By Ed SilvermanJuly 1, 2026
Pharmalot Columnist, Senior Writer
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the middle of the week. Congratulations on making it this far, and remember there are only a couple of more days until the weekend arrives. So keep plugging away. After all, what are the alternatives? While you ponder the possibilities, we invite you to join us for a needed cup of stimulation. Our choice today is pistachio, a tasty treat. Meanwhile, here is the latest menu of tidbits to help you on your way. We hope you conquer the world and have a wonderful day. And as always, please do stay in touch. …
Anthropic, the artificial intelligence firm, announced the availability of Claude Science, an application that optimizes its large language model for use in scientific laboratories and, especially, within the research operations of pharmaceutical companies, STAT tells us. This marks the first time a large AI developer has released a separate interface and product for scientists, and the product is a beachhead in Anthropic’s larger battle for the future of biology. Among other things, the company has plans to develop drugs of its own, STAT adds.
President Trump promised to make U.S. prescription drug prices the cheapest in the world, but a closely watched Medicaid pilot program could expose the limits of the buy-in among mid-sized and smaller pharmaceutical companies, Reuters explains. The administration convinced 17 of the largest global drugmakers to offer lower prices comparable to what is paid in other developed countries, referred to as “most-favored-nation” pricing. Mid-size companies account for the development of most new innovative medicines, but have different business models than big drugmakers and lack the large portfolio of medicines that make it easier to cut deals.
