Light Could Help Identify Counterfeit Medicines, BharatRohan's Latest Technology Milestone Suggests

BharatRohan's hyperspectral imaging technology demonstrates promising results in identifying adulterated pharmaceutical tablets without damaging samples; company explores regulatory validation.

GURUGRAM, India, Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- BharatRohan Airborne Innovations Limited has achieved a significant internal technology milestone in pharmaceutical quality screening. In controlled proof-of-concept testing, its proprietary hyperspectral imaging system differentiated genuine pharmaceutical tablets from adulterated or substandard samples by analysing their unique spectral signatures across visible and near-infrared wavelengths.

The development represents a potential new application of BharatRohan's hyperspectral imaging technology, which is already commercially deployed in precision agriculture. The Company is now exploring its use in pharmaceutical quality screening and anti-counterfeiting.

Unlike conventional visual inspection, hyperspectral imaging captures how materials interact with different wavelengths of light, revealing differences in composition that may not be visible to the human eye. The process is non-destructive, allowing samples to be examined without damaging or consuming them.

"This milestone reflects years of work extending our hyperspectral imaging expertise from agriculture into an entirely new domain: pharmaceutical quality and anti-counterfeiting," said Amandeep Panwar, Chairman and Managing Director, BharatRohan. "We believe non-destructive, image-based screening can meaningfully complement existing laboratory testing methods used by regulators and industry today. We are committed to a rigorous, evidence-led path toward validating this technology with the appropriate scientific and regulatory authorities before pursuing any commercial deployment."

Promising Results Across Pharmaceutical Formulations

Initial testing demonstrated the system's ability to distinguish an analgesic-antipyretic tablet from a common adulterant on a pixel-by-pixel basis without damaging the sample.

BharatRohan subsequently expanded testing to commonly used analgesic, macrolide antibiotic and anti-diabetic tablets, alongside fixed-dose anti-allergy/anti-asthma and penicillin-plus-beta-lactamase-inhibitor antibiotic combinations.

The experiments examined dosage variation, underdosing and adulteration using calcium carbonate (chalk), starch, talc, microcrystalline cellulose, gypsum and lactose. Samples were tested at genuine-to-adulterant weight ratios of 100:0, 90:10, 70:30, 50:50 and 0:100.

In one fixed-dose combination, samples containing 30% talc, corn starch or chalk produced distinct spectral signatures, differentiating them from genuine tablets and one another. Another combination showed the loss of a spectral feature associated with an active ingredient, potentially indicating dilution, subject to further confirmation.

Additional testing distinguished coated, uncoated and generic antibiotic formulations, alongside calcium carbonate adulteration, while highlighting the influence of coatings and formulations on spectral measurements. Genuine analgesic tablets from different manufacturers showed highly similar active-ingredient spectral profiles, suggesting potentially limited manufacturer-related variation.

Early findings also indicate that spectral signals may change proportionally with adulteration levels, suggesting the potential to estimate adulterant concentration beyond simple classification.

While the results are promising, they are based on limited controlled internal testing and have not yet undergone independent validation, peer review or regulatory assessment. BharatRohan is expanding its research across additional samples, formulations, coatings and packaging to further evaluate the technology's performance and reliability.

Regulatory Engagement and International Collaboration

BharatRohan is engaged in discussions with multiple regulatory and scientific authorities in India's pharmaceutical quality ecosystem to explore potential validation and pilot opportunities.

The Company has not disclosed the nature, status or content of these discussions. No formal pilot, validation, sample-testing arrangement, commercial relationship or timeline is assured.

BharatRohan also welcomes collaboration with pharmaceutical manufacturers, contract testing laboratories, distributors and technology partners, subject to appropriate confidentiality agreements. Detailed technical methods and data may be shared confidentially with relevant parties.

Internationally, its Netherlands-based research and development subsidiary, GroeiGids B.V., established in October 2024, supports hyperspectral technology development and engagement with European pharmaceutical and agri-technology stakeholders.

Potential Long-Term Commercial Opportunity

If successfully validated and adopted, BharatRohan believes non-destructive pharmaceutical quality screening could create a significant opportunity in India and international markets.

Its preliminary internal market estimates are:

Potential users include manufacturers, marketing authorisation holders outsourcing production, contract manufacturers, laboratories and regulators.

For context, Mordor Intelligence estimated the global infrared spectroscopy market at US$1.4 billion in 2025, with pharmaceutical and bio pharmaceutical users accounting for approximately 40%. Fortune Business Insights, as cited by India Briefing, estimated the global contract development and manufacturing market at US$243 billion in 2024. India's Press Information Bureau reports approximately 10,500 pharmaceutical manufacturing units.

TAM and SAM represent annual-equivalent estimates assuming a five-year system life; SOM represents cumulative potential revenue over three years. These bottom-up estimates use internal pricing, site-count and adoption assumptions. They are unaudited, independently unverified, subject to revision and do not constitute financial forecasts or guarantees.

Commercialisation depends on successful technical validation, regulatory or pharmacopoeial acceptance and industry adoption, none of which is assured.

About BharatRohan

BharatRohan Airborne Innovations Limited is an India-based advanced technology company specialising in hyperspectral imaging and AI-powered analytics. The Company develops innovative technology solutions that enable deeper insights, early detection, and data-driven decision-making across industries.

With established commercial applications in drone-based precision agriculture and the food supply chain, BharatRohan is expanding its technology applications across pharmaceuticals, solar energy, asset monitoring, infrastructure, freight route simulation, commercial plantations, and other sectors.

The Company operates GroeiGids B.V., its research and development subsidiary in the Netherlands, established in October 2024. Through GroeiGids B.V., it also owns BharatRohan INC., a Delaware-incorporated subsidiary focused on building a technology-enabled, farm-to-jar spice and ingredient platform for the U.S. market.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements concerning technology, applications, regulatory engagement, timelines and commercial opportunities. Actual outcomes may differ materially due to validation requirements, regulatory decisions, market acceptance, competition and other uncertainties. Market estimates are illustrative, not forecasts or indications of current or near-term financial performance; the opportunity may not materialise. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements except as legally required. This announcement is neither investment advice nor a solicitation to trade securities.