Infleqtion is pushing the boundaries of cancer research, entering Phase 3 trials of a novel quantum routine designed for real-world biomarker analysis. The company, preparing to go public through a merger with Churchill Capital Corp X (NASDAQ: CCCX), is now testing its hybrid quantum-classical workflow on actual oncology data, moving beyond simulations. “Phase 3 allows us to test quantum-enabled biomarker discovery end to end,” said Pranav Gokhale, CTO, Infleqtion. This advancement, supported by the Wellcome Leap Q4Bio program, utilizes Infleqtion’s newly developed Hyper-RQAOA routine to identify subtle biomarkers in head-and-neck cancer patients, potentially revolutionizing precision oncology and forecasting treatment response.
Infleqtion Advances Quantum Biomarker Discovery to Phase 3 Trials
Infleqtion is now entering Phase 3 trials, shifting biomarker discovery from simulated environments to experiments utilizing actual quantum processors. This progression builds upon earlier successes across Phases 1 and 2, where the team constructed a hybrid quantum–classical workflow capable of managing the intricacies of contemporary biomedical data. This workflow integrates meticulous preprocessing of DNA, RNA, and pathology image features with a sophisticated optimization method designed to identify interactions frequently overlooked by conventional techniques. The team’s innovative Hyper-RQAOA, a quantum routine optimized for current and near-term hardware, employs parameter transfer techniques to significantly enhance efficiency.
Infleqtion’s Phase 3 focus will be forecasting treatment response in head-and-neck cancer, leveraging a curated cohort from UChicago to assess the potential of quantum analysis in revealing clinically relevant biomarker sets. “This project only works because clinicians, biologists, and quantum scientists are designing the solution together,” added Gokhale, emphasizing the collaborative approach. The Wellcome Leap Q4Bio program supports this work, aiming to demonstrate quantum-enabled methods for human health within five years, following the release of their research paper, Toward Quantum-Enabled Biomarker Discovery: An Outlook from Q4Bio, available on arXiv.
Hyper-RQAOA Optimizes Quantum–Classical Workflows for Oncology Data
The Wellcome Leap Q4Bio program is supporting this five-year initiative to demonstrate quantum applications in human health. Phase 3 will specifically investigate forecasting treatment response in head-and-neck cancer using data from UChicago, aiming to identify biomarker sets for precision oncology.
“Phase 3 allows us to test quantum-enabled biomarker discovery end to end.”
Pranav Gokhale, CTO, Infleqtion
