Charles River Laboratories International

What Charles River Laboratories International does

Charles River Laboratories International is a public contract research organization founded in 1947. It serves pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic and research institutions, and government agencies with research models, integrated drug discovery, nonclinical safety assessment, toxicology, IND-enabling studies, and biologics testing. The company reports more than 21,000 employees and operates more than 130 facilities across 30 countries.

Its technical portfolio includes secure study-data infrastructure, research models, microbial testing systems, cell microarrays, next-generation sequencing, and AI-enabled discovery and pathology tools. Apollo provides clients with secure access to study data and analytical results; Retrogenix has supported more than 100 IND submissions; Endosafe has sold more than 25 million cartridges; and Accugenix processed more than 800,000 environmental samples in 2025. Charles River also offers Logica for AI-driven molecular design, Virtual Control Groups, and an AI-powered digital pathology workflow developed with Deciphex. It divested its cell and gene therapy CDMO and Cell Solutions businesses to GI Partners in 2026, forming Rose BioSolutions.

Charles River monetizes customized B2B research and testing services through direct enterprise sales, multi-year contracts, and quote-based service packages. It also sells research models, testing systems, cartridges, and related products through field sales, customer portals, and online storefronts. Its customer base spans large pharmaceutical companies, small and mid-sized biotechnology companies, academic institutions, and government agencies; management disclosure indicates that small and mid-sized biotech customers represent 40-45% of revenue exposure.

Name

Charles River Laboratories International

Legal name

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.

Website

https://criver.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contract Research Organization (CRO) Services

NAICS

Medical Laboratories (621511), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (62151)

SIC

Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Central Laboratory Services (Core Lab Operations) (HLAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Clinical Research & Trial Central Laboratories (HLAFAMAL), Data Management, Reporting & Regulatory Submissions for Central Labs (HLAGAEAL), CMC & Pharmaceutical Development (Formulation/Process/Analytical Development) (HLAIALAD), Lab Analytics, Utilization Management & Operational Intelligence (HLACAMAK)

Keywords

• Preclinical contract research
• Drug discovery services
• Safety assessment studies
• Research animal models
• Biologics testing solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Discovery and Safety Assessment Services: Provides preclinical drug development services including toxicology studies, IND-enabling programs, safety pharmacology, and integrated drug discovery. Constitutes the largest revenue segment, with improving demand trends and highest net bookings in nearly four years as of Q2 2026.
2. Research Models and Services: Global supplier of laboratory animal models including genetically engineered models, mice, rats, hamsters, rabbits, and zebrafish. Also provides animal health surveillance, breeding services, and genetically engineered model creation. One out of two research models produced globally comes from Charles River.
3. Biologics Testing and Manufacturing Solutions: Provides GMP-compliant testing and manufacturing services for biologics, including endotoxin testing, viral clearance studies, bioanalytical services, and cell bank characterization. CDMO and Cell Solutions businesses were divested to GI Partners/Rose BioSolutions in 2026.
4. Cell and Gene CDMO Solutions: End-to-end scalable solutions for cell and gene therapy development from early-stage research through commercial release. Includes plasmid DNA, viral vector manufacturing, and cell therapy production. This segment was divested to GI Partners in 2026, forming Rose BioSolutions.
5. Microbial Detection and QC Solutions: Rapid, accurate microbial testing solutions including Endosafe cartridge technology, Accugenix microbial identification, and Celsis rapid microbial detection systems. 500+ installations of Celsis systems for sterility, microbial limits, and bioburden testing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Charles River Laboratories is a global non-clinical contract research organization providing outsourced drug discovery, preclinical safety assessment, toxicology, and laboratory testing services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The company supplies laboratory research models (mice, rats, zebrafish, genetically engineered models), conducts GLP toxicology and IND-enabling studies, performs biologics and microbial testing, and offers proprietary platforms (Apollo, Endosafe, Accugenix, Retrogenix, PathoQuest NGS) that span the full drug development continuum from basic research through manufacturing.

Product overview

Charles River Laboratories offers a comprehensive, platform-based portfolio of preclinical contract research and manufacturing services spanning the drug discovery and development continuum. The core offerings include Research Models and Services (animal models, GEMS, cell sourcing), Discovery Services (integrated drug discovery, screening, Logica® AI platform), Safety Assessment (toxicology, IND-enabling studies, Virtual Control Groups), and Biologics Testing Solutions. Supporting platforms include Apollo™ for study data access, Accugenix® for microbial ID, Endosafe® for endotoxin testing, and Celsis® for rapid sterility testing. The NAMs portfolio (Alternative Methods Advancement Project/AMAP™) provides alternatives to animal testing including Virtual Control Groups, human organoids, PathogenBinder™, Endosafe Trillium™ (animal-free endotoxin testing), and Retrogenix® (acquired cell microarray technology). Strategic partnerships integrate Deciphex digital pathology (Patholytix, Foresight platforms), Valo Health Logica® AI-driven discovery, and PathoQuest NGS services into the portfolio. The company operates across 130+ facilities in 30 countries, supporting clients from basic research through manufacturing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Retrogenix: Cell microarray technology platform for drug target discovery and specificity screening, used in over 100 IND submissions worldwide
• Accugenix
• Endosafe
• Celsis
• Apollo
• Logica
• Alternative Methods Advancement Project (AMAP)
• ICM (Internet Colony Management)
• LTM (Laboratory Testing Management)
• The Source
• PathoQuest
• VICT3R
• Distributed Bio

Products and services

• Research Models and Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of novel FDA-approved drugs over the past five years involved Charles River
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability10 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered notable, core and minor.

• Arovella TherapeuticsnotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026Charles River provides GMP Next Generation Sequencing services for iNKT cell characterization and viral safety testing supporting Arovella's ALA-101 CAR-iNKT cell therapy for CD19+ B cell cancers. Builds on PathoQuest acquisition capabilities.
• MEDIPOSTnotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Non-exclusive MOU to collaborate on GMP-compliant testing and commercial efforts for cell therapy development. Leverages Charles River's biologics and cell therapy GMP testing expertise to support MEDIPOST's global pipeline across Asia-Pacific and North America markets.
• DeciphexcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 May 2026Partnership for AI-powered digital pathology using Deciphex's Patholytix and Foresight platforms. Accelerates pathology assessments, reduces read times by 20%, and improves pathologist efficiency by 30%. Powers VICT3R initiative for Virtual Control Groups.
• Eli LillycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Collaboration with Eli Lilly's TuneLab AI/ML drug discovery platform. Charles River provides nonclinical testing services to TuneLab participant companies. The partnership uses federated learning to standardize nonclinical testing protocols across the ecosystem and improve AI/ML model accuracy.
• MatTek CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Collaboration funded by $1.3 million FCRI grant to develop NAM inhalation toxicology test reducing reliance on animal testing. Also partnered on ACC-supported grants for next-gen alternatives to animal-based inhalation toxicology. MatTek provides advanced human tissue models including EpiAirway for in vitro testing.
• BattellenotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Partner in the $1.3 million FCRI grant program to develop in vitro inhalation toxicology testing method. Battelle contributes expertise in toxicokinetics modeling.
• Greek Creek Toxicokinetics ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Partner in the $1.3 million FCRI grant program for in vitro inhalation toxicology, contributing toxicokinetics consulting expertise.
• ToxysnotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership offering ReproTracker — a human stem cell-based in vitro assay for developmental toxicity screening, enabling animal-free teratogenicity testing and complementing traditional DART methods.
• PluristyxminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024iPSC partnership advancing pluripotent stem cell capabilities for disease modeling and early toxicology testing.
• RetrogenixcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 July 2023Partnership to acquisition of Retrogenix, a provider of Cell Microarray Technology. Supports 100+ IND submissions worldwide and was accepted into FDA's ISTAND pilot program.
• PathoQuestcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Partnership to acquisition of PathoQuest, a leader in next-generation sequencing (NGS) solutions for biopharmaceutical characterization. Provides animal-free alternative for viral safety testing in biologics manufacturing.
• Logica (Valo Health)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023AI-augmented drug discovery platform. End-to-end AI-driven molecular design solution integrating AI with advanced lab capabilities. Valo Health partnership developing Logica for accelerated preclinical programs.
• Bit.BionotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership to provide iPSC and patient-derived complex cultures and organoids for disease modeling and early toxicology. Advances human-relevant in vitro models.
• CyprenotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership for 3D immuno-oncology models advancing organoid and 3D cell culture capabilities.
• AITIAnotableTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Partnership utilizing Digital Twins as synthetic control arms to enhance the design and efficiency of mouse experiments. Supports Virtual Control Groups initiative.
• Wheeler BionotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Strategic agreement to support clients through antibody development. Charles River's antibody discovery and safety capabilities combined with Wheeler's Portable CMC platform to accelerate therapeutic discovery to IND submission.
• aTEM Structural DiscoverynotableTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Strategic partnership providing access to cryo-EM service solutions for determining 3D structures of proteins. Combines ATEM's cryo-EM expertise with Charles River's structural biology capabilities.
• Fios GenomicsnotableTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Longstanding relationship providing bioinformatics data analysis services including microarray, NGS, proteomics, metabolomics, and epigenetics data analysis.
• RockStep SolutionsnotableTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Partnership using Climb platform to manage and streamline in vivo study workflows, enabling efficient collaboration and high-quality study data management.
• Davis PolkminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 April 2022Davis Polk advised Charles River on the $295 million acquisition of Explora BioLabs Holdings, Inc. for legal counsel on the transaction.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ICON plc: ICON (post-PRA Health, post-Symphony) is a top-tier global CRO with preclinical and bioanalytical capabilities acquired through PRA and other deals, directly competing for large pharma and biotech preclinical and clinical outsourcing contracts.
• Eurofins Scientific: Eurofins operates a global network of laboratories providing pharma testing, bioanalytical, and safety assessment services including microbial and endotoxin testing that overlap with Charles River's Biologics Testing and Microbial Solutions segments.
• Medpace Holdings: Medpace is a mid-sized clinical CRO with growing preclinical/biomarker capabilities, competing for pharma and biotech outsourced research spend; though more clinical-stage, the boundary with preclinical CRO services is increasingly blurred.
• Syneos Health (now private/Elliot): Syneos Health is a clinical-stage CRO with bioanalytical and pharmacovigilance services that overlap with select parts of Charles River's preclinical and biologics testing segments; comparable customer base of pharma/biotech sponsors.
• WuXi AppTec / WuXi Biology: WuXi AppTec and its WuXi Biology subsidiary provide preclinical CRO services including toxicology, safety assessment, and laboratory testing — direct head-to-head competition with Charles River, particularly for global pharma and biotech safety programs.
• Labcorp (incl. Fortrea): Labcorp's Early Development segment (formerly Covance) and Fortrea (post-spin) directly compete with Charles River in preclinical CRO services, including safety assessment, toxicology, and clinical laboratory services for pharma/biotech. Highly comparable service mix and target customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Thermo Fisher Scientific (PPD): Thermo Fisher's PPD clinical research services and life sciences solutions broadly compete with Charles River across discovery, safety, and laboratory products — overlapping with Charles River's Central Labs and Biologics Testing Solutions while operating across a much wider portfolio.
• IQVIA: IQVIA operates a broad life sciences services platform with significant preclinical and clinical CRO capabilities, including R&D Solutions and lab services. While larger and more clinical-stage heavy, it overlaps with Charles River's discovery and safety assessment offerings.

Others

• Bio-Techne: Bio-Techne provides life science research reagents, tools, and services that complement — rather than directly compete with — Charles River's CRO offerings; however, the company increasingly offers assay services and ex vivo models that overlap with portions of Charles River's discovery services.

Emerging players

• Inotiv: Inotiv is a smaller preclinical CRO providing research models, toxicology, and safety assessment services that compete with Charles River, particularly in animal models and contract vivarium services. Smaller scale and more focused portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CharlesRiverLabs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/8306
• Xx.com/criverlabs
• Facebookfacebook.com/charlesriverlabs

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A40 records

Investments12 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Charles River Laboratories International