CAMBRIDGE — Anthropic unveiled Claude Science, an app that adapts its large language model for biopharma research labs, and announced plans to begin developing drugs of its own. The dual announcement marks a major strategic expansion for the artificial intelligence company into biopharmaceutical research and drug discovery.

Claude Science is available in beta to Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise subscribers and integrates more than 60 scientific databases and toolkits focused on genomics, proteomics, and cheminformatics. During a product launch event on June 30, 2026, the system demonstrated autonomous drug candidate screening for phenylketonuria, a rare genetic disorder, completing each step without human intervention. Anthropic also announced 50 research projects funded with up to $30,000 in credits each, plus $2,000 in compute support from Modal, targeting biomedical research with application deadlines of July 15, 2026, and project timelines running from September 1 to December 1, 2026.

Anthropic’s move into drug development includes internal pre-clinical programs targeting neglected diseases that have been overlooked by traditional pharmaceutical companies. The company acquired biotech startup Coefficient Bio in April 2026 for approximately $400 million, a transaction that coincided with its broader push into drug discovery. Anthropic cofounder Dario Amodei, who holds a PhD in biophysics, suggested that scientists using customized AI tools may achieve a 10-fold acceleration in developing new medicines for cancers, dementia, and rare genetic diseases over the coming decade. “I absolutely believe that we can make 10 years of progress every year,” Amodei said.

The company’s expansion occurs against a complex backdrop in Massachusetts, a leading biopharma hub. The state accounts for nearly one-sixth of the total U.S. drug development pipeline and drew more than 20 percent of the nation’s venture funding for biotech startups in 2025, according to a MassBio report.

Massachusetts also has roughly 50 million square feet of lab space—the largest of any U.S. market, per a JLL report. However, the vacancy rate for biomedical labs in the state is roughly 30 percent as of July 2026, higher than rival clusters in San Francisco and San Diego. Employment in research and development in Massachusetts fell 1.7 percent in 2024, marking the first decline since MassBio began tracking the data.

Large life sciences companies including Takeda, Replimune, and Thermo Fisher have shed hundreds of jobs in Massachusetts over the past year. Despite these headwinds, venture investors see growing integration of AI across the sector. “Biotechs are all over AI,” said Boston venture capitalist Jeff Bussgang, who is affiliated with the firm Flybridge Capital.

“They’re incorporating it into their work flows, into every aspect of their business.” Other startups are also building AI tools for biopharma: Marlborough-based Scitara uses machine learning to help companies collect, analyze, and connect fragmented data from lab equipment, while New York’s Alchemi builds AI agents to rapidly gather data from disparate sources to speed up documentation and compliance processes for regulatory filings. Alchemi was launched by two Harvard Business School graduates.

Anthropic’s entry into drug development signals a deepening convergence between artificial intelligence and biopharmaceutical innovation. While AI adoption is widespread in the sector, real-world regulatory outcomes remain limited. “Are we improving the R&D cycle?

Yes, we are,” said Travis McCready, head of industries for JLL’s leasing advisory practice. “Are we improving drug discovery and making it more efficient? Yes, we are. But we haven’t yet seen that translate into a greater number of AI-designed and approved FDA products.” The success of Anthropic’s approach—and that of similar AI-driven efforts—will ultimately be measured not by technical demonstrations or funding announcements, but by whether new therapies reach patients.