Wellcome Leap’s Q4Bio Challenge Names Phase III Winners

Wellcome Leap’s Quantum for Bio (Q4Bio) Supported Challenge Program named winners in its Q4Bio Challenge, which ran research teams focused on quantum algorithms for human health applications. The Phase III results put emphasis on scalable algorithm demonstrations on real quantum hardware as near-term quantum computers are expected to arrive within three to five years.

Q4Bio launched in 2023 with 12 research teams and a combined $40 million in funding. By March 2026, the program narrowed to six Phase III finalists, who competed for a $2 million Phase III award. Eligibility required demonstrations using more than 50 qubits and circuit depths on the order of 1,000 to 10,000 gates, along with a path to scaling.

Most finalists relied on IBM quantum systems for their results. The winning project came from Algorithmiq in collaboration with Cleveland Clinic and IBM, using quantum computing to simulate key processes in photodynamic therapy (PDT). Algorithmiq developed an end-to-end hybrid quantum-classical framework covering active space selection, state preparation, measurement, and post-processing, with circuits for ground- and excited-state experiments on up to 100 qubits.

For the Quantum Pangenomics project, the University of Oxford and Sanger Institute converted genome problems to quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) formulations. The team used an IBM Quantum Heron r2 to encode the Hepatitis-D genome, with classical systems handling problem formulation and analysis and quantum hardware invoked for computationally challenging subproblems. Infleqtion, the University of Nottingham, Phasecraft, and QuEra also led Phase III work using hybrid quantum-classical optimization on IBM Quantum Heron r2 or related IBM hardware, and a team including Stanford and Michigan State University used VQE on an IBM Quantum Heron r2 to study ATP and GTP hydrolysis.

“The results highlight how Algorithmiq's approach to tightly integrated quantum-classical algorithms could play a key role in unlocking real-world quantum advantage,” Sabrina Maniscalco, CEO and co-founder of Algorithmiq, said. “IBM's quantum systems enabled execution of circuits at scales approaching 100 qubits and supported the continuous, end-to-end validation loop required to identify real bottlenecks and ensure robustness of the approach,” she said. “Q4Bio showed that when teams with complementary expertise work toward a common goal, they can make meaningful progress on problems that no single discipline can solve alone,” Dr. Vijay Krishna of Cleveland Clinic said.