Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials HomeInnovationOntario startup High Q aims to speed up drug discovery for diseases such as Alzheimer’s through quantum sensorsWaterloo-based High Q Technologies is developing technology to map moving protein structures with extreme precision for a global market You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.From left, High Q Technologies’ applications manager Austin Gamble‑Jarvi, managing director Don Carkner and director of product marketing Rudra Maharajh conduct system checks on a Fathom pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance installation in the United Kingdom. Photo by Handout/Glen Gregory/High Q TechnologiesAn Ontario startup aims to speed up new drug discoveries for diseases such as Alzheimer’s through quantum sensors that map protein building blocks.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorFounded by biomedical researchers and drug developers at the University of Waterloo in 2013, High Q Technologies is developing a quantum sensor called the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometer to map moving protein structures with extreme precision.Their EPR device, named Fathom, aims to accelerate drug discovery for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s by years. According to the company, the device could slash the resources typically required in the stages of drug testing.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“Proteins, like most biological structures, are flexible,” said Don Carkner, managing director at High Q. “When proteins interact with other molecules, they flex, twist and reconfigure as part of their function. In general, drugs work by affecting such motion.”He added, “ Traditional … techniques tend to be sensitive to a protein’s most common configuration, and so sometimes struggle to resolve the full range of motion. EPR is able to detect all configurations at once.”“Drug discovery is increasingly focused on understanding how proteins behave in motion,” said Carkner. “With Fathom, quantum-enabled EPR spectroscopy provides a way to study these dynamic systems.”EPR can also be used as a screening tool to ensure that samples are ideally prepared before being measured by traditional equipment, which could lower development costs while positively impacting the pipeline, according to High Q.The company recently partnered with Shirely N.Y.-based Creative Biostructure, a contract research organization, expanding access to High Q’s quantum technology for pharmaceutical research on a global scale.“Creative Biostructure has a large existing client base, with over 3,000 customers in 60 countries and regions, including numerous large pharma and high-profile academic institutions,” the company said in a press release about the collaboration.Creative Biostructure will provide scientific consultation, experimental design support and workflow guidance for organizations implementing High Q’s Fathom EPR spectroscopy platform, according to the press release.The company’s stated mission to advance domestic biotechnology capabilities is backed by the government of Canada, Waterloo venture capital firm Quantum Valley Investments and the University of Waterloo’s Transformative Quantum Technologies accelerator.In 2018, $6.5 million was awarded to the company through the federal Strategic Innovation Fund to support the development of quantum-enabled sensor technology.In 2024, the company received an additional $3.75 million through the federal Regional Quantum Initiative to support commercialization of High Q’s EPR spectroscopy systems.Fathom is an early demonstration of quantum sensing technology moving from the lab to a commercially available product.With the support of Canada’s National Quantum Strategy, which aims to solidify Canada’s leading position in the sector, High Q is looking to bring Canadian research and development to a global market, with systems already installed at academic structural biology partner labs in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.The company expects to ship their machine to Europe within the coming months.This technology can play a role in helping Canada to become a global leader in high quality drug research and development, said High Q’s Carkner. 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