SHS Capital agreed to sell PathoQuest to strategic buyer Charles River Laboratories
Acquisition expands biosafety testing at Charles River
Healthcare Specialist SHS Capital agreed to sell its portfolio company PathoQuest, a specialist in NGS-based quality control assays for biopharmaceuticals, to the strategic buyer Charles River Laboratories.
Founded in Paris, PathoQuest has established itself as a reference player in NGS-based viral safety and genetic characterisation testing for biopharmaceuticals. Its proprietary iDTECT® platform enables highly sensitive, comprehensive and GMP-compliant quality control, addressing the growing complexity of biologic modalities and increasing regulatory expectations.
Over recent years, the company has further developed its technology platform, strengthened operational structures and expanded its commercial focus towards late-stage and commercial biopharmaceuticals where GMP compliance is critical. During this period, PathoQuest also broadened its international footprint, including the establishment and certification of a second GMP-compliant site in the United States, enabling it to better serve global biotech and biopharma customers.
The strategic combination with Charles River builds on a long-standing partnership and reflects the increasing role of NGS-based methods in biopharmaceutical safety testing. By combining PathoQuest’s specialised NGS expertise with Charles River’s global reach, regulatory capabilities and customer base, the transaction aims to further scale advanced, data-rich and animal-free testing approaches across the lifecycle of biopharmaceuticals.
“PathoQuest has continuously evolved its technology, organisation and international presence to meet the growing demands of the biopharmaceutical market,” said Jean-François Brepson, CEO of PathoQuest. “Becoming part of Charles River represents a strong strategic step to accelerate our mission and make NGS-based biosafety testing the global standard. We thank SHS for supporting us over the years to become the global partner of choice in our industry.”
“PathoQuest’s NGS-based capabilities are highly complementary to Charles River’s biopharmaceutical service portfolio,” said Kerstin Dolph, Senior Vice President Manufacturing at Charles River Laboratories. “As biologic modalities become more complex, our clients increasingly require comprehensive, highly sensitive and scalable quality control solutions. This acquisition strengthens our ability to support customers globally and to help advance modern, data-driven and animal-free testing approaches across the lifecycle of biopharmaceuticals.”
“This transaction reflects the successful development of PathoQuest over recent years,” said Sascha Alilovic, Managing Partner at SHS Capital. “Together with our co-investors, SHS supported the company in strengthening its operational foundation, expanding into the US with GMP-compliant capabilities and sharpening its commercial positioning. Based on the successful strategy execution, PathoQuest was able to quadruple its revenues since SHS invested. The combination with Charles River provides a strong platform for the next phase of growth.”
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