Neuland Secures Development Collaboration With LIR Life Sciences For Transdermal GLP-1

CDMO to advance biotech’s novel cell-penetrating peptides for next-generation obesity therapies

Neuland Laboratories Limited, a global contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) specialising in complex APIs, has entered into a development partnership with LIR Life Sciences Corp, a Canada-based biotechnology company focused on scalable and accessible obesity treatments, in advancing its cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) platform.

As part of this engagement, Neuland will develop, test, and manufacture CPPs to support pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) studies, as well as Phase I formulations for LIR Life’s transdermal GLP-1/GIP program. The collaboration is structured to support early-stage development, with potential for expansion into later-phase clinical and commercial manufacturing, subject to successful milestone progression.

LIR Life is developing a patch-based, transdermal delivery system for GLP-1 therapies targeting obesity. Unlike traditional injectable formulations, the platform is designed to enable non-invasive administration, with the potential to improve patient adherence and broaden access. Currently, there are no approved transdermal GLP-1 therapies, positioning this approach as a potentially significant innovation in the treatment landscape.

For Neuland, the partnership highlights its expanding capabilities in peptide development and manufacturing, particularly in complex and emerging modalities such as CPP-enabled delivery systems. The company supports peptide programs from early development through commercial scale, with integrated capabilities spanning process development, scale-up, and cGMP manufacturing.

“We are excited to engage Neuland’s expertise in peptide development and manufacturing at both small and large scale,” said Edward Mills, CEO of LIR Life Sciences. “This partnership enables us to advance our CPP platform with the precision and consistency required for early-stage development.”

The collaboration builds on Neuland’s recent investments in peptide infrastructure, including a new $20M process development laboratory and a multi-phase commercial peptide manufacturing facility at its Bonthapally campus in Hyderabad. Module one of the peptide facility, representing an investment of approximately $30M and 6,370 litres of capacity, is expected to become operational by mid-2026.

“This collaboration reflects the rapidly rising demand we see for CDMO’s that can advance complex peptide targets, particularly as new delivery technologies emerge,” said Saharsh Davuluri, CEO of Neuland Laboratories. “LIR Life’s transdermal approach represents a novel application of GLP-1 therapies, and we look forward to supporting the development of their CPP platform through our integrated peptide capabilities.”

About Neuland Labs
Neuland Laboratories Limited [Neuland] is a specialist API CDMO partner for big pharma and biotech – delivering world-class process development and commercial supply services for the most complex molecules and New Chemical Entities. Serving clients in over 80 countries, Neuland operates three US FDA and EU GMP-compliant facilities in India, with a combined reactor capacity of approximately 1218kL. The CDMO invested in a new commercial scale peptide facility in 2026, and is opening a large, dedicated R&D process development centre in Hyderabad.

The company has filed over 1000 DMFs globally – as it also supports generic drug substance providers – and offers more than 100 APIs across multiple therapeutic areas

About LIR Life Sciences Corp.
LIR Life Sciences is focused on researching and developing scalable and affordable treatments for obesity using novel drug delivery methods. The company is advancing a transdermal patch and other novel delivery systems that mimic GLP-1, a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate appetite and blood sugar. These therapies could potentially offer an alternative to injectable drugs. The goal is to improve access, adherence, and costefficiency in both developed and emerging markets. LIR Life Sciences aims to address the global burden of obesity with practical solutions based on established compounds and proven science.