Southern Research

What Southern Research does

Southern Research is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) contract research organization founded in 1941 and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, providing integrated preclinical drug discovery and development services to biopharmaceutical companies, government agencies, and biotech startups. Its core service portfolio is organized across three therapeutic areas — infectious disease, oncology, and emerging/rare diseases — and is supported by ten specialized capabilities including chemistry, ADME/in vitro toxicology, high-throughput screening, bioanalytical services, in vivo models (NHP, Syrian hamster, mouse), GLP-compliant toxicology and pharmacology, pathology, BSL-2/3 containment, therapeutic modalities, and clinical trial sample analysis. The organization has contributed to seven FDA-approved cancer drugs and has tested more than half of active chemotherapies in use in the United States, and it conducts significant work for government clients including BARDA and NIAID.

The technical foundation rests on a proprietary high-throughput screening platform called SR Insight, an on-site compound library of approximately 650,000 molecules, validated animal models for high-containment pathogens, and recently expanded (tripled) BSL-3 laboratory capacity. Beyond core CRO work, the organization operates Station 41 — a wholly-owned biotech commercialization hub providing wet lab incubator space, non-dilutive accelerator funding up to $300,000, a therapeutics development fund, and a venture studio — as well as Catalyst, a free statewide pharmacogenetic testing program for Alabama residents delivered with MyOme and Broad Clinical Labs. Revenue mechanics are project-based contract research plus federal grants and appropriations; customers include named biopharma (BioNTech, an unspecified Fortune 500 pharmaceutical) and federal agencies (BARDA, NIAID, DOE, EPA, Department of Commerce). The organization employs 200 scientists and professional staff and reports a $220 million annual economic impact on the Birmingham/Alabama region.

Name

Southern Research

Legal name

Southern Research

Website

https://southernresearch.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1941

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Southern Research is a nonprofit, integrated preclinical contract research organization founded in 1941 in Birmingham, Alabama, providing drug discovery and development services — including infectious disease, oncology, BSL-3 high-containment studies, PK/PD, toxicology, and bioanalysis — to biopharmaceutical companies, federal agencies, and biotech startups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Preclinical Contract Research Organization (CRO) Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Preclinical CROs (Discovery/Pharmacology/DMPK) (HLAGAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Therapeutic-Area CROs (e.g., oncology/rare disease) (HLAGAAAL), Clinical Research & Trial Central Laboratories (HLAFAMAL)

Keywords

• Preclinical research services
• Contract research organization
• Drug discovery services
• Infectious disease research
• Oncology research

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Contract Research Services: CRO services providing preclinical drug discovery and development to pharmaceutical companies, biotech companies, and government agencies. Services include PK/PD studies, infectious disease efficacy studies, toxicology, bioanalysis, and clinical sample analysis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Southern Research is a nonprofit contract research organization (CRO) providing integrated preclinical drug discovery and development services to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and government clients. Its offerings span therapeutic areas (infectious disease, oncology, emerging and rare diseases) supported by capabilities including chemistry, ADME and in vitro toxicology, high-throughput screening, bioanalytical services, in vivo models, toxicology and pharmacology, pathology, BSL-3 services, therapeutic modalities, and clinical trial sample analysis, delivered through BSL-2/3 laboratory facilities in Birmingham, Alabama.

Product overview

Southern Research is a nonprofit contract research organization (CRO) offering integrated preclinical drug discovery and development services through a unified platform. The core offering consists of therapeutic area services (Infectious Disease Research, Oncology, Emerging & Rare Disease Initiatives) supported by specialized capabilities including Chemistry, ADME & In Vitro Toxicology, High-Throughput Screening, Bioanalytical Services, In Vivo Models, Toxicology and Pharmacology, Pathology, BSL-3 Services, Therapeutic Modalities, and Clinical Trial Sample Analysis. Additionally, the organization operates Station 41, a biotech commercialization hub with incubator, accelerator, and venture studio programs, and Catalyst, a free statewide pharmacogenetic testing initiative. These components work together to provide end-to-end support from early discovery through clinical development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Pathogenus ConsultingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Three-year partnership combining Southern Research's BSL-2/3 laboratory infrastructure in Birmingham, Alabama with Pathogenus's European scientific network spanning the U.K., Ireland, Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Collaboration focuses on respiratory viruses including influenza, RSV, and COVID-19, as well as Dengue fever and cancer research, serving international biotech companies developing treatments for emerging and re-emerging diseases.
• MyOme and Broad Clinical LabssupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2024Partnership to support Southern Research's Catalyst program bringing genetics-driven health insights to Alabamians free of charge. MyOme and Broad Clinical Labs provide genetic testing analysis and clinical laboratory services for the statewide initiative.
• Southern Biologic Solutions (SBS)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Birmingham-based biotechnology company using $200,000 funding from Southern Research to pursue FDA approval for its biologic wound-healing therapy. Southern Research providing preclinical testing support using genetically altered rats to verify therapy's efficacy against infection.
• Radyus ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Strategic partnership to offer comprehensive umbrella of integrated preclinical services to clients. Combines Southern Research's laboratory research capabilities with Radyus Research's innovative planning and project management approaches to provide one-stop solution for life sciences commercialization from drug discovery through regulatory approval.
• University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic affiliation for collaborative research including animal behavior/neuroscience, preclinical imaging, human imaging, high-resolution imaging, research MRI, mass spectrometry/proteomics, genomics, macromolecular structure, metabolism, and chemistry research. Station 41 accelerator includes non-dilutive funding up to $300,000 in collaboration with UAB.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Inotiv: Inotiv is a preclinical CRO focused on toxicology, safety assessment, and research models for pharma and biotech clients, competing directly with Southern Research's in vivo toxicology and animal model capabilities.
• WuXi AppTec: WuXi AppTec operates a global preclinical and clinical CRO platform with deep capabilities in drug discovery, toxicology, and bioanalysis, competing head-to-head with Southern Research for biotech and pharma preclinical contracts.
• ICON plc: ICON is a full-service CRO offering preclinical through clinical research services to pharma and biotech, with comparable capabilities in bioanalysis, PK/PD, and regulatory support that compete with Southern Research's service portfolio.
• Labcorp Drug Development: Labcorp's Drug Development segment (formerly Covance) provides preclinical and clinical research services including bioanalytical and toxicology offerings that directly overlap with Southern Research's integrated preclinical CRO portfolio.
• Frontage Laboratories: Frontage Laboratories provides integrated drug discovery, preclinical, and bioanalytical services including PK/PD and toxicology, serving as a comparable mid-sized CRO alternative for biotech and pharma clients.
• Charles River Laboratories: Charles River Laboratories is the largest global preclinical CRO, offering integrated drug discovery, safety assessment, and manufacturing services closely overlapping with Southern Research's preclinical offering, particularly in infectious disease and oncology animal models.
• Lovelace Biomedical: Lovelace Biomedical is a nonprofit preclinical research organization offering toxicology, infectious disease, and inhalation studies, structurally and operationally similar to Southern Research's preclinical CRO business.

Broad incumbents

• IQVIA: IQVIA is a global life sciences services leader spanning clinical research, real-world evidence, and technology; its preclinical and laboratory services overlap with Southern Research's offerings as part of a much broader portfolio.
• Battelle Memorial Institute: Battelle is a large nonprofit applied science organization with life sciences research operations including preclinical CRO services; it is directly comparable in structure and Southern Research's COO Harry Ledebur previously served as VP of Life Sciences Research there.

Others

• SRI International: SRI International is a nonprofit R&D organization with biosciences and drug discovery programs; while broader in scope, it shares Southern Research's nonprofit structure, federal funding model, and life sciences contract research orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC6__bpHzpDqVWn7sQZhDK0A
• Facebookfacebook.com/SouthernResearch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southernresearch
• Instagraminstagram.com/southernresearch
• Xx.com/SoResearchNews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors3 records

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

M&A

Investments9 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Southern Research