Claude-designed proteins successfully bound to 14 of 15 targets in independent testing by Adaptyv Bio and Twist Bioscience.

  • Claude achieved success rates of 22% to 35%, compared with the typical 10% to 15%.
  • Shkreli cited low affinities and the binders’ inability to target proteins inside cells.
  • Anthropic wants Claude to eventually manage drug development from end to end across multiple molecule types.

Anthropic’s push to position Claude as an AI-powered drug-discovery tool is drawing both attention and skepticism on Wall Street. The company says Claude designed protein binders for 14 of 15 targets in independent testing, but “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli slammed Anthropic’s latest drug-discovery claims, saying Claude’s AI-designed protein binders were “not impressive work” and offered little advantage over existing antibodies.

Shkreli Questions Claude’s Protein Binders 

Anthropic said Claude autonomously designed novel protein binders for 14 of 15 targets using a prompt created by a human expert. Adaptyv Bio and Twist Bioscience independently produced and tested the proteins.

Between 22% and 35% of Claude’s designs bound successfully, depending on the setup, compared with a typical industry success rate of 10% to 15%, according to Anthropic. Some of Claude’s strongest designs also bound several times more tightly than the best published de novo binder.

Shkreli, however, argued that the results had limited practical value. “This is not impressive work,” he said on X. “Affinities are quite low for peptidics.” He also questioned why none of Claude’s binders targeted proteins inside cells. “These aren’t useful probe molecules because notice none of them are intracellular,” Shkreli said. “If I needed an extracellular probe, that’s what a [monoclonal antibody] is for.”

Shkreli added that researchers could simply take the functional “business end” of an existing monoclonal antibody and remove the remaining parts, further questioning what Claude’s designs offered over established methods.

Anthropic Acknowledges Claude’s Limits

Protein binders attach to specific biological targets and can block or change their activity. Designing one is an early step in drug development, but it remains far removed from producing a treatment that is safe and effective in patients. Anthropic acknowledged the limitation, stating that “protein binders are not drugs.”

“Designing a high-affinity binder is just the first step in the process of developing a drug-like molecule,” the company said. It added that even designing a drug is only one stage of the lengthy testing required before a medicine can reach patients.

Still, Anthropic called the results a strong foundation for its broader goal of teaching Claude to run the drug-development process from end to end across major molecule types, including antibodies and small molecules. The company also plans to launch an access program that would allow scientists to use its most capable AI systems, with further details expected soon. Anthropic said Opus 5 remains its strongest model for life-sciences research.

Claude Maker Eyes Blockbuster IPO 

The protein-design experiment gives Anthropic another potential use case for Claude as the AI startup approaches the public markets with a reported valuation of $965 billion.

Anthropic submitted its IPO paperwork confidentially in June and has since started early discussions with potential investors. A listing date has not been announced. The company enters those talks with rapid growth behind it. Its annualized revenue run rate reportedly climbed from $47 billion in May to $65 billion by the end of July, which is well above rival OpenAI’s recently reported $40 billion pace. Preliminary second-quarter revenue reached $11.5 billion, or 14 times the year-earlier level.

How Do Retail Traders Feel About Anthropic?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for Anthropic was ‘bullish’ amid ‘high’ message volume. 

One user attributed the move in Destiny Tech100 (DXYZ) shares to the intensifying IPO race between Anthropic and OpenAI, saying that the stock appeared poised for a breakout. 

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