IQVIA Holdings has agreed to acquire selected drug-discovery services assets from Charles River Laboratories, thereby expanding its capabilities in early-stage pharmaceutical research. The transaction includes five research sites that focus on in vitro drug discovery services, incorporating laboratory-based New Approach Methodologies and a small-molecule artificial intelligence platform aimed
The acquisition will strengthen IQVIA Laboratories' capabilities by creating an integrated drug discovery platform spanning the early stages of research, including target identification, hit-to-lead development, lead optimization, and preliminary safety assessment. The expanded platform will support research across therapeutic areas such as oncology, neurology, immunology, metabolic disorders, and rare diseases, while allowing pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to combine early discovery insights with clinical development expertise.
David Morris, President of IQVIA Laboratories, said, “This acquisition will meaningfully strengthen our ability to support clients earlier in the R&D lifecycle and complements our existing translational and clinical development capabilities.” He added that integrating the new assets with existing capabilities will create “an industry-leading drug discovery platform with a track record of advancing discovery programs into clinical development.” The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026.