All Three Projects Powered by QuEra Computing Contributions Move to Phase Two of Wellcome Leap’s Quantum for Bio Challenge

Insider Brief

• QuEra Computing announced that all three of its research collaborations have advanced to Phase Two of Wellcome Leap’s Quantum for Bio Challenge, securing three of the eight available spots in the program aimed at revolutionizing healthcare through quantum computing.
• The projects include quantum-enhanced drug discovery for myotonic dystrophy, scalable quantum simulation for virtual screening, and quantum chemistry techniques to analyze proteins linked to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
• QuEra’s neutral-atom quantum computers, accessible via public cloud since 2022, bring advanced processing capabilities to these efforts, supporting large-scale classical simulations in Phase Two and paving the way for future quantum breakthroughs in healthcare.

PRESS RELEASE — QuEra Computing, the leader in neutral-atom quantum computing, today announced that all three research projects in which QuEra is involved have advanced to the second of three phases of Wellcome Leap’s Quantum for Bio Challenge. The projects taking three of the coveted eight spots in the prestigious program further demonstrate QuEra’s importance in developing quantum computing applications in complex scientific fields, including healthcare and biology.

Wellcome Leap’s Supported Challenge Program in Quantum for Bio is focused on identifying, developing, and demonstrating biology and healthcare applications that will benefit from the quantum computers expected to emerge in the next three to five years. Up to $40 million in research funding is being awarded to multidisciplinary, multiorganizational teams, and up to $10 million in challenge prizes are available at the end of the program for successful proof-of-concept demonstrations on quantum devices with a clear path to scaling to large quantum computers.

The focus of Phase One was quantum algorithm development, and the technical progress and deliverables were evaluated and tracked by the Wellcome Leap Quantum for Bio Program Director and an expert internal technical team. The eight teams from the original 12 that advanced to Phase Two demonstrated a significant advance for human health within the defined target resources. 

The focus of Phase Two is large-scale simulations of the developed algorithms in Phase 1 using classical high-performance computing. To complete Phase Two, teams will perform a classical HPC simulation of their quantum algorithm for 30 to 40 qubits and compare the results to the ones obtained by the standard classical approach for the respective application. All teams must identify and secure quantum hardware expertise participation to be considered for progression to Phase Three.

QuEra’s neutral-atom quantum computers combine system size, coherence, and advanced processing modes. These computers offer a promising path to large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computing. Since November 2022, QuEra’s first-generation neutral-atom quantum computers have been publicly accessible via a large public cloud service, and they remain the only neutral-atom platform available for public use. QuEra leads the neutral-atom market, offering dynamic qubit manipulation (qubit shuttling) for flexible and efficient quantum computations. Operating at room temperature, QuEra’s computers are built to integrate seamlessly with classical computing infrastructure.

The three projects in which QuEra is involved are:

Quantum Computing for Covalent Inhibitors in Drug Discovery

This project is led by The University of Nottingham, with partners Phasecraft and QuEra Computing. The discovery of new drugs has long been one of the most challenging tasks facing medical innovation. This project will demonstrate how this process can harness the combined power of quantum computing and classical simulation methods to tackle the crucial task of drug discovery for myotonic dystrophy, a genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness and wasting and often affects the electrical conduction system of the heart, breathing and swallowing muscles, bowels, and the lens of the eye and brain.

Accelerating Drug Discovery Using Programmable Quantum Simulation 

The project, led by Harvard University, MIT, and QuEra, aims to develop and scalably implement quantum simulation algorithms that can accelerate computer-aided drug discovery. Biological experiments will be used to benchmark the quantum algorithms, and the project team will develop and demonstrate application pipelines that leverage quantum simulation to facilitate structure-based virtual screening. Specific research areas will include developing a pipeline for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and accurate estimation of ligand-protein binding affinity. 

Quanta-Bind: Demystifying Proteins

This project, led by qBraid, with partners MIT, University of Chicago, North Carolina A&T, Argonne National Lab, and QuEra, aims to harness the potential of quantum computing for analyzing biological processes to improve human health. The team will focus on metal interactions with two key proteins closely associated with the pathology of Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson’s (PD): amyloid-β and α-synuclein, respectively. This project will explore pioneering new computational techniques, integrating quantum chemistry with quantum computing to shed light on these intricate interactions, aiming to provide insights that could have far-reaching implications for human health.  

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to continue working towards the ambitious goal of developing and utilising this fast-developing quantum computing technology to help advance the treatment of a dreadful disease,” said Jonathan Hirst, a Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies and Professor of Computational Chemistry. “We hope that the project will be an exemplar that paves the way for wider impact across the pharmaceutical sector.”

“As we move into Phase Two, we are thrilled to continue contributing our neutral-atom quantum computing expertise to these transformative healthcare and biology projects,” said Nathan Gemelke, co-founder and Chief Technology Strategist, QuEra Computing, “The transition to large-scale classical simulations is a significant step toward demonstrating the practical impact of quantum algorithms in real-world applications. Our commitment remains to collaborate with leading academic and industry teams to bridge the gap between theoretical quantum research and impactful medical breakthroughs. 

Together, we aim to accelerate the discovery of new drugs and unravel the complexities of human health at an unprecedented scale.”