Artificial intelligence startup Anthropic has appointed Novartis AG Chief Executive Vas Narasimhan to its board of directors, marking the company's second board expansion in recent months.

The appointment comes as Anthropic actively advances its IPO preparations and expands further into the healthcare sector. Novartis AG, as a leading global pharmaceutical company, possesses significant strengths in drug research and development, manufacturing, and commercialization.

In a statement, Anthropic co-founder Daniela Amodei noted that Narasimhan has overseen the development and approval process for more than 35 innovative drugs, accumulating substantial experience in what she described as "one of the most heavily regulated industries."

This board-level appointment represents Anthropic's latest move to accelerate its push into the healthcare domain. In January, the company announced a suite of new features tailored for healthcare providers, insurance companies, and medical technology firms, while also enhancing the capabilities of its AI chatbot, Claude, in the life sciences sector to better support clinical trial management and regulatory processes.

Additionally, according to informed sources, Anthropic acquired biotechnology startup Coefficient Bio earlier this month, further strengthening its technical capabilities in life sciences.

Analysts point out that as artificial intelligence technology becomes increasingly integrated into areas such as drug development and clinical trials, Anthropic is enhancing its competitiveness in this high-barrier market by bringing in executives with deep industry expertise—a move seen as paving the way for a potential initial public offering.