Charles River Laboratories Expands Services for Early Discovery Screening

Addition of high-throughput technologies and expanded pharmacokinetic services enhances existing support for small molecule drug discovery

WILMINGTON, Mass.--()--Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE: CRL) today announced the expansion of its service capabilities in early discovery screening. Charles River is the first contract research organization to offer clients access to Apricot Designs' Dual Arm (ADDA) system for high-throughput absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (HT-ADME) to identify potential lead compounds in North America and Europe. Additionally, the Company has geographically expanded its pharmacokinetic (PK) capabilities at sites central to major pharmaceutical and biotechnology hubs.

Early screening provides important insight into a compound’s underlying biology, and streamlined HT-ADME and PK technologies are essential components to identifying promising candidates early in the drug discovery process.

Addition of Apricot Designs’ ADDA System

The ADDA system is a high-speed autosampler designed for drug discovery that provides ADME discovery scientists with a fast sample delivery platform for liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Automated permeability, metabolic stability, and protein binding screening assays can be rapidly turned around with the ADDA system and a single mass spectrometer system, saving critical time in the drug discovery process.

Expansion of Pharmacokinetic Capabilities

In both San Francisco and 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, Charles River has expanded capabilities and capacity for PK screening, providing for interactive and collaborative relationships aimed at accelerating clients’ discovery programs.

Therapeutic-area-agnostic PK services support drug discovery efforts from the initial PK screening of compounds and lead optimization to late-stage candidate nomination and Investigational New Drug-enabling studies.

Approved Quotes

  • “In early discovery research, screening is an essential component of any successful program. With access to industry-leading technologies, we’re able to provide our clients strategic guidance, ultimately working toward accelerating their programs.” –Birgit Girshick, Corporate Executive Vice President, Discovery and Safety Assessment, Charles River
  • “The early discovery industry is seeing a marked shift towards a better understanding of the underlying biology of candidate compounds. Both HT-ADME and PK technologies are critical to that understanding, and to developing more successful candidates in early discovery.” –Ian Waddell, PhD Executive Director, Biology, Charles River
  • “The ADDA system, Apricot Designs’ dual arm autosampler was designed with early discovery scientists in mind. It enables seamless integration with LC/MS systems, accelerating the laboratory research process and yielding the best results.” –Felix H. Yiu, Founder and CEO, Apricot Designs, Inc.

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.

Contacts

Investor Contact:
Susan E. Hardy, 781-222-6190
Corporate Vice President, Investor Relations
susan.hardy@crl.com
or
Media Contact:
Amy Cianciaruso, 781-222-6168
Corporate Vice President, Public Relations
amy.cianciaruso@crl.com

Release Summary

Charles River today announced the expansion of its service capabilities in early discovery screening.

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Contacts

Investor Contact:
Susan E. Hardy, 781-222-6190
Corporate Vice President, Investor Relations
susan.hardy@crl.com
or
Media Contact:
Amy Cianciaruso, 781-222-6168
Corporate Vice President, Public Relations
amy.cianciaruso@crl.com