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Charles River Stock May Gain From Extended CHDI Research Deal on HD

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Key Takeaways

  • Charles River extended its HD research collaboration with CHDI, marking two decades of collaboration.
  • The renewal boosts CRL's integration in CHDI's programs and expands its global scientific activity.
  • CRL's tools, patents, and data-sharing with CHDI are helping shape HD research across 50 companies.

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (CRL - Free Report) has extended its ongoing drug discovery partnership with CHDI Foundation, Inc. into the foreseeable future. The two organizations joined forces in 2005 to speed up the therapeutic development for Huntington’s disease (HD) — a genetic neurological disorder that causes the progressive dysfunction of nerve cells in the brain.

The 2025 extension marks the 20th anniversary of the collaboration and paves the way for more flexible activity across Charles River’s global network of scientific expertise. This is also expected to provide greater integration into CHDI’s programs.

CRL Stock’s Likely Trend Following the News

Following the announcement on May 28, shares of Charles River rose 1.1%, closing at $137.70 last Thursday. Over their 20-year collaboration, Charles River has established and validated tools and methodologies within expert teams to support CHDI’s mission of collaboratively developing therapeutics that will substantially improve the lives of those affected by the disease. We expect the latest development to positively boost the market sentiment toward CRL stock.

Charles River has a market capitalization of $6.66 billion. The company’s earnings yield of 7.09% compares favorably with the industry’s 4.02% yield. In the trailing four quarters, it delivered an average earnings surprise of 10.9%. 

Importance of CRL’s Extended Partnership

Together, Charles River and CHDI have worked on novel potential drug targets, engineered and validated translational research animal models, run large HTS campaigns, generated proof-of-concept molecules, and evaluated the potential efficacy of both small-molecule and biologic therapeutic candidates in preclinical models of HD. These cutting-edge approaches have resulted in 15 compositions of matter patent applications. Additionally, the expertise and assets developed throughout this collaboration have facilitated research within the broader HD drug discovery and development community, which today includes more than 50 pharma and biotech companies.

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The contract extension covers multidisciplinary services from across Charles River’s portfolio, including — integrated chemistry, biology and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) for small molecule drug discovery, stem cell and iPSC-derived neuronal assay development and screening, extensive in vivo pharmacology in HD research models for translational assessment, Biomarker discovery and assessment, viral production and others.

CHDI has also agreed to share data with Charles River’s learning algorithms, helping power and inform the industry's largest and most diverse dataset. Because Charles River’s data models exclude models used for target identification, on-target activity and efficacy profiles related to the target, the approach helps ensure that client data is used responsibly.

Industry Prospects Favoring Charles River

Per a Research report, the HD treatment market was valued at $500 million in 2024 and is projected to expand at a compound annual rate of 23.8% through 2030. The progressive neurological nature of the disease and significant geographic prevalence variations are driving the market’s growth. Moreover, the HD treatment market is marked by a high degree of innovation driven by ongoing research and development efforts.

More Updates From Charles River

In April, the company announced the initial cohort of its Charles River Incubator Program. The program offers early-stage biotechnology pioneers access to extensive scientific and commercial expertise and a wide ecosystem of discovery, development, and manufacturing capabilities to expedite the development of technologies and life-changing therapies for patients in need.

CRL Stock Price Performance

In the past six months, Charles River shares have fallen 31.9% compared with the industry’s 11.8% decline. 

CRL’s Zacks Rank and Key Picks

Charles River carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are Phibro Animal Health (PAHC - Free Report) , Hims & Hers Health (HIMS - Free Report) and Cencora (COR - Free Report) . While Phibro Animal Health sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present, Hims & Hers Health and Cencora each carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Estimates for Phibro Animal Health’s fiscal 2025 earnings per share have jumped 3.6% to $2.01 in the past 30 days. Shares of the company have rallied 36.2% in the past year compared with the industry’s 10.5% growth. Its earnings yield of 8.7% compares comfortably with the industry’s 0.5% yield. PAHC’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 30.6%.

Hims & Hers Health shares have surged 176% in the past year. Estimates for the company’s 2025 earnings per share have jumped 12.5% to 72 cents in the past 30 days. HIMS’ earnings beat estimates twice in the trailing four quarters, matched in one and missed on another occasion, the average surprise being 19.6%. In the last reported quarter, it posted an earnings surprise of 66.7%.

Estimates for Cencora’s fiscal 2025 earnings per share have increased 2.5% to $15.75 in the past 30 days. Shares of the company have jumped 26.4% in the past year against the industry’s 21% fall. COR’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 6%. In the last reported quarter, it delivered an earnings surprise of 8.3%.

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