Anthropic wants to develop its own drugs | The Verge
Anthropic has launched a new AI science platform and announced plans to develop its own treatments for neglected diseases by establishing internal wet labs.
1. Launch of Claude Science
At an event titled "The Briefing: AI for Science" held in early July 2026, Anthropic announced the launch of Claude Science. This new platform is designed as an AI workbench for scientists, consolidating fragmented tools and datasets into a single environment capable of generating figures and visuals. Anthropic intends for the tool to accelerate scientific discovery and the development of healthcare interventions.
2. Expansion into Drug Development
Beyond providing software to biotech and pharmaceutical customers, Anthropic has announced plans to develop its own drugs. Eric Kauderer-Abrams, the company’s head of life sciences, stated that the program will focus on discovering treatments for "neglected" diseases. To support this initiative, Anthropic has been actively hiring biologists and establishing its own wet labs. This move places the company in a unique position, as it will be both a software provider for the industry and a competitor to the drugmakers using its technology.
3. Industry Challenges and Outlook
While AI is increasingly applied across various stages of drug discovery, experts note that the field remains far from producing AI-designed drugs that have passed clinical trials and received regulatory approval. Challenges include a lack of high-quality, publicly available experimental data and the necessity of real-world testing for efficacy and safety. Industry observers emphasize that AI cannot yet replace the time-consuming, methodical experiments required to bring a drug to market, and any potential success from Anthropic’s efforts is likely years away.