The peptide party got cancelled. The grey market did not

…and tap into a growing trend, the organisers told Mint. “India’s first peptide party”, as it was marketed, was following a wave of peptide clubs, ‘raves’ and workshops in San Francisco’s longevity circles. “ The peptide party was conceived as a way to start a conversation, not as a product launch or a clinic ,” Aisurya Mishra, brand strategist at Upsurge Labs, which organised the event, told Mint. “India in general has been a little behind when it comes to biotech and biological science conversations that are already…

…Rajesh uses GHK-Cu for skin and hair benefits. A 25mg vial, he says, costs around ₹11,000. The fact that these products carry labels such as “not for human consumption” or “research use only” does not concern him. “ If you are using them cautiously and you know what you are doing, you can use them without any issues ,” he says. Finding such peptides is not difficult. “Sellers are everywhere,” he says. “People who import protein supplements are usually the ones, as it’s easy for them to get it in.” For another cohort using…

…Bengaluru, started commercial exploration of peptides in 2019, but struggled finding vendors. The clinic offers peptides to select clients as part of larger packages, after a host of diagnostic tests to ensure safety. “ Vendors are nothing but local dealers and chemists who import it, repackage it and sell it online… so far, we have fired five dealers after finding contamination in the product ,” says Karan, who asked to be identified by his first name. Vendors import peptide active pharmaceutical ingredients—or APIs, the main raw material in a medicine that produces its intended therapeutic effect—from…

…pharmacists combine ingredients to create custom medications—are a mainstay in the US. India doesn’t have a framework regulating compounding. But some Indian firms have taken note of the development in the US. “ We have been working with certain manufacturers in anticipation of this ruling from the FDA. Our initial test batches are already in place ,” says Anshu Shrivastava, director of strategy and corporate development, HRV Pharma. The proprietary drug-development platform recently signed a deal with Hyderabad-based Arene Life Sciences to jointly invest ₹50…