Charles River Announces Opening of RightSourceSM Laboratory, Supporting Stevenage Biocluster

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE: CRL) today announced the opening of another RightSource^SM facility, and first in the United Kingdom, which will provide services to the Stevenage advanced therapies biocluster. RightSource is a flexible biologics testing lab, operated and managed by Charles River, making fast, reliable quality control (QC) more accessible to a broader reach of companies.

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RightSource provides clients with enhanced turnaround times by bringing testing closer to manufacturing facilities, providing industry-leading capabilities without delays caused by shipping samples. This platform-based QC lab will be operated by Charles River employees who will utilize Charles River’s quality management systems, test methods, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to support QC testing needs.

“Traditional testing paradigms place the burden on the client—from developing processes and upfront lab setup costs to bearing responsibility for regulatory compliance,” said Ian Wyllie, Director Operations, RightSource, Charles River. “The RightSource business model significantly reduces that burden. By leveraging our flexible testing platform and robust scientific expertise, clients gain direct access to industry-leading biologics testing, located next to their manufacturing operations.”

Matthew Durdy, Chief Executive of the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult), an independent innovation and technology organization specializing in the advancement of cell and gene therapies, said: “This new facility is a valuable addition to the advanced therapies infrastructure in Stevenage. By bringing further quality control testing into the Stevenage bioscience cluster, the facility will enable more advanced testing to take place locally, reducing the turnaround time and cost for cell and gene therapy developers to manufacture their products in the area.”

Charles River and the CGT Catapult have announced a collaboration to help the companies based at CGT Catapult’s Stevenage Manufacturing Innovation Centre increase their productivity by working with RightSource services. CGT Catapult will assist its collaborators by providing streamlined and frictionless sample transfers and digital integration.

One Operating Model, Multiple Applications

RightSource also offers a fully dedicated lab-in-a-box solution for biopharmaceutical companies who are looking to have QC testing carried out onsite. While RightSource Stevenage offers decentralized testing proximal to biotech hubs, the lab-in-a-box solution offers individual clients the convenience of in-facility testing. Unlike standard insourcing solutions, RightSource offers clients the complete Charles River package of proprietary assays with all of the associated quality, scientific, and digital platforms. Having a RightSource program in-house enables clients to have their own dedicated QC team without the hassle of building or maintaining it themselves.

As Charles River continues investing in digitalization, all RightSource clients will automatically receive enhanced products and services, increasing the value of the partnership as time goes on. The RightSource Stevenage lab will be operational in the fourth quarter of 2023.

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.

About the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult

The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult is an independent innovation and technology organisation committed to the advancement of cell and gene therapies with a vision of a thriving industry delivering life changing advanced therapies to the world. Its aim is to create powerful collaborations which overcome challenges to the advancement of the sector. The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult works with Innovate UK. For more information, please visit https://ct.catapult.org.uk/ or https://www.ukri.org/councils/innovate-uk/.

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