AI company Anthropic announces it will begin developing drugs of its own
Executives told STAT firsthand experience with Claude Science will yield benefits
Jonah Cool, seen here at a STAT event in San Francisco earlier this year, leads Anthropic’s life sciences partnerships and deployment.STAT
June 30, 2026
Health Tech Reporter
Brittany Trang, Ph.D., covers AI in health and medicine: Does it actually work? Who benefits, or might be harmed? She writes the weekly AI Prognosis newsletter. Follow her on Threads, Mastodon, and Bluesky. You can reach Brittany on Signal at btrang.01.
SAN FRANCISCO — AI giant Anthropic has already become a dominant player in technology and a household name for everyday users of artificial intelligence. Can it make drugs too?
On Tuesday, the company announced it is going to try. Though it’s unclear whether Anthropic intends to bring drug candidates to commercialization, multiple executives emphasized how important it is for Anthropic to get hands-on experience trying to use its own products to solve real scientific problems.
Advertisement
Eric Kauderer-Abrams, the company’s head of life sciences, said Anthropic has been asking itself what it should be doing besides training models and building products. During an event here to launch the company’s newest application, Claude Science, he said Anthropic had come up with one answer.
STAT+ Exclusive Story
Already have an account? Log in
This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers
Unlock this article — plus daily coverage and analysis of the biotech sector — by subscribing to STAT+.
Already have an account? Log in
Individual plans
Group plans
Monthly
$39
Totals $468 per year
Totals $468 per year
Starter
$30
for 3 months, then $399/year
Then $399/year
Annual
$399
Save 15%
Save 15%
11+ Users
Custom
Savings start at 25%!
Request A Quote Request A Quote
Savings start at 25%!
2-10 Users
$300
Annually per user
$300 Annually per user
To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+.
Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, drug development, Pharmaceuticals, STAT+
Submit a correction request Reprints
Health Tech Reporter
Brittany Trang, Ph.D., covers AI in health and medicine: Does it actually work? Who benefits, or might be harmed? She writes the weekly AI Prognosis newsletter. Follow her on Threads, Mastodon, and Bluesky. You can reach Brittany on Signal at btrang.01.
STAT+ Newsletter
A hitchhiker's guide to the health care AI galaxy
Please enter a valid email address.Sign Up
Your data will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. You may opt out of receiving STAT communications at any time.
Recommended
Biotech
BiotechJune 30, 2026
STAT Plus: Anthropic releases Claude Science, a product aimed at researchers, the pharma industry
The Readout
The ReadoutJune 30, 2026
STAT Plus: Investors double down on Bain-backed startup
Health Tech Newsletter
Health Tech NewsletterJune 30, 2026
STAT Plus: FDA digital leader hints at coming AI policy updates
Biotech
BiotechJune 30, 2026
STAT Plus: Abivax seeks to ease safety concerns with new data, boosting shares
Exclusive
ExclusiveJune 29, 2026