TechCrunch reports that Anthropic's head of life sciences, Eric Kauderer-Abrams, told Reuters the company is already doing real lab work in a San Francisco Bay Area wet lab, while still using outside partners. Engadget, also following that Reuters interview, says Anthropic has not disclosed the site's size, staffing or biosafety level and has not run a clinical trial.
TechCrunch quotes Kauderer-Abrams telling Reuters that to do biology the final test is still, and will be for a while, in real lab work, and that Anthropic is doing that today. He said the lab operates like most biotech labs: some work in-house, some with external partners. Engadget places that confirmation in the San Francisco Bay Area and notes the company still has not published the room's size or biosafety level.[1], [2]
TechCrunch says Anthropic declined to say what the wet lab is working on except that it is not focused on drug discovery, and notes the April purchase of Coefficient Bio. Engadget reports a spokesperson told Reuters the lab was not created specifically, or perhaps only, for drug discovery, after Anthropic had described a Claude Science programme aimed at work drugmakers might skip.[1], [2]
Engadget, citing Reuters sources, says one aim is for Claude to control robots that carry out experiments, while Kauderer-Abrams called that the very early innings of automating lab execution and said human oversight remains essential. It also reports Anthropic has yet to run any clinical trial. TechCrunch notes the company launched a Life Sciences Verification Program the same week to give vetted bio researchers access to its most powerful models.[2], [1]
