POLARISqb has been awarded a research contract by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) under the IMPAQT initiative to advance quantum computing applications in drug design. Building upon their pioneering work in quantum-enabled drug discovery, POLARISqb aims to develop novel methods targeting protein-protein interactions (PPIs), a challenging aspect of drug design crucial for addressing emerging threats like the Ebola virus and persistent ailments like cancer. The project will focus on creating a variational quantum algorithm (VQA) capable of identifying small molecules that modulate PPIs, leveraging the unique capabilities of quantum computing to navigate vast solution spaces inaccessible to classical methods.
Led by computational chemist Dr. Anna Petroff and Principal Investigator Maurice Benson, POLARISqb’s approach translates drug design challenges into problems solvable by quantum computers, promising accelerated drug discovery timelines and enhanced therapeutic outcomes. This collaboration underscores the growing significance of quantum computing in revolutionizing pharmaceutical research.
For additional information, you can access a blog the company has posted here.
March 15, 2024