Story perspectives

Anthropic launches Claude Science, adds Novartis CEO, stocks tumble

7/3/2026

Summary

Anthropic Launches Claude

Anthropic unveiled Claude Science and a preclinical program for neglected diseases on June 30, 2026.
Claude Science links 60 databases, records code, environment, methodology and chat history, and, according to Eric Kauderer-Abrams, will focus on diseases that current pharma partners ignore.
Anthropic added Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan to its board and spent $400 million to acquire Coefficient Bio.
After the launch, shares of Schrödinger and Recursion Pharmaceuticals fell 8.3% and 3.3%.

Summary

Anthropic Expands Lab

Anthropic is expanding its wet-lab capacity, posting multiple job openings, and has recruited scientists from major pharma firms, top-tier universities, and researcher Han’s academic network.
Company insiders estimate any Claude Science drug candidate will need at least a decade of testing, and note that safety verification still relies on lengthy lab experiments.
No AI-generated molecule has secured FDA approval, leaving the impact of AI-designed drugs on efficacy uncertain.

History

Historical Context

In 2015 IBM invested $1 billion to launch Watson for Drug Discovery with Pfizer, Sanofi and the Mayo Clinic, producing more than 300 AI-identified compounds by 2017. Earlier, Watson’s health-care pilots—such as the 2013 lung-cancer partnership with WellPoint—had struggled, leading IBM to sell Watson Health in 2022. Anthropic’s 2026 Claude Science platform echoes this legacy, recruiting pharma leaders like Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan.

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Anthropic Launches Claude

Anthropic unveiled Claude Science and a preclinical program for neglected diseases on June 30, 2026.
Claude Science links 60 databases, records code, environment, methodology and chat history, and, according to Eric Kauderer-Abrams, will focus on diseases that current pharma partners ignore.
Anthropic added Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan to its board and spent $400 million to acquire Coefficient Bio.
After the launch, shares of Schrödinger and Recursion Pharmaceuticals fell 8.3% and 3.3%.

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