Fortrea

Labcorp Drug Development was the name used from 2021 until 2023 for the global clinical-development business that became Fortrea Holdings Inc. The business traces its corporate roots to Environmental Sciences Corporation, established in Seattle in 1968 to manufacture equipment associated with laboratory animals. After acquiring Hazleton Laboratories in 1972, it developed into a contract testing and research organization involved in toxicology, laboratory science, animal research, clinical pharmacology, and clinical trials. Its historical names included Hazleton, Corning Lab Services, and Covance. The modern organization was shaped by Corning’s restructuring of its laboratory and pharmaceutical-services activities during the 1990s. Corning’s pharmaceutical-services business was separated as Covance in 1997, creating an independent contract research organization serving pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical-device, and other life-sciences customers. Covance expanded through acquisitions and partnerships in clinical pharmacology, central laboratory services, genomic analysis, pharmacovigilance, regulatory consulting, medical-device research, preclinical testing, and patient services. Labcorp acquired Covance in 2015 for approximately $6.1 billion in cash and stock. Covance subsequently operated as Labcorp’s drug-development division and adopted the Labcorp Drug Development name in June 2021. In 2023, Labcorp completed the spin-off of the business, which was renamed Fortrea Holdings Inc.; therefore, Labcorp Drug Development is principally a historical brand identity rather than the current corporate name. The business provides end-to-end clinical-development support, including phase I through phase IV trial management, clinical pharmacology, protocol and development planning, regulatory affairs, study and site start-up, patient recruitment, project management, clinical monitoring, data management, biostatistics, pharmacovigilance, medical writing, and mobile or decentralized clinical services. Its stated therapeutic focus includes oncology, central nervous system and neurodegenerative diseases, rare diseases, and cell and gene therapies. It also performs clinical and research services for medical-device companies and has maintained laboratory and research operations in North America, Europe, and Asia. According to the cited reference material, the organization conducted more than 5,930 clinical trials involving over one million subjects during the five years ending in 2024, along with more than 500 medical-device studies. Its present identity, leadership, branding, and corporate reporting should be attributed to Fortrea rather than to Labcorp Drug Development. The historical business has also attracted sustained scrutiny because of its use of non-human primates in research, regulatory citations concerning animal care, and controversies connected with primate-importation and testing facilities.

The business began in 1968 as Environmental Sciences Corporation in Seattle. It manufactured equipment associated with laboratory animals before acquiring Hazleton Laboratories in 1972 and adopting the Hazleton name. Hazleton conducted toxicology and biological testing for drugs, cosmetics, pesticides, industrial chemicals, and other products. It also bred non-human primates and dogs for research and supplied laboratory equipment and testing services. Corning acquired a stake in the company in 1977 and the remaining interest in 1987. Corning expanded the business during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Its acquisition of G.H. Besselaar Associates added clinical-trial capabilities, while Hazleton acquired Microtest in England. Hazleton, Besselaar, and SciCor were consolidated into Corning’s pharmaceutical and life-sciences services activities. Additional acquisitions included the Philadelphia Association of Clinical Trials and National Packaging Systems, a clinical-trial packaging provider. In 1997, Corning separated its laboratory-testing business as Quest Diagnostics and its pharmaceutical-services business as Covance. Covance broadened its services through acquisitions and new facilities. In 1998 it acquired GDXI, which specialized in electrocardiogram capture and interpretation, and Berkeley Antibody Company. It opened a central laboratory in Singapore in 2000 and expanded laboratory operations in China, including a Shanghai laboratory in 2007 and a research and development center there in 2019. During the 2000s it acquired or developed early-phase clinical pharmacology capacity, antibody services, genomic analysis, and a major site in Greenfield, Indiana. It also entered a long-term drug-development services agreement with Eli Lilly and established a large outsourcing relationship with Sanofi-Aventis. The company continued moving beyond conventional trial operations. It acquired Medaxial, a value-communication consultancy, in 2014; Chiltern, a specialty CRO, in 2017; Sciformix, focused on scientific process outsourcing and pharmacovigilance, in 2018; and the nonclinical contract research services business of Envigo in 2019. It also acquired MI Bioresearch, which added preclinical capabilities in oncology and cell and gene therapy, and the device-focused Regulatory and Clinical Research Institute. In 2020 it acquired GlobalCare, a mobile nursing and ambulant-care company, and snapIoT, a digital platform supporting remote clinical-trial participation. Labcorp acquired Covance in 2015 for cash and stock. Covance became Labcorp’s drug-development division and was renamed Labcorp Drug Development in June 2021. In February 2023 the business was renamed Fortrea Holdings, and Labcorp completed its corporate spin-off in July of that year. The resulting company retained the clinical-research and development operations but no longer operated under the Labcorp Drug Development brand. In 2024 it sold Endpoint Clinical and Fortrea Patient Access to Arsenal Capital Partners. The organization’s history also includes extensive criticism of animal-testing practices. In 1989, macaques imported to a Reston, Virginia facility were found to carry a previously unrecognized, apparently non-lethal-to-humans Ebola virus variant later called Reston virus. Further cases were identified in 1996 in macaques shipped to Texas. Investigative footage released in the 2000s alleged poor housing and handling conditions at facilities in Germany and the United States. Government investigations resulted in a settlement concerning violations at the Virginia facility. Later United States Department of Agriculture citations concerned housing, enrichment, entanglement, isolation, and deaths associated with overheating. A 2023 fine related to injuries to monkeys between 2018 and 2022 added to the record of animal-welfare controversy.

1. 2024Patient-services businesses sold

   Endpoint Clinical and Fortrea Patient Access were sold to Arsenal Capital Partners.

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2. 2023Renamed Fortrea and spun off

   The business became Fortrea Holdings Inc. after its separation from Labcorp.

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3. 2021Rebranded Labcorp Drug Development

   The Covance drug-development division adopted the Labcorp Drug Development name.

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4. 2017Chiltern acquired

   Covance acquired specialty CRO Chiltern to expand clinical-development capabilities.

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5. 2015Labcorp acquires Covance

   Labcorp acquired Covance in a transaction valued at approximately $6.1 billion in cash and stock.

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6. 2000Singapore central laboratory opened

   The organization expanded its central-laboratory network in Singapore.

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7. 1997Covance created through corporate separation

   Corning separated its pharmaceutical-services activities as Covance.

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8. 1972Hazleton Laboratories acquired

   The company acquired Hazleton Laboratories and became a contract biological and toxicology testing business.

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9. 1968Environmental Sciences Corporation established

   The predecessor organization was formed in Seattle and initially manufactured equipment related to laboratory animals.

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A global, full-service contract research organization supporting pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical-device companies across the drug-development lifecycle, from preclinical and early clinical work through post-approval activities.

• Clinical trial managementClinical research services

  Full-service support for phase I through phase IV trials, including protocol planning, site selection and start-up, patient recruitment, monitoring, project management, data management, biostatistics, medical writing, and close-out activities.

• Clinical pharmacologyEarly-phase research

  Early-stage human research and clinical pharmacology services supporting safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic studies before or during broader clinical development.

• Central laboratory servicesLaboratory services

  Centralized laboratory testing and sample-management capabilities supporting multinational clinical trials and specialized biomarker or genomic programs.

• Pharmacovigilance and regulatory servicesSafety and regulatory services

  Post-market and clinical safety monitoring, regulatory support, scientific process outsourcing, and documentation services for biopharmaceutical and medical-device clients.

• Medical-device researchMedical-device clinical research

  Clinical, regulatory, and research services for medical-device developers, including study execution and specialized device-focused development support.

• 2023Corporate spin-off as FortreaStrategy

  Labcorp separated its clinical-development operations from the parent company.

  What changed. The business became Fortrea Holdings Inc. and began operating independently.

  Aftermath. Labcorp Drug Development ceased to be the current corporate identity, although the operating business continued under Fortrea.

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• 2021Drug-development rebrandStrategy

  The Covance business was integrated into Labcorp’s broader corporate identity.

  What changed. The division was renamed Labcorp Drug Development.

  Aftermath. The name remained in use until the business was separated and renamed Fortrea in 2023.

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• 2015Labcorp acquisition of CovanceM&A

  Labcorp sought to combine its laboratory and diagnostics platform with Covance’s global drug-development capabilities.

  What changed. Labcorp acquired Covance in a cash-and-stock transaction reported at approximately $6.1 billion.

  Aftermath. Covance operated as Labcorp’s drug-development division and later adopted the Labcorp Drug Development name.

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• 2023Monkey injury citationsControversy

  The company was fined after six monkeys sustained injuries between 2018 and 2022, including broken bones; four were later euthanized.

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• 2014Deaths of monkeys from hyperthermiaControversy

  Thirteen cynomolgus monkeys died in overheated rooms in 2014. The company was fined for Animal Welfare Act violations and said it would install electronic temperature monitoring and alerts.

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• 2005Virginia primate-laboratory investigation and settlementControversy

  A second undercover investigation alleged inadequate veterinary care and mistreatment of monkeys. United States authorities investigated, and the company agreed to a monetary settlement and corrective measures.

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• 2003Undercover footage at Münster primate facilityControversy

  Footage released after an undercover investigation alleged rough handling, inadequate enrichment, and poor housing conditions for monkeys. The company disputed the interpretation and editing of the material, while German authorities considered the allegations.

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• 1989Reston virus incidentControversy

  Macaques imported from the Philippines to a company facility in Reston, Virginia were found to carry a previously unidentified Ebola virus variant. The facility was later abandoned and demolished; the variant was reported as non-lethal to humans.

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• 2024Fortrea sells Endpoint Clinical and Fortrea Patient Access

  The company sold the Endpoint Clinical and Fortrea Patient Access businesses to Arsenal Capital Partners.

  M&A
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• 2023Labcorp completes spin-off of Fortrea

  Labcorp separated its drug-development business as an independent public company, Fortrea Holdings Inc.

  M&AOther
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• 2021Covance adopts the Labcorp Drug Development name

  Following Labcorp’s ownership of Covance, the drug-development business was rebranded Labcorp Drug Development.

  Leadership changeOther
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1. Fortrea
2. Fortrea official website