NEWS RELEASE
Charles River Laboratories Acquires Cellero
LOWELL, Mass., August 6, 2020 – Charles River Laboratories International (NYSE: CRL), a leading provider of essential products and services to accelerate research and drug development, has completed the previously announced acquisition of Cellero, a premier supplier of critical cellular products and services to cell therapy developers and manufacturers worldwide, for approximately $38 million in cash.
Cellero is the most comprehensive end-to-end provider of donor and patient apheresis services, GMP-grade biomaterials, characterized immune cells, and custom research and clinical laboratory services for companies developing new drugs and therapies. The Company leverages world-class immunology research experts, coast-to-coast FDA-registered collection facilities and distribution centers, and CLIA-certified laboratories to serve scientists and drug developers in biopharmaceutical and academic institutions around the world. Cellero’s products and services play critical roles in enabling the development of breakthrough medicines unleashing the power of immune cells, such as gene therapies and CAR-T cell therapies.
Cellero co-founders Dr. Edward Scott, chief medical officer, and Dr. Anne Lodge, chief scientific officer, commented, “We are proud to be pioneers in the supply of high-quality biomaterials and services to support the development of innovative, life-saving medicines. Cellero has played an important role in the development and manufacturing of commercially available cell therapies and many other promising candidates in the clinical pipeline, and we’re excited to join Charles River Labs to take our business to the next level. Our teams share a commitment to helping our customers succeed in developing cutting-edge therapies for patients in need.”
Cellero is a portfolio company of Ampersand Capital Partners, a leading healthcare focused private equity firm. Dr. David Anderson, General Partner of Ampersand Capital Partners, added, “A key to enabling the continued rapid development of the cell and gene therapies is ensuring a robust supply chain of high-quality raw materials. Cellero fills this gap for customers by leveraging the organization’s decades of immune cell expertise and specialized biomaterial collection services. We are excited for Cellero’s acquisition by Charles River Labs and believe the powerful combination of the two businesses will better serve customers worldwide in the development of life-changing therapeutics.”
Cellero is the most comprehensive end-to-end provider of donor and patient apheresis services, GMP-grade biomaterials, characterized immune cells, and custom research and clinical laboratory services for companies developing new drugs and therapies. The Company leverages world-class immunology research experts, coast-to-coast FDA-registered collection facilities and distribution centers, and CLIA-certified laboratories to serve scientists and drug developers in biopharmaceutical and academic institutions around the world. Cellero’s products and services play critical roles in enabling the development of breakthrough medicines unleashing the power of immune cells, such as gene therapies and CAR-T cell therapies.
Cellero co-founders Dr. Edward Scott, chief medical officer, and Dr. Anne Lodge, chief scientific officer, commented, “We are proud to be pioneers in the supply of high-quality biomaterials and services to support the development of innovative, life-saving medicines. Cellero has played an important role in the development and manufacturing of commercially available cell therapies and many other promising candidates in the clinical pipeline, and we’re excited to join Charles River Labs to take our business to the next level. Our teams share a commitment to helping our customers succeed in developing cutting-edge therapies for patients in need.”
Cellero is a portfolio company of Ampersand Capital Partners, a leading healthcare focused private equity firm. Dr. David Anderson, General Partner of Ampersand Capital Partners, added, “A key to enabling the continued rapid development of the cell and gene therapies is ensuring a robust supply chain of high-quality raw materials. Cellero fills this gap for customers by leveraging the organization’s decades of immune cell expertise and specialized biomaterial collection services. We are excited for Cellero’s acquisition by Charles River Labs and believe the powerful combination of the two businesses will better serve customers worldwide in the development of life-changing therapeutics.”