PRESS RELEASE

 

PathoQuest to join Charles River Laboratories, Accelerating the Future of NGS-based GMP Biosafety Testing Worldwide

 

Paris, France — January 12, 2026

 

PathoQuest, a pioneer and global leader in Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)–based biosafety testing, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Charles River Laboratories, a leading global provider of products and services that advance biopharmaceutical research, development, and manufacturing.

This milestone marks a powerful new chapter for PathoQuest, reinforcing its mission to transform biosafety testing through faster, animal-free, and GMP-compliant genomic solutions. By joining forces with Charles River Laboratories, PathoQuest’s innovative technologies will benefit from a truly global footprint, accelerating adoption across the full biopharmaceutical lifecycle.

Headquartered in Paris, France, with a U.S. site in Wayne, Pennsylvania, PathoQuest supports pharmaceutical, biotech, and CDMO partners worldwide. Its proprietary iDTECT® platform delivers state-of-the-art viral safety and genetic characterization testing designed to meet the rapidly evolving needs of advanced biologic modalities, including cell and gene therapies, and vaccines.

Building on a long-standing and successful partnership, this transaction brings together two organizations that share a strong commitment to scientific excellence, quality, and innovation. Together, PathoQuest and Charles River are uniquely positioned to redefine biosafety quality control standards, helping biopharmaceutical developers confidently navigate increasing regulatory and technical complexity with confidence.

This transaction represents a defining moment in PathoQuest’s journey,” said Jean-François Brepson, CEO of PathoQuest. “Thanks to the trust and long-term support of our investors, we have built a world-class NGS platform that is reshaping biosafety testing. Joining Charles River enables us to expand our global impact and provide our faster, animal-free, GMP-compliant solutions to even more innovators worldwide.”

“This company was founded on work initially conducted at Institut Pasteur to bring the scientific breakthrough of NGS into biomedical applications,” said Prof. Marc Eloit, the founder of the company. “I am happy to see this work now integrated into industry standards.”

“PathoQuest brings exceptional scientific expertise, a highly differentiated technology platform, and strong GMP capabilities,” said Kerstin Dolph, Senior Vice President Manufacturing, at Charles River Laboratories. “By welcoming PathoQuest into Charles River, we are strengthening our ability to deliver next-generation, integrated biosafety testing solutions that support our clients from early development through commercial manufacturing.”

About PathoQuest

With more than 20 peer-reviewed publications on NGS applications, PathoQuest is a recognized leader in GMP-compliant Next Generation Sequencing-based biosafety testing. The company provides biopharmaceutical developers with a game-changing genomic approach to ensuring the safety of biologics, including cell and gene therapies, vaccines, and recombinant proteins—helping reduce development timelines and accelerate patient access to innovative therapies. Headquartered in Paris, France, with a U.S. site in Wayne, Pennsylvania, PathoQuest has partnered with more than 100 leading biopharmaceutical companies worldwide.
Learn more at www.pathoquest.com.

Press Contact:

Delphine GRICOURT
Global Marketing Head, PathoQuest
contact@pathoquest.com