Quantum-Si’s Next-Generation Single-Molecule Protein Sequencing Technology Published in Science, Signaling New Era of Life Science and Biomedical Research

Key Takeaways:

• Next-generation single-molecule protein sequencing technology is poised to transform the science and research community’s understanding of the proteome by unlocking unprecedented insights about the human body - just as the advent of next-generation DNA sequencing has revolutionized our knowledge of the human genome over the past two decades.
• Through its real-time amino acid sequencing approach, Quantum-Si is on the forefront of commercializing the first platform that will offer an accessible and accurate understanding of proteins with single-molecule resolution - without the roadblocks of complex chemistry and large, expensive equipment - enabling groundbreaking research that will ultimately help people live healthier and longer lives.
• This is the first paper from any company demonstrating protein sequencing technology that has been published in a major peer-reviewed journal, serving to showcase the unparalleled innovation behind Quantum-Si’s technology and how it will shape the future of proteomics.

Quantum-Si Incorporated (Nasdaq: QSI) (“Quantum-Si,” “QSI” or the “Company”), a life sciences company commercializing the first next-generation single-molecule protein sequencing platform, today announced that Science, the peer-reviewed academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, published new research showcasing how single-molecule protein sequencing via semiconductor chip and Time Domain Sequencing™ technologies will transform life science and biomedical research. This first-of-its-kind sequencing process, which provides an unparalleled understanding of proteins, will advance drug discovery and diagnostics and bring transformative health and disease insights to the world.

Founded by world-renowned scientist, entrepreneur, and National Medal of Technology and Innovation recipient Dr. Jonathan Rothberg, Quantum-Si developed its next-generation single-molecule protein sequencing technology to create better, more comprehensive ways to research proteins – and to influence the diagnosis of modern diseases.

“I am proud and excited to share the first next-generation single-molecule protein sequencing technology with the world,” said Dr. Rothberg, senior author of the paper. “Just as the work I did with my early genomics collaborators on the first next-generation DNA sequencing led to a Nobel Prize for Svante Pääbo, I fully expect the early adopters of Quantum-Si’s technology to make discoveries just as profound and impactful.”

As described in Science’s publication of “Real-time dynamic single-molecule protein sequencing on an integrated semiconductor device,” Quantum-Si’s semiconductor chip contains millions of wells, allowing for the cataloging of many proteins in parallel and the understanding of how these proteins are modified at the single-molecule level. The company’s next-generation sequencing system detects and cleaves amino acids using proteins and enzymes derived from naturally occurring pathways that carry out a similar process in cells. This approach eliminates roadblocks of complex chemistry and large, expensive equipment facing other technologies, while providing the sensitivity, scalability, and accessibility needed to accelerate biomedical research.

"The concept of a small benchtop instrument carrying out massively-parallel sequencing of individual protein molecules was previously unimaginable,” said Brian D. Reed, Ph.D, co-author of the study and Head of Research at Quantum-Si. “Researchers have used indirect methods to understand proteins and have been waiting for tools that would be transformative for proteomics in the same way that DNA sequencing has been for genomics. Our platform’s ability to map protein modifications, which have been difficult to detect with other technologies, will greatly advance our understanding of the function and regulation of proteins in health and disease."

Additional information on Quantum-Si’s single-molecule protein sequencing process, as outlined in the Science study, include:

• A dynamic approach in which single peptides are probed in real-time by a mixture of dye-labeled N-terminal amino acid recognizers and simultaneously cleaved by aminopeptidases;
• Annotation of amino acids and identification of the peptide sequence by measuring fluorescence intensity, lifetime, and binding kinetics on an integrated semiconductor chip;
• Recognizers identify multiple amino acids in an information-rich manner that enables discrimination of single amino acid substitutions and post-translational modifications (PTMs), allowing for a more detailed picture of individual proteins and their variations for future disease identification and prevention.

About Quantum-Si Incorporated
Quantum-Si is focused on revolutionizing the growing field of proteomics. The Company`s suite of technologies is powered by a first-of-its-kind semiconductor chip designed to enable single-molecule next-generation protein sequencing and digitize proteomic research in order to advance drug discovery and diagnostics beyond what has been possible with DNA sequencing.