Charles River Laboratories to Open Flexible Vivarium Space for Clients in South San Francisco

WILMINGTON, Mass. & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE: CRL) today announced the planned opening of the Charles River Accelerator and Development Lab (CRADL™) in South San Francisco in early 2020. CRADL provides flexible, turnkey vivarium rental space supported by Charles River’s technical, vivarium, and veterinary support expertise in key biohubs.

CRADL is the leading space for clients to launch or expand their drug research programs, with the added benefit of access to Charles River’s complete portfolio of integrated drug discovery resources. Managed by skilled technicians, every research model receives best-in-class care in secure, modern, regulatory-compliant facilities.

From Coast to Coast

Initially launched in downtown Cambridge, Massachusetts, CRADL Cambridge offers rental vivarium space for emerging and well-established research institutions. The integrated vivarium services allow clients to focus on research, while leaving the animal husbandry and daily vivarium management activities to a trusted partner.

Similar to its sister facility in Cambridge, CRADL South San Francisco will focus on providing a turnkey vivarium solution and in vivo support services for researchers looking to divert more time and resources to their research.

Vivarium suites are available for short and long-term durations, and can be privately occupied or shared with other partners as a low-cost solution for start-up or pilot research projects.

More Than a Vivarium

CRADL provides researchers with more than just vivarium rental space. Veterinary oversight is continuously maintained to ensure the health and welfare of all research models in the facility. Additionally, Charles River staff is available to perform technical procedures and general husbandry, while standard and specialized equipment is also available.

By partnering with Charles River, CRADL clients also gain access to customized in vivo support services, including:

• Transgenic Model Generation: Charles River’s transgenic model creation services enable scientists to begin their research by first creating a research model that is customized according to the client’s specific research needs.
• Rapid Colony Development: Studies are often delayed because a research model colony has not been established. Utilizing in vitro fertilization (IVF), Charles River’s rapid colony development program can take a small colony of research models and scale up to a study cohort in as little as 12 weeks.
• Histopathology and Tissue Collection: Charles River’s ACVP board-certified veterinary pathologists can offer custom protocol design and rapid report turnaround, should study protocols require pathology support.

Approved Quotes

• “Building infrastructure is often expensive, time consuming, and may not be the right approach when looking to conduct early discovery work. We are proud to offer a cost-effective alternative in South San Francisco that enables small, virtual or start-up companies to outsource vivarium management, allowing them to focus on their research. Larger commercial and academic institutions benefit from an expanded, flexible footprint without a cost-prohibitive build.” – Colin Dunn, Ph.D., Corporate Senior Vice President, Global Research Models & Services at Charles River
• “In the earliest days of research, reaching key milestones on time and on budget is paramount to a program’s success. CRADL offers researchers the ability to focus on their research. When clients are ready to progress their idea through the development pipeline, Charles River has the portfolio and scientific expertise to offer critical support.” – Birgit Girshick, Corporate Executive Vice President, Discovery & Safety Assessment, Biologics Testing Solutions, and Avian Vaccine Services at Charles River

About Charles River

Charles River provides essential products and services to help pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, government agencies and leading academic institutions around the globe accelerate their research and drug development efforts. Our dedicated employees are focused on providing clients with exactly what they need to improve and expedite the discovery, early-stage development and safe manufacture of new therapies for the patients who need them. To learn more about our unique portfolio and breadth of services, visit www.criver.com.

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