Sujal Patel, co-founder and CEO of Nautilus Biotechnology. (Nautilus Photo). Nautilus Biotechnology CEO Sujal Patel had to deliver tough news on a Thursday morning call with analysts. The company has laid off 25 workers, or about 16% of its workforce, and pushed back by one year its target for commercializing its technology. The good news? Patel is confident that the company’s revised goal of releasing a product in late 2026 is financially and technically achievable. And its product could help address a crucial challenge in biotech and drug development — providing a platform that can identify and quantify all of the proteins in a biological sample

Nautilus co-founders Parag Mallick, left, and Sujal Patel. (Nautilus Photo)Nautilus Biotechnology has laid off about 16% of its workforce, reducing its headcount to 133 employees and helping provide a cash runway that extends into 2027. CEO Sujal Patel shared the news on a call with analysts Thursday, during which he disclosed the company’s fourth quarter and 2024 annual financial results.The company’s corporate and software operations are based in Seattle, while its core RD work is done in San Carlos in Silicon Valley. Nautilus leaders said the layoffs will be spread across all areas of the business. Patel also announced a delay in the commercial release of its proteome analysis platform — technology for identifying and quantifying the thousands of proteins present in biological samples. The platform, including instruments and research reagents, is expected to be available by late 2026.“We believe that we are positioning Nautilus to ultimately make the maximum possible impact on the marketplace and on biological science,” Patel said