Charles River Laboratories has acquired two of Tigermed’s Frontage laboratory sites in Pennsylvania for $470 million upfront to advance the CRO's bioanalysis footprint.
Frontage stands to receive additional payments of up to $75 million contingent on future performance, according to the Nov 9. release.
The two laboratory sites, both located in Exton in southeastern Pennsylvania, cover a combined 150,000 square feet and employ around 340 people. They provide a suite of testing services for large and small molecules, including bioanalysis, biomarker and drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK).
“As biologics and increasingly complex modalities become a larger part of development pipelines, clients are seeking scientific partners that can support programs from early development through the clinic,” Charles River CEO Birgit Girshick said in the release.
During Charles River’s 2026 investor day in September, Girshick introduced the “pathway to purpose” strategic vision to reinforce the CRO's leadership position in early-stage drug development. The strategy included comprehensive regulated testing capabilities across the R&D continuum.
The acquisition of the two Frontage laboratories is a step towards advancing this strategic vision “by expanding our presence in clinical bioanalysis, strengthening our scientific leadership, and enhancing our ability to serve clients across the drug development lifecycle,” Girshick said.
“Our combined bioanalysis and DMPK offering will provide a more integrated solution that accelerates development timelines and improves continuity from preclinical through clinical testing,” she added. “The transaction is expected to enhance our growth profile and support long-term value creation for clients and shareholders.”
Tigermed, Frontage’s parent company, is a leading provider of outsourced clinical development services across China and Asia Pacific regions to the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. The Chinese CRO acquired Frontage back in 2014 to expand its global clinical trial network.