SandboxAQ, a U.S.-based company specializing in artificial intelligence and quantum technologies, has signed a deal with Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund to accelerate drug development and build biotech assets valued at $1 billion. Announced during Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, the partnership will allow Bahrain’s Mumtalakat to access SandboxAQ’s advanced quantitative models—which draw on physics, chemistry, and biology—to boost scientific research and drug discovery efforts.

According to a joint statement, the agreement aims to strengthen Bahrain’s role as a regional biotechnology center, with a three-year program guided by a joint research committee focused on developing innovative medicines. CEO Jack Hidary told Reuters that the collaboration will enable Bahrain to generate its own biotechnology intellectual property, including treatments for conditions widespread in the region like diabetes and certain genetic diseases.

Hidary noted that biotech IP is typically concentrated within a few nations, and this initiative gives Bahrain the opportunity to prioritize both regional and global health needs. The deal will leverage Bahrain’s digital health records and medical infrastructure to support therapy development, with clinical trials planned to begin in Bahrain and possibly expand to other locations. He also mentioned growing interest from other countries, including in the Gulf, for similar collaborations. Saudi Arabia’s Aramco partnered with SandboxAQ to apply its models for enhancing the value of downstream products.