Charles River Acquires Two Tigermed Frontage Labs for $470 Million

Charles River Laboratories acquired two Tigermed Frontage laboratory sites in Exton, Pennsylvania, for $470 million upfront to expand its clinical bioanalysis footprint.

Charles River completed the purchase on November 9, securing two facilities covering a combined 150,000 square feet, Fierce Biotech reported. The transaction employs around 340 people across the two southeastern Pennsylvania locations.

The sites provide a suite of testing services for large and small molecules. These include bioanalysis, biomarker testing, and drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics, known as DMPK.

Chief Executive Officer Birgit Girshick introduced the pathway to purpose strategic vision during Charles River’s September 2026 investor day. The initiative reinforces the contract research organization’s leadership position in early-stage drug development through regulated testing capabilities across the research and development continuum.

“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,” Girshick said in the release.

Frontage stands to receive additional payments of up to $75 million contingent on future performance. Parent company Tigermed acquired Frontage in 2014 to expand its global clinical trial network across China and the Asia-Pacific region.

The acquisition aims to build upon the strategic vision by expanding the company’s presence in clinical bioanalysis. Girshick said that the combined offerings will provide an integrated solution to accelerate development timelines.

“Our combined bioanalysis and DMPK offering will provide a more integrated solution that accelerates development timelines and improves continuity from preclinical through clinical testing,” Girshick told Fierce Biotech. She added that the transaction is expected to enhance the company’s growth profile and support long-term value creation for clients and shareholders.