Charles River Laboratories Closing Durham Facility, Laying Off 31 Employees

Charles River Laboratories is closing its facility at 4025 Stirrup Creek Drive in Durham, North Carolina by March 28, 202546.

The closure will result in the layoff of 31 employees at the Durham facility14.

This closure is part of a broader restructuring effort by Charles River Laboratories, which includes evaluating and optimizing its business operations4.

The company is also planning to wind down operations at a drug discovery facility in Research Triangle Park (RTP) later in 20254.

Charles River Laboratories cited that the Pathology Associates facility in Durham is "not a strategic fit" for their future plans46.

The company will be transferring client work from the closing facilities to other locations within its portfolio4.

These closures are part of a larger trend at Charles River, which has reduced its global headcount by more than 6% since late 2023 and plans to close or consolidate about 15 smaller sites46.

The company expects its revenue to decline organically in 2025 amid these restructuring efforts4.

As of early 2023, Charles River had around 350 employees in North Carolina, with about 250 based in the Triangle area. Recent research suggests the number in the Triangle had decreased to about 75 employees before these latest cuts4.

The closures and layoffs reflect a broader trend in the pharmaceutical industry of slowing early-stage research and development efforts6.

Sources:

1. https://www.commerce.nc.gov/data-tools-reports/labor-market-data-tools/workforce-warn-reports/report-workforce-warn-listings-2025/open

4. https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2025/01/29/charles-river-laboratories-closing-durham-facility.html

6. https://endpts.com/charles-river-to-close-15-smaller-sites-as-demand-for-early-research-declines/