Leading the Pursuit of Alternative Methods Innovation

For over 70 years, Charles River has invested in and embraced innovations in biopharmaceutical research. We are deeply committed to initiatives that enhance the welfare and reduce the impact on animals, which are embedded in our 4Rs imperatives of Replacement, Reduction, Refinement, and anchored through our lens of Responsibility. Comprised of a global cross-functional Charles River team that includes experts in animal welfare, science, technology, operations, and advocacy, AMAP will help ensure that we innovate responsibly, invest strategically and purposefully, and lay the groundwork for a future where more patients receive treatments safely and swiftly, while reducing, and, over time, and as science and patient safety allow, eliminating the use of animals in research.

The adoption of alternatives is a strategic imperative for the industry that requires scientific rigor to prove its possibility and expansive collaboration to drive change. AMAP is Charles River’s rallying cry that we must unite in the effort to not only build these innovations but also inspire confidence and transform the systems to ensure they can be effectively implemented.”

Birgit Girshick, Corporate Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

AMAP Focus Areas

AMAP’s multifaceted approach will guide Charles River’s future investments and thought leadership in alternative methods through three focus areas:


We are committed to the continuous development and expansion of animal alternatives in our portfolio of products and services.
Vials of Endosafe® Trillium™ Recombinant Cascade Reagent (rCR)
Our animal-free endotoxin testing solution, Endosafe® Trillium™ Recombinant Cascade Reagent (rCR), revolutionizes the way we approach endotoxin testing while strengthening our united commitment to sustainability initiatives and reducing animal use, when possible.
We have pioneered a novel technology impacting sentinel-free health monitoring for all vivaria globally through a soiled-bedding sampling system, combined with our proprietary PCR test for optimized detection of rodent pathogens. PathogenBinder™ methodology reduces the need for one million sentinel rodents annually.
We are taking a proactive approach to research and development with Virtual Control Groups (VCG), which have the potential to unlock a game-changing new design for safety assessment studies.
These strategic investments and partnerships will enhance our ability to deliver on alternatives through identified and integrated externally developed technologies and business solutions.
Illustration of DNA made out of tiny dots.
We are advancing our in silico opportunities with Logica®, a transformational drug discovery process with integrated artificial intelligence born from a strategic partnership with Valo Health.
Our strategic agreement with Aitia utilizes Logica in discovery programs for neurodegenerative diseases and oncology, and introduces the possibility of building digital twins of organs and animal models resulting in workflows where targets and therapeutics are first tested in silico, providing for more refined follow-on animal studies.
Through our strategic partnership with Cypre we’ve expanded our 3D in vitro services for cancer immunotherapy and targeted therapy drug screening. This collaboration provides clients with access to Cypre’s proprietary 3D tumor model platform.
We’ve expanded our comprehensive portfolio of services to include next-generation sequencing (NGS) services, powerful alternative to animal testing and compliance assistance in the detection of viral contaminants in Biologics, through our partnership with PathoQuest.
With the application of advanced digital pathology software and equipment through our partnership with Deciphex, we have increased the speed and efficiency of pathology assessments to rapidly deliver the data our customers need to progress their programs.
Advocacy created by pursuing partnerships and relationships with thought leaders, policy makers and important non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will provide the opportunity for Charles River to use our voice in the public space to advance the pursuit of alternatives.
Photo of executives in a conference room.
Over the last four years, we have invested approximately $200M US in these technologies, namely through our strategic partnership activities in pursuit of technologies and alternatives to the use of animals in research.
AMAP will coordinate and track Charles River's goal of investing $300M US over the next five years in a portfolio of technology innovations, partnerships, and advocacy efforts to further enhance this critical mission and drive industry-wide adoption of alternatives.