LPPS) peptide synthesis, enabling customized manufacturing routes based on the specific molecule, its development stage, and commercial scale. The facility handles linear, cyclic, and branched peptides, with advanced capabilities for unnatural and D-amino acids, lipidation, conjugation, and radioligand peptides.
More than 100 scientists and manufacturing specialists already work within Shilpa's peptide business, including a 50+ strong R&D team dedicated to peptide chemistries and 45 chemists working across production and purification. The team is also backed by the wider Shilpa groups 350+ PhDs.
Dipak Kalita, Senior Vice President – CDMO Services at Shilpa CDMO, said: “As peptides become longer and more complex, the manufacturing route can determine whether a programme can scale successfully. We start with the molecule and its potential commercial requirements, then determine whether solid-phase, liquid-phase or a hybrid approach offers the most robust route. For longer peptides, that can mean moving from solid-phase synthesis to a hybrid fragment-based route as volumes grow. Considering commercial scale from the outset helps customers avoid reaching late-stage development with a process that is no longer technically or economically viable.”
Shilpa CDMO runs its peptide operations out of its 34-acre Unit-I campus located in Raichur, Karnataka. Situated within this larger site, the specialized peptide unit features dedicated R&D and cGMP manufacturing infrastructure designed to handle APIs, commercial linkers, peptide drug conjugates, and HPAPIs ranging from OEB 1 to 6.
The new peptide facility also boasts a centralised Distributed Control System (DCS), with integrated Process Analytical Technology (PAT) and UV monitoring. Design of Experiments (DoE) and process simulation will be used to establish operating parameters ahead of scale-up and technology transfer, while automated data capture will support data integrity and regulatory compliance.
The latest investment follows the recent launch of Shilpa CDMO as a dedicated complex-molecule CDMO brand in October 2026.