Ratan Tata, chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, has invested an undisclosed amount in Delhi-based biopharmaceutical firm Invictus Oncology Pvt Ltd, next generation cancer therapeutic startup. The investment in Invictus Oncology is Tata’s fifth in 2016, and follows the Tata Sons patriarch’s investments in startup research platform Tracxn, pet care portal DogSpot, baby and maternity care online retailer FirstCry, as well as in cash-back and coupons venture, CashKaro, all four of which were announced in January.

Invictus Oncology utilises a supramolecular technology platform to design anti-cancer drugs that home into the tumor, and modulate the tumor immune response. The company claims that its lead molecule, IO 125, has already been validated in multiple cancer models, and is poised to enter IND-enabling studies to obtain US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) approval for initiating clinical studies.

Invictus also claims that it has already developed a “deep pipeline of molecules,” which address a $20 billion market opportunity in the oncology space. The investment in Invictus Oncology, Tata’s first in the Indian biotechnology and pharma startup space, will add to his rapidly expanding portfolio of almost 30 investments made over the last 12-18 months.