Our History

In 1947, a young veterinarian purchased one thousand rat cages from a Virginia farm and set up a one-man laboratory in Boston, overlooking the Charles River. In an effort to fulfill the regional need for laboratory animal models, he bred, fed and cared for the animals and personally delivered them to local researchers. Today, Charles River looks like a very different company, but in realizing Dr. Henry Foster’s vision, we remain committed to collaboration, responsibility, and leadership within the global research community.

Charles River logo on the side of a building with a sunset reflected in the windows.

Foundations and Global Growth: 1947 - 1968

Photo of Henry Foster with a white mouse on a scale

Dr. Henry Foster founds Charles River Breeding Laboratories in a second floor loft overlooking the Charles River in Boston with the goal of providing researchers with a new standard of high-quality.

Historic photo of a Charles River Laboratories facility, showing an early building surrounded by a gravel driveway and natural landscape.

1952

The Company’s headquarters is relocated to 60 acres of farmland in Wilmington, Massachusetts and begins commercial production of pathogen-free rodents by utilizing the industry’s first barrier-type building for rat production.

1956

The first Caesarean-Originated, Barrier Sustained (COBS®) animals are introduced, which become the new industry standard for animal production.

Three white laboratory mice positioned on a white background, symbolizing advancements in biomedical research
Researcher closely observing a laboratory mouse through a transparent enclosure, highlighting the connection between scientific study and animal models.

1957

Understanding the importance of providing the highest-quality models, we adopt flexible film isolator technology to rear gnotobiotic and germ-free animals.

1966

We become an international company with the opening of a new production facility in France.

Historic Charles River France facility with parked cars in front, showcasing the company’s early international presence in biomedical research
Black and white photo of a busy stock exchange floor with men in suits, one prominently holding up a paper

1968

On July 9, 1968, the Company went public for the first time on NASDAQ, offering 160,000 shares at $21 per share.

 

Advances and Key Partnerships: 1969 - 1988

Astronaut in a spacesuit standing on the lunar surface, with the moon's barren terrain visible in the background

Charles River’s Astromice® became the first earth animals to be exposed to moon dust prior to the release from quarantine of Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins.

A pile of clear plastic test tubes with purple screw caps, each marked with measurement lines.

1974

Routine serology testing for murine viruses is initiated and performed on all our colonies to ensure the colonies are free of unwanted microbes.

1981

We institute the first commercial comprehensive genetic monitoring program, including embryology, custom breeding, and genetic testing.

Close-up of a circular object with vibrant red, yellow, and purple thermal imaging patterns against a dark background.
White laboratory mouse with pink ears, nose, and tail, sitting on a white surface.

1984

Virus Antibody Free (VAF/Plus®) animals are introduced, setting the standard for high-quality research models. This term refers to a form of specific pathogen-free status and has become an acronym in its own right for a specific quality of animal.

Bausch & Lomb acquires Charles River; Henry and Jim Foster continue to run company.

1988

The Company enters the field of transgenic services with OncoMouse, genetically modified to contain a specific cancer gene (a gene for breast cancer), and the first transgenic mammal to ever be patented.

Illustration of a white mouse on a neon-colored grid pyramid, layered with red, yellow, and green, set against a starry black background.
 

Leadership and Preclinical Expansion: 1991 - 1999

Jim Foster smiling, wearing glasses and a dark sweater, with a neutral background

Jim Foster is named President and Chief Operating Officer in 1991, and President and Chief Executive Officer in 1992.

A close-up shot of a vial labeled Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) Endosafe 50-Test (5.2 mL) in a cardboard tray with other vials.

1994

Endosafe, Inc., a manufacturer of Limulus Amebocyte Lysate products and provider of in vitro endotoxin testing solutions, is acquired.

1997

Our Insourcing Solutions® team begins providing staffing, training, consulting, and other animal facility support services to help clients optimize their discovery and development programs and run their facilities more efficiently.

A smiling woman, wearing a hairnet and a face mask, stands in a manufacturing facility.
Close-up of a scientist's hands, wearing blue nitrile gloves, holding up two small vials containing clear liquids.

1998

The Company acquires Tektagen, a contract testing company that provides biosafety and analytical testing services.

1999

Jim Foster and the Charles River management team buys the Company back from Bausch & Lomb.

The Company enters into the preclinical safety assessment business, acquiring Sierra Biomedical, a company specializing in large model toxicology testing.

Extreme close-up of the portrait of Benjamin Franklin on a US one hundred dollar bill, showing the intricate detail of the engraving.
 

Public Re-entry and Research Growth: 2000 - 2009

The front of the New York Stock Exchange building, adorned with large American flags and a prominent banner that reads Charles River with the text CRL Listed NYSE to the side.

The Company goes public for a second time on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CRL).

A scientist wearing safety goggles, a blue lab coat, and purple gloves works in a laboratory, using equipment within a biosafety cabinet.

2001

We acquire five preclinical safety sites in the U.S., and over the next three years, three more sites in North America and Europe including Inveresk, its largest acquisition ever, establishing the Company as a market leader in toxicology, pathology, and safety pharmacology.

2002

We launched the Humane Care Initiative, which is designed to raise awareness and provide employee training on the importance of animal welfare.

The Boston Globe names Charles River “Company of the Year.”

A simple black-and-white line drawing of a hand gently holding a small mouse, with the mouse's profile and ear prominently visible.
A white laboratory rat with red eyes looks directly at the camera.

2005

Preconditioning Services are introduced, providing clients with animals that meet all of their specifications at time of delivery.

2009

With acquisitions in the U.S. and Finland, we add discovery services in oncology and neuroscience, thereby offering a range of studies aimed at evaluating compounds for efficacy.

A scientist wearing protective goggles and a lab coat examines several glowing crystal-like structures set in a holder, illuminated with green and blue light in a dark laboratory setting.
 

Global Expansion and Safety Innovation: 2012 - 2017

Gloved hands hold up a petri dish divided into two sections, one containing a red agar medium with bacterial growth and the other a lighter medium with visible colonies, illuminated from behind.

Accugenix, the premier global provider of cGMP-compliant contract microbial identification testing, is acquired, strengthening its Endotoxin and Microbial Detection portfolio.

Lab technician wearing a mask and goggles holding a white mouse with a gloved hand.

2013

The acquisition of Vital River, the premier provider of research models and associated services in China, establishes us as a provider of high-quality research models and services to this emerging market.

2014

Argenta and BioFocus are acquired, positioning us as a full service, early-stage contract research organization, with integrated in vitro and in vivo capabilities from target discovery through preclinical development.

ChanTest, a leading provider of cardiac risk assessment and ion channel screening, is acquired.

A scientist wearing safety goggles, a blue lab coat, and purple gloves works in a laboratory, using equipment within a biosafety cabinet.
Laboratory instrument with a teal lid and an open tray holding a microplate, used for automated testing.

2015

Celsis International joins our Endotoxin and Microbial Detection lineup, providing rapid microbial detection to the pharmaceutical, consumer care, and dairy, beverage, and food industries.

We launch CRADL® (Charles River Accelerator and Development Lab), providing flexible, turnkey vivarium rental solutions.

2016

WIL Research is acquired to further enhance the Company’s ability to provide safety assessment and contract manufacturing  services globally.

Blue Stream Laboratories is added to our portfolio, enhancing analytical capabilities and biologic and biosimilar development.

Agilux Laboratories is purchased, providing scientific proficiency to support research needs from target identification through preclinical development.

Scientist wearing safety glasses and gloves examining a transparent slide with a biological sample.
A close-up view of a highly detailed, vibrant blue cellular structure with orange spherical elements.

2017

Brains On-Line, a discovery services provider of novel therapeutics for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases, is acquired, establishing us as a single-source provider of discovery CNS services.

 

Leadership in Drug Development: 2018 - Present

A person viewing a microscope, with a vibrant red and blue abstract pattern on a screen behind them.

KWS BioTest, a leading CRO specializing in in vitro and in vivo discovery testing is acquired, expanding the Company’s expertise in immunology.

MPI Research, a non-clinical CRO providing comprehensive testing services to biopharmaceutical and medical devices worldwide, is acquired, enhancing our position as a premier early-stage CRO.

A clear glass vial with a red cap containing a transparent liquid, set against a white background.

2020

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we work on the discovery and development of every COVID vaccine approved for emergency use or fully approved.

The Company acquires HemaCare and Cellero, producers of human-derived cellular products critical for the cell therapy market.

2021

We acquire Cognate BioServices and Vigene Biosciences, entering into the contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) market.

The Company acquires Retrogenix®, strengthening its scientific expertise with the addition of Cell Microarray Technology and Off-Target Profiling for drug discovery.

A scientist in full protective gear working in a laboratory, using a pipette to transfer liquid into a flask inside a sterile environment.
Laboratory technician in a blue gown handling a container with white rats in a controlled environment, surrounded by shelves of similar containers.

2022

The company adds Explora BioLabs, a provider of full-service contract vivarium research services.

We are the first CDMO in North America to receive regulatory approval to commercially produce allogeneic cell therapy products for distribution in Europe.

2023

We introduce Endosafe® Trillium™, an animal-free recombinant cascade Reagent (rCR), and the latest addition to its bacterial endotoxin detection portfolio.

The Company introduces RightSourceSM, a novel, first of its kind insourcing solution serving biotech and biopharmaceutical companies with the panel of our proprietary assays they deem most necessary for their biologics manufacturing program to have in-house.

We complete the acquisition of SAMDI Tech, a leading provider of high-quality, label-free high -throughput screen (HTS) solutions for drug discovery research.

Scientist in full protective gear holding a transparent lab slide, focusing on the slide with blurred background.
Exterior of Charles River Laboratories building with reflective glass windows and company logo.

2024

The Company launches Alternative Methods Advancement Project (AMAP) to reduce reliance on animal testing.

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