Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. recently opened the first Charles River Accelerator and Development Lab (CRADL®) location in Chicago, expanding contract vivarium space for the biopharmaceutical industry in Illinois. CRADL Chicago is located in Fulton Labs, in the heart of Chicago's Fulton Market, which is quickly emerging as a hub of the local life sciences community. Fulton Labs also includes premier wet and dry laboratory and office space, offered by Portal Innovations.

By offering on-demand facilities, both emerging and established biopharmaceutical companies and research institutions are able to quickly start new projects, accelerating the early stage of research. This allows scientists to focus on research, while leaving the animal husbandry and daily vivarium management to a trusted partner. With the acquisition of Explora BioLabs in April 2022, the CRADL-Explora Vivarium Network was established as a premier partner for clients to launch or expand their drug research programs, with the added benefit of access to Charles River's complete portfolio of integrated drug discovery and non-clinical development resources.

The CRADL-Explora Vivarium Network operates 28 vivarium facilities, providing over 380,000 square feet of turnkey rental capacity in key biohubs, including Massachusetts, California, Washington, Shanghai, London, and now Illinois. This network supports the growth of the entire biotech ecosystem in each city, allowing researchers to rapidly engage in their research while maintaining the flexibility to relocate or co-locate, knowing they will have reliable, high-quality facilities nearby.