Advancing Innovation in a New Era of Drug Development

 1) Syngene has made two significant investments recently — in peptide synthesis and ADC bioconjugation. What do these moves say about where the company sees the biologics market heading?

The market is clearly shifting toward more complex biologics. We’re seeing sustained growth in antibody–drug conjugates and renewed interest in peptides, particularly for oncology, metabolic disorders, and targeted delivery. These areas sit at the intersection of chemistry and biology, so they require both skill sets. Our investments in Bengaluru are about creating that intersection under one roof. The ADC suite allows conjugation alongside antibody and payload production, while the peptide lab provides automated synthesis and purification capability. Together they create a platform that reflects where the science is moving — toward integrated, hybrid modalities.

 2) The CDMO sector has changed rapidly in recent years. How do you see the role of organisations like Syngene evolving as sponsors look for more integrated, science-led partnerships rather than transactional outsourcing?

The expectations have changed. Sponsors no longer just want capacity; they want scientific input and continuity. They expect partners to understand the molecule, anticipate development hurdles, and contribute to solving them. That means our scientists work side-by-side with client teams from the design stage through process optimisation and scale-up. It’s a more collaborative model, with shared data and transparent decision-making. The result is fewer handovers, faster progress, and a stronger sense of joint ownership of the outcome.

3) You oversee both the large and small molecule divisions. How important is cross-functional collaboration when working with complex modalities like ADCs or peptide–drug conjugates?

It’s essential. ADCs and peptide conjugates live in both worlds — they combine biological targeting with chemical precision. When teams from different disciplines work in isolation, you lose time and sometimes quality. Having small-molecule chemists, analytical scientists, and biologics engineers collaborate early means that conjugation strategies, formulation design, and analytical control are aligned from the start. It’s that integration that allows us to move a program cleanly from research into GMP manufacturing without needing to rebuild the process later.

4) Automation is becoming a defining feature of modern R&D. What are some of the practical ways automation is improving reproducibility, data quality, or scalability in your development programs?

Automation makes the process more reliable and more efficient. In our peptide facility, automated synthesizers and purification systems handle complex sequences with minimal manual intervention. That means each batch is identical and traceable, which is critical for regulatory filings. In DMPK and Direct-to-Biology, robotic workflows have cut analysis times by more than a third. The advantage isn’t only speed; it’s the integrity of the data and the ability to link experimental results directly into our digital quality systems. That kind of traceability is now becoming a baseline expectation for global clients.

5) India is now seen as a serious scientific partner, not just a cost-efficient destination. What has driven that change, and how are global clients responding to the country’s growing technical capability?

The change has come from sustained investment in people, quality systems, and regulation. The science coming out of India today is world-class, and the regulatory framework has matured to match it. Our clients in Europe and the US are increasingly comfortable starting high-value programs here because they see consistent quality and strong data governance. It’s no longer a cost discussion; it’s a capability discussion. India’s combination of scientific depth, infrastructure, and flexibility is now part of the global innovation network, not a support function to it.

7) As modalities diversify and digital tools mature, what capabilities will define a successful CDMO five years from now?

The successful CDMOs will be the ones that can adapt quickly and integrate across disciplines. It won’t be enough to have capacity in a single technology. You’ll need strong digital systems, data transparency, and the ability to manage programs that combine chemistry, biology, and analytics. The focus will shift from throughput to problem-solving — helping clients make better decisions earlier. Our job is to stay ready for that by continuing to invest in people, automation, and connected infrastructure that can handle whatever the next generation of molecules looks like.