CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES INTERNATIONAL, INC. (CRL)

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. is a full-service, non-clinical global drug development partner. It began operating in 1947 and built its business on laboratory animal medicine and science, specifically research model technologies. It now offers a broad portfolio of discovery and safety assessment services, both GLP and non-GLP, that supports clients from target identification through non-clinical development. It also supplies products and services for clients' manufacturing activities. Total revenue in 2025 was $4.0 billion.

The company reports three segments. Research Models and Services (RMS, 21.1% of 2025 revenue, about 4,140 employees) produces and sells research models, including over 140 stocks and strains of purpose-bred rodents, and large research models such as non-human primates. It also provides Research Model Services: Insourcing Solutions (including CRADL vivarium space and managed research operations), Genetically Engineered Models and Services, and Research Animal Diagnostic Services. RMS also includes Cell Solutions, which supplies human donor-derived primary cells and blood components for cell therapy development. Discovery and Safety Assessment (DSA, 59.8% of revenue, about 11,760 employees) provides outsourced drug discovery, from target discovery and validation through lead optimization, along with in vitro and in vivo studies and bioanalytical work. It also provides regulated safety assessment, including toxicology, across small and large molecules, cell and gene therapies, vaccines, chemicals, consumer products, veterinary medicines and medical devices. Manufacturing Solutions (19.1% of revenue, about 2,600 employees) includes Microbial Solutions, which offers quality control testing for sterile and non-sterile pharmaceuticals and consumer products. It also includes Biologics Solutions, which covers biologics testing and a CDMO business for cell and gene therapies.

Customers include major global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, and agricultural and industrial chemical, life science, veterinary, medical device, diagnostic and consumer product companies. Contract research and manufacturing organizations, hospitals, academic institutions and government agencies also buy its products and services. The company says pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients increasingly seek "one-stop" partners to outsource more discovery and development work. It estimates that regulated safety assessment is 60% or more outsourced, while discovery and some research model services are less outsourced. It describes itself as the largest provider of outsourced drug discovery, non-clinical development and regulated safety testing services worldwide.

Charles River is headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts, and its stock trades on the NYSE under "CRL". It operates at over 120 sites in over 20 countries, with research model production centers on three continents and DSA facilities in the U.S., Canada and Europe. Non-human primates come from Charles River internally or from audited and approved suppliers. In January 2026 it acquired certain assets of K.F. (Cambodia) Ltd., a Cambodia-based non-human primate provider, to integrate into DSA supply operations. As part of a global footprint review, it expects to close or consolidate about 12 additional sites over two years, mainly in DSA and RMS.