Piramal Pharma to stay away from GLP-1 race amid global rush

Piramal Pharma is staying away from the increasingly crowded generic GLP-1 peptide manufacturing market, despite the global rush into obesity drug supply chains.

- SOHINI DAS

Instead, it is choosing to focus on niche, higher margin peptide opportunities as it prepares for a recovery in its contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) business.

‐We're not necessarily looking at the GLP-1s. We're looking at more niche peptides that have their own markets,‐ Chairperson Nandini Piramal told Business Standard.

The company is focusing on specialised, science-led peptide opportunities, rather than large-scale commodity manufacturing linked to blockbuster obesity drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide.

‐We don't do the large-scale commodity opportunities. We're looking at more niche, science-led peptides,‐ she said.

The comments come at a time when several global and Indian CDMO players are investing aggressively in peptide manufacturing capacity, amid surging demand for obesity and diabetes drugs.

‐We don't like very commoditised places because there won't be any margin left when you've got 30 brands or 50 brands of a GLP-1. It's going to be a slog,‐ Piramal said.