PathoQuest SAS, a genomics company dedicated to quality control testing of biologics, and Charles River Laboratories has established a U.S. subsidiary, PathoQuest, Inc., and will construct a state-of-the-art next generation sequencing (NGS)-based testing lab at Charles River’s site in Wayne, PA. The new lab will expands the strategic partnership and Charles River’s and PathoQuest’s capabilities for fully integrated services for rapid viral safety testing of biologics, notably advanced therapeutic medicinal products (ATMPs) and vaccines.
 
The expanded relationship will offer North American biotechnology companies a NGS testing facility in the U.S. that identifies adventitious agents using PathoQuest’s rapid, in vitro, comprehensive testing approach, which is designed to accelerate development timelines of biologics without compromising safety and efficacy. This NGS approach can also be utilized for the genetic characterization of cell lines.
 
Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2020 with NGS services expected to be available in 2021. Once complete, the lab will be aligned with PathoQuest’s existing lab in Paris and offer testing that adheres to cGMP in accordance with U.S. FDA guidelines.
 
Charles River’s Wayne facility supports the development of biological products, including cell line characterization, viral safety, and viral clearance studies. Charles River has made an additional direct investment in PathoQuest to help fund the establishment of this new facility and to support the expansion of PathoQuest’s testing platform into North America.