In the news release, Viome Signs Agreement With Bhutan's Druk Holding & Investments and Gelephu Mindfulness City to Develop a Molecular Foundation Model for Global Diagnostics and Drug Development, issued 28-Sep-2026 by Viome Life Sciences over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that a revised version of the release is being issued. The complete, updated release follows:

Viome Signs Agreement With Bhutan's Druk Holding & Investments and Gelephu Mindfulness City to Develop a Molecular Foundation Model for Global Diagnostics and Drug Development

The memorandum of understanding sets out a joint development exercise for the AI Model and a research and development centre that would serve customers worldwide, running on Bhutan-owned compute powered by clean hydropower.

BELLEVUE, Wash., Sept. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Viome Life Sciences has signed a memorandum of understanding with Druk Holding & Investments Ltd (DHI), the investment arm of the Royal Government of Bhutan, and Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), the Special Administrative Region of Bhutan, established with its own legal and financial system, to explore the development of a Molecular Foundation Model in Bhutan. The agreement, signed in New York on September 25, 2026, is the first step toward a defined investment proposition and definitive agreements.

Viome would contribute its metatranscriptomic dataset and its expertise in building a Molecular Foundation Model into the effort. The memorandum records the parties' shared intent.

"We set out ten years ago to make illness optional by reading a person's biology in real time," said Naveen Jain, Chief Executive Officer of Viome Life Sciences. "Bhutan's clean energy and Gelephu Mindfulness City's regulatory freedom give us a place to build something we could not build inside an existing health system. This agreement is the first step toward finding out what humanity can do with that."

A Molecular Foundation Model is an artificial intelligence system trained on population-scale molecular data. It works as a generator for many healthcare applications, including diagnostics and drug development. For example, it can produce a new diagnostic from a small number of clinically adjudicated samples. It can also generate companion diagnostics paired with a specific therapy, validate drug targets in silico before investing heavily in a molecule, and assess whether a proposed molecule will act appropriately on a known target. Together, these capabilities could accelerate the entire research and development cycle, from biomarker discovery to clinical validation.

For DHI, the agreement supports DH1 10X, its strategy to grow its economic contribution tenfold over the next decade while diversifying beyond hydropower into new areas of energy, technology, and global investment. 

"Bhutan's development through the lens of Gross National Happiness has always placed human and nature well-being at the centre of progress," said Ujjwal Deep Dahal, Chief Executive Officer of DHI. "Our collaboration with Viome brings that philosophy together with frontier science, artificial intelligence, and precision health. This strategic effort accelerates our DH1 10X initiative and fosters a vibrant innovation ecosystem." 

The DHI CEO further added that the partnership builds Bhutan's capabilities in biomedical research, data science, and health innovation, as well as compute economy for the region powered by Bhutan's green hydropower. "Working with Viome can help Bhutan become a trusted global platform for preventive health and longevity research while delivering real improvements in our people's lives," he said.

Under the agreement, DHI would assist in funding, building, and powering a dedicated compute facility in Bhutan using the country's hydropower. GMC would provide the regulatory home and clinical environment for validation. Viome would use its dataset and lead the model's scientific and technical work, including training Bhutanese scientists and engineers at a planned Centre of Excellence. Any Bhutanese citizen's health data used in the work would remain in Bhutan and be subject to Bhutanese governance.

"Gelephu Mindfulness City was created to construct future-defining solutions using international talent while creating high-value jobs for the Bhutanese," said Dasho Dr. Lotay Tshering, Governor of GMC. "Partnering with Viome and DHI allows us to anchor a Molecular Foundation Model in GMC, driving global medical breakthroughs while cultivating Bhutanese scientific and engineering leaders."

The parties intend to complete a joint pre-feasibility exercise over the next six to ten weeks. It is expected to produce a preliminary investment case, a technical and compute plan, and a phased roadmap. Each party intends to name a coordinator to the joint working team within two weeks of signing.

"It took us the better part of a decade to build molecular models that read systems biology instead of relying on single markers," said Guru Banavar, PhD, Founding Head of Biomedical AI at Viome Life Sciences. "Every model we have trained so far has learned from individual disease or health areas, one at a time. This collaboration with Bhutan is the first time we get to find out what a molecular model can do when it learns the entire systems biology of a global population at once."

The agreement extends the work Viome has built since 2016 on metatranscriptomics, the technology behind its consumer health tests and its clinical business, Viome PRO.

About Viome Life Sciences

Viome Life Sciences was founded in 2016 with a mission to make illness optional by predicting and preventing chronic disease, cancer, and the effects of aging. Its platform uses proprietary RNA sequencing to measure active gene expression in the microbiome and human cells, and AI interprets the results against the world's largest gene expression database, with more than 1.5 million biological samples analyzed in its CLIA-certified laboratory. Through Viome PRO, the platform extends into clinical practice: advanced diagnostics, personalized nutrition, and physician-guided interventions delivered through a nationwide network of partner clinics. Viome is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. Learn more at viomepro.com.

About Druk Holding & Investments

Druk Holding & Investments (DHI) is the commercial arm of the Royal Government of Bhutan. Established in 2007, it holds and manages the government's investments for the long-term benefit of the people of Bhutan. As the only government-owned holding company in Bhutan, DHI holds shares in 22 domestic companies across energy, manufacturing, natural resources, finance, communications, aviation, trading, and real estate. Its wider portfolio includes global equities, fixed income, venture capital, and real estate. Its future focus spans technology, including healthtech and artificial intelligence, as well as energy and resources, mining and minerals, digital assets, and infrastructure. Through global partnerships and investment in local talent, DHI is helping build a Science, Technology, and Innovation-led economy in Bhutan. Learn more at dhi.bt.

About Gelephu Mindfulness City

The Gelephu Mindfulness City Special Administrative Region is a visionary initiative creating a world-class economic hub in southern Bhutan, centered on mindfulness, sustainability, and innovation. The SAR integrates traditional Bhutanese values with globally recognized legal frameworks, cutting-edge design and technology, while harnessing the Kingdom's abundant renewable energy resources to serve as a global exemplar of holistic development. For more information, visit www.gmc.bt or contact info@gmc.bt

Investment inquiries: invest@gmc.bt

Media Contacts:
Jennifer Rumble, Viome PRO Communications, c_jennifer.rumble@viome.com | M: 704-923-6378
Sherub Dorji, GMC Communications Department, sherubd@gmc.bt | M +975 1758 1753 
Deepika Chhetri, DHI Media and PR, deepikachhetri@dhi.bt | M +975 1785 8886

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SOURCE Viome Life Sciences