Arlington Capital Partners Announces the Acquisition of AVS Bio

Arlington Capital Partners (“Arlington”), a Washington, DC-area private equity firm, announced today it has acquired Charles River Laboratories’ (NYSE:CRL) Avian Vaccine Services business to form a new company, AVS Bio (the “Company”). The Company will operate independently as a standalone platform for Arlington that will serve the biologic manufacturing and bioprocessing markets.

AVS Bio is the leading global provider of specific pathogen free (“SPF”) eggs and adjacent laboratory products and services that support the development and manufacture of vaccines, therapeutics, and other biologics used for human and animal health. The Company supplies leading manufacturers with critical bioprocessing inputs including SPF eggs, antigens, and cell products. It also provides diagnostic testing and manufacturing support services and supports new therapeutic development through supplying antibodies such as IgY for use in clinical trials. Headquartered in Norwich, CT, the Company has ~250 employees across over 20 facilities located in the US and Europe.

Malcolm Little, a Partner at Arlington, said, “Identifying and investing behind mission-critical inputs within the biologic manufacturing end market has long been an area of focus for Arlington. Over its 60+ year history, AVS Bio has established itself as the global leader in its market with an extensive domestic manufacturing footprint and an unmatched reputation for quality, biosecurity, and reliability. We are eager to partner with current management to not only establish the Company as a standalone entity, but also capture the opportunities we have collectively identified to produce additional growth through both new product development and strategic acquisitions.”

Deb Tosto, President of AVS Bio, said, “We are very excited to be partnering with Arlington to grow AVS Bio as a standalone entity. Arlington’s deep pharma services expertise, as well as its ability to provide extensive strategic and capital support, will help AVS Bio thrive as we look to optimize our current offerings and develop new capabilities to better serve our customers.”

Mark Giragosian, a Vice President at Arlington, added, “The combination of the Company’s strong market position, deep customer relationships, and unparalleled expertise in SPF products create an ideal foundation on which to build a new bioprocessing platform. We have tremendous respect for the Company’s storied legacy and are excited to invest behind the management team to accelerate its expansion into new markets.”

About Arlington Capital Partners

Arlington Capital Partners is a Washington, DC-based private equity firm that has managed approximately $7 billion in capital commitments. Arlington is focused on middle market investment opportunities in growth industries including healthcare, government services and technology, aerospace & defense, and business services and software. The firm’s professionals and network have a unique combination of operating and private equity experience that enable Arlington to be a value-added investor. Arlington invests in companies in partnership with high quality management teams that are motivated to establish and/or advance their company’s position as leading competitors in their field.

For more information: www.arlingtoncap.com

About AVS Bio

Headquartered in Norwich, CT, AVS Bio is global provider of specific pathogen free (“SPF”) eggs and adjacent laboratory products and services that support the development and manufacturing of vaccines, therapeutics, and other biologics used for human and animal health. Prior to its acquisition by Arlington, the Company operated as a subsidiary of Charles River Laboratories (NYSE:CRL). The Company currently employs ~250 employees across 20+ facilities in Connecticut, New York, Illinois, Missouri, and Europe.

For more information: www.avsbio.com

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