AI: Anthropic launches Claude Science & moves into drug discovery

[Chris Johnston]

Just saw this article from Tuesday:
Claude Science is Anthropic's newest flagship product

Here's a key extract:

"Though Claude Science could in principle assist with any area of scientific research, it seems designed and marketed as a tool for molecular and cellular biology, and for drug development in particular. It can interface with various tools used in genetics, chemistry, and protein biology, all of which could come in handy for researchers on the hunt for new drugs. During the Tuesday event, Alexander Tarashansky, who led the development of Claude Science, demonstrated how the system could autonomously identify new drug candidates for phenylketonuria, a rare genetic disease.

And Anthropic isn’t leaving all that work to the pharma companies and university labs that were represented at the event. Armed with Claude Science, it will be pursuing its own research into drug candidates for neglected diseases—both to help move science forward and to gain a clearer sense of how Claude Science works in the real world."

Hmm, methinks they might also be in it for the cash.

[Debra Turnbull]

@Chris-Johnston
Name me one private company (that runs on profits) that is NOT in it for the money...

New drugs for rare genetic diseases has a place in medical research. Now, if the drug company charges $30,000.00 per pill, well, they need a severe handslap; followed by financial penalties. Unfortunately, this is the reality that we live in.

The alternative is genetic therapy... but that does get complicated and has a window-of-opportunity associated with it. Yet - we slog on!

[Chris Johnston]

@Debra-Turnbull

Lol! Absolutely - it's just a pet peeve when corporations philosophize their rationale for anything and leave out the potential to rake in megabucks. I bet it's top of their list when they're pitching projects to their board and stakeholders - but to the public they hype the greater good and in the interests of science grandiosity.

[Debra Turnbull]

@Chris-Johnston
I believe that what you are describing is called "marketing".