Charles River Laboratories wraps up $380m acquisition of HemaCare

As per the deal announced in December 2019, Charles River Laboratories offered to buy HemaCare for $25.40 per share.

The California-based company, which will now operate under Charles River’s Research Models and Services segment, provides critical biomaterials. Included in these is a variety of human primary cell types apart from cell processing services to support the discovery, development, and manufacture of cell therapies.

Established in 1978, the company claims to have developed a registry of donors to supply human-derived primary blood cells and tissues for biomedical and drug discovery research, cell therapy clinical trials, and as commercial starting material.

In November 2019, the company launched a GMP-compliant bone marrow starting material called GMPrime bone marrow aspirate to expand its portfolio of GMP-compliant cellular material. The company said that GMPrime bone marrow aspirate is collected within its collection center from IRB-consented donors after rigorous and standardised processes.

Charles River Laboratories expects HemaCare’s acquisition to broaden its scientific capabilities in the cell therapy sector.

The company said that the addition of the business is expected to cater to cell therapy developers and manufacturers through a portfolio of early-stage research and manufacturing support solutions. The portfolio will help cell therapy developers to fast track their critical programmes from basic research and proof-of-concept to regulatory approval and product commercialisation, said Charles River Laboratories.

Charles River Laboratories chairman, president and CEO James Foster said: “The addition of HemaCare’s cellular products enhances our ability to provide a comprehensive cell therapy solution from discovery through commercialization, which will enhance our clients’ efficiency and accelerate their speed-to-market.

“The acquisition of HemaCare is a key element of our strategy to fully support our clients’ early-stage drug research efforts, achieve our long-term growth goals, and enhance shareholder value.”

The two companies had announced a partnership in August 2019 to provide human-derived biological material to China. The cellular products provider signed a distribution agreement with Vital River, a subsidiary of Charles River, to give the scientific community in China direct access to healthy and disease-state human primary cells.