A global pharmaceutical company based in India has committed to a major investment in a UAB startup working to pioneer breakthrough FDA-approved therapeutics for lung diseases.

Shilpa Medicare Limited will invest approximately $2 million in Alveolus Bio, which was founded in 2022 by C. Vivek Lal, M.D., associate professor in the UAB Department of Pediatrics and Director of Clinical Innovation at the Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation.

Shilpa is known for drug discovery, development, commercialization and collaboration, with a focus on biotechnology innovation and cancer treatments.

Shilpa will be the lead investor in Alveolus Bio’s current Series A round.

Under this agreement, Shilpa Biologics Private Limited, the biologics arm of Shilpa Medicare, will serve as the exclusive global development and manufacturing partner for Alveolus Bio.

“This partnership with Shilpa Medicare is not just about funding—it’s about combining deep biotech innovation with proven pharmaceutical execution,” said Gaurav Mehta, CEO of Alveolus Bio. “Together, we can deliver these life‐changing therapies to patients much faster and more efficiently.”

Lal said Shilpa is an excellent partner for Alveolus Bio’s future goals.

“The science at Alveolus Bio represents a paradigm shift in respiratory medicine,” he said. “This partnership seamlessly bridges cutting‐ edge biotech innovation with Shilpa’s global pharmaceutical leadership, enabling rapid clinical translation of our novel therapies.”

To learn more about Alveolus Bio, visit the company website.

By Amy Jones