Pharmaceutical company Charles River Laboratories International Inc (NYSE:CRL) on Tuesday announced a new agreement with Pluristyx Inc, a provider of tools, technologies and services for the development of cell therapies.

The collaboration grants Charles River access to a range of stem cell lines, including embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), boosting its research tools for therapeutic development.

Charles River will distribute Pluristyx's iPSCs, including genetically engineered variants, and a selection of ES cell lines, all sourced with full donor consent and approval of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) making them eligible for use in NIH-funded research.

This partnership aims to accelerate therapeutic development by providing researchers with specialised cells for disease modelling and therapy advancement.

ES and iPS cells serve as invaluable resources for studying disease mechanisms and developing effective treatments. With this expansion, Charles River strengthens its global leadership in supplying essential biomaterials, driving progress in various fields including drug discovery, toxicity studies, regenerative medicine and cell therapy development.