Qitan Technology to Launch China's First Mid-Throughput Nanopore Sequencer This Summer with 97% Single-Read Accuracy

On March 10, Qitan Technology held its online “2023 ‘Evolution Without Limits’ Technology Upgrade Launch Event.” The company unveiled its latest upgrades: the K2 nanopore protein, the silicon-based sequencing chip QCell-S, and the next-generation sequencing algorithm suite Hound v1.2, resulting in a significant overall improvement in sequencing performance.

Meanwhile, Qitan Technology announced that it will launch its first medium-throughput nanopore gene sequencer this summer. Powered by the K2 system, the instrument delivers higher sequencing throughput and superior performance, unlocking a broader range of application scenarios and providing new momentum for research and development in the life sciences.

As the core of nanopore gene sequencing, Qitan Technology’s latest self-developed K2 nanopore protein (hereinafter referred to as “K2”) has been officially released after more than a year of dedicated refinement.

At the press conference, Dr. Xie Dan, co-founder of Qitan Technology, introduced that compared to the previous generation of nanopore proteins, K2 delivers higher sequencing accuracy, more uniform effective signal distribution, clearer current step transitions, and an improved signal-to-noise ratio.

Qitan Technology also unveiled its next-generation silicon-based sequencing chip, QCell-S, and the new Hound v1.2 sequencing algorithm suite, maximizing the sequencing accuracy, efficiency, and stability of the K2 platform.

Dr. Xie Dan stated that the silicon-based sequencing chip, QCell-S, has undergone a comprehensive upgrade in its fluidics solution and chip manufacturing process, delivering more stable sequencing performance: improved accessibility for mass production, higher chip utilization rates, and a significant reduction in sequencing input requirements to just one-third of the original amount. The Hound v1.2 sequencing algorithm suite comprehensively enhances sequencing accuracy based on existing high-precision and high-speed models. Furthermore, under the high-precision model, sequencing efficiency has increased by 120% in addition to the improvement in accuracy.

 Performance of the Qitan K2 System

Overall, within the K2 system, Qitan Technology’s nanopore gene sequencing delivers a more accurate, stable, and efficient sequencing experience. The single-read accuracy has surged from 90% to 97%, while the consensus accuracy has improved from Q40 to Q50, equivalent to 99.999% (at 70x coverage).

It is worth noting that long read lengths are a significant advantage of nanopore gene sequencing, while Qitan has substantially improved the single-read accuracy of short-sequence sequencing through continuous algorithm optimization. It can be said that Qitan Technology has taken another solid step toward achieving full-length sequencing.

At the press conference, Dr. Xie Dan also shared the evaluation results of performance tests conducted on the K2 system by Qitan Technology in collaboration with third-party institutions, demonstrating that the K2 system meets application requirements across multiple real-world scenarios.

Qitan Technology collaborated with Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Third Hospital, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, and Tsinghua Changgung Hospital to perform metagenomic pathogen detection on sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples from a patient with respiratory tract infection. The results demonstrated that the K2 system significantly increases the proportion of classifiable sequences, thereby enabling more accurate identification of pathogenic sequences.

Furthermore, Qitan Technology collaborated with the Institute for Infectious Disease Control and Prevention of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) and Qilu Medical College to conduct genomic-level source tracing of a rare bacteremia sample caused by Vibrio cholerae serogroup O139. By applying the K2 system, the complete genomic sequence, including plasmids, was accurately obtained, facilitating rapid source tracing and antimicrobial resistance gene analysis for this rare case and pathogen.

In scenarios such as pure culture assembly, cancer-targeted drug testing, and forensic STR profiling, the K2 system demonstrates equally outstanding sequencing performance. This indicates that the enhancements in various performance parameters of the K2 system can better support users in conducting research and applications.

As the first domestic upstream platform enterprise for nanopore gene sequencing, Qitan Technology not only continues to pioneer technological innovations but also constantly refines its product portfolio. It is committed to providing users with end-to-end sequencing solutions that cover the entire nanopore gene sequencing workflow—from sample pre-processing and gene sequencing to downstream data analysis—thereby making China-made nanopore gene sequencing platforms more functional and user-friendly.

At the press conference, Dr. Xie Dan also unveiled Qitan Technology’s latest automated library preparation device—the QPrenano-32 Fully Automated Nucleic Acid Detection Reaction System Construction System. This system enables automated library preparation for any number of samples ranging from 1 to 32, features over 90% automation, ensures precise pipetting and simple operation, and is highly compatible with Qitan’s nanopore gene sequencing platform.

 Qitan Nanopore Gene Sequencing Product Portfolio

Leveraging its profound insights and sustained dedication to nanopore gene sequencing, Qitan Technology has, over the past year, established a comprehensive sequencing platform centered on gene sequencers and supported by a full range of reagents, chips, and software. Complementing this platform are application-support products such as laboratory automation and bioinformatics analysis tools, thereby creating an end-to-end solution for nanopore gene sequencing.

Domestic nanopore gene sequencing platforms, becoming increasingly “user-friendly” and “easy-to-use,” are driving this cutting-edge sequencing technology toward broader application scenarios, demonstrating their value and significance as a critical cornerstone of frontier life sciences research.

 Research Achievements Based on the Qitan Nanopore Sequencing Platform

Qitan Technology, in collaboration with multidisciplinary partners including the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), the PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Center for Liver Cancer, Sichuan University, Peking University Third Hospital, and Shanghai Customs, has successfully published more than ten scientific papers based on its domestically produced nanopore gene sequencing platform to address challenges in life sciences. Furthermore, Qitan’s nanopore gene sequencers have gone global as part of the China CDC’s aid program to Africa, supporting local disease prevention and control efforts. They have also been deployed aboard the hospital ship “Peace Ark,” where they performed rapid detection tasks at sea, fully leveraging the real-time and portable advantages of nanopore sequencing technology.

Dr. Xie Dan stated that Qitan Technology will continue to deepen its technological expertise, steadily reduce sequencing costs, and enhance sequencing performance. The company aims to collaborate with outstanding partners across various fields to fully unlock the potential of nanopore gene sequencing technology, thereby driving the continuous iteration and industrial application of domestically produced next-generation sequencing technologies.

At the conclusion of the press conference, Dr. Xie Dan unveiled another surprise for the market: Qitan Technology’s first medium-throughput nanopore gene sequencer will be launched this summer.

Following the launch of its QNome-3841 and QNome-3841hex sequencing platforms, Qitan Technology continues to make significant strides in commercialization with this latest offering. Featuring higher throughput, superior sequencing performance, and an increasingly comprehensive suite of sequencing solutions, this mid-throughput sequencer is poised to unlock a broader range of application scenarios and drive the deeper market adoption of nanopore gene sequencing.

In the new global wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation, scientific and technological innovation is the key variable for seizing the initiative. Scientific instruments serve as the foundation of such innovation, and each advancement in these instruments often drives substantial progress across multiple downstream niche sectors.

Amid the national call to substantially strengthen basic research and vigorously promote the localization of scientific instruments and equipment, Qitan Technology will anchor itself to nanopore gene sequencing—the “foundational technology” of life sciences. It will continue to lead original and pioneering technological breakthroughs, foster demand-driven translation of scientific achievements into practical applications, generate greater real-world productivity, and address major challenges in the field of life sciences.