SandboxAQ Enters into Collaboration with MapLight Therapeutics to Develop CNS Therapies
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
SandboxAQ and MapLight Therapeutics have entered into a strategic collaboration to discover and develop potential first-in-class therapies for central nervous system (CNS) disorders.
The partnership will focus on a novel G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) target identified for its potential role in a range of CNS conditions.
Under the agreement, SandboxAQ will receive an upfront payment and may earn up to US$200 million in total through preclinical, development, regulatory and commercial milestones. The two companies will work together on preclinical research, while MapLight will hold exclusive rights to advance any resulting compounds into clinical development and commercialisation.
The collaboration will combine SandboxAQ’s artificial intelligence and molecular simulation capabilities with MapLight’s expertise in CNS drug development. SandboxAQ will use large-scale AI models and molecular simulations to analyse receptor structure and function, predict ligand interactions and support the optimisation of drug-like properties.
This approach is intended to speed up early discovery work and improve the efficiency of design-make-test-analyse cycles.
The companies aim to accelerate the identification and optimisation of new drug candidates and address areas of unmet need in CNS disorders through this data-driven discovery approach.
Source: globenewswire.com
