Artificial intelligence leader Anthropic announced on Monday the official launch of its new software tool, Claude Science, designed to automate research workflows for scientists, freeing them from repetitive experimental tasks. The product will become available to users starting Tuesday.
During the launch event, Anthropic detailed that Claude Science can be widely applied to various automation tasks in biology and chemistry, including complex work like protein structure prediction. The tool integrates over 60 scientific databases commonly used by researchers, enabling users to ask questions in natural language, automatically execute multi-step processes, and obtain consolidated answers across data sources without needing to query multiple independent sources individually. Anthropic stated that Claude Science is currently available in a beta version for paying users.
Expansion into Drug Discovery and Novel Targets
Beyond the software launch, Anthropic also announced at the event the formal initiation of an internal preclinical drug discovery program. Eric Kauderer-Abrams, head of Anthropic's life sciences division, indicated the company will focus on "target areas that traditional pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies might find unattractive," aiming to pioneer new drug development frontiers powered by AI.
This move by Anthropic has once again sparked market concerns about AI displacement. Following the announcement, shares of several drug discovery-related companies experienced significant declines: Schrodinger Inc. (SDGR.US) fell as much as 8.3% intraday, Recursion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (RXRX.US) dropped 3.3%, and IQVIA Holdings Inc. (IQV.US) also declined over 2.3% at one point. Although some stocks later recovered ground, market anxiety persists regarding how AI-powered research could disrupt traditional CRO and drug discovery business models. This reaction closely mirrors the market response in February when Anthropic launched its Claude Cowork legal automation tool, which erased approximately $1 trillion in market value from legal tech-related stocks globally.
Anthropic and its competitor OpenAI have been intensifying efforts over the past year, releasing AI tools tailored for professional sectors like finance, science, and healthcare to expand their enterprise customer base and support their high valuations. Anthropic's current valuation stands at $965 billion, and the company is actively preparing for a potential initial public offering (IPO) as early as this autumn.
Regulatory Calls and Patient Benefits
The event was held in San Francisco, featuring a speech by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei. Vas Narasimhan, CEO of pharmaceutical giant Novartis AG (NVS) and an Anthropic board member, also spoke. He stated, "We have made many bold promises, and now we need to demonstrate to patients that we can actually deliver tangible results." He further called for the prompt establishment of an appropriate AI regulatory framework, emphasizing that "it would be a regret to wait for a crisis to push for regulation." Additionally, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) CEO Chris Boerner is also expected to speak at the event.
Anthropic clarified that Claude Science is built upon existing Claude models, such as the Opus 4.8 released in May. The tool's outputs will include traceable, detailed data to facilitate verification of information accuracy by researchers; generated images will also log the creation process to ensure transparency and trustworthiness.
This launch comes less than two weeks after Anthropic suspended access to its most advanced AI models (Fable 5 and Mythos 5) due to an executive order from the Trump administration. Last Friday, after addressing government concerns about national security risks, Anthropic was granted permission to partially restore access to Mythos 5; however, there has been no recent announcement regarding adjustments to restrictions on the Fable 5 model.
The release of Claude Science marks a further extension of Anthropic's shift from a general-purpose AI assistant towards vertical industry solutions. As AI applications in life sciences deepen, the narrative of "technological disruption" facing traditional pharmaceutical and CRO companies will continue to evolve. Whether Anthropic can leverage such products to expand revenue, support its near-trillion-dollar valuation, and successfully advance its IPO will become the next focal point for market attention.