Pharmaceutical Customers

The companies that pay for beagle testing don't touch the dogs. They contract CROs to do it. But they design the studies, approve the protocols, and submit the data to regulators. The demand starts here.

$1.4T

global pharma market

2023

16.6%

Inotiv's top client

Single unnamed customer

pharma companies named

CRO contracts are confidential

~150

dogs per drug program

Over 3-year development

Data Gap

The pharmaceutical companies that drive beagle demand are almost entirely invisible in the public record. CRO contracts are confidential. USDA reports name the facility, not the client. The only confirmed client names come from litigation, whistleblowers, and investigative journalism — not from regulatory disclosure.

How the Demand Chain Works

Pharma develops drug candidate

Internal R&D produces a molecule that shows promise in early screening.

Regulatory guidelines require animal data

ICH M3(R2) mandates one rodent + one non-rodent species. The beagle is the default non-rodent.

Pharma contracts a CRO

The study is outsourced. The CRO acquires dogs, runs the study, delivers the report.

CRO submits data to pharma

Study report goes back to the sponsor. Pharma never saw a dog.

Pharma submits data to FDA

The IND application includes animal data. FDA reviewers compare against historical beagle baselines.

Known Client Connections

These connections come from litigation, investigations, and public reporting — not from voluntary disclosure by the companies involved.

Merck

Liberty Research identified as breeder/tester for Merck (The Intercept, 2018)

Source: The Intercept

Zoetis

Liberty Research identified as breeder/tester for Zoetis (The Intercept, 2018)

Source: The Intercept

Bayer

Liberty Research identified as breeder/tester for Bayer (The Intercept, 2018)

Source: The Intercept

Unnamed (16.6%)

Single client accounts for 16.6% of Inotiv's RMS segment revenue (FY2025 10-K)

Source: Inotiv SEC filing

Novo Nordisk (potential)

Novo Nordisk Foundation owns Altasciences (1,931 dogs). Whether Novo Nordisk is a client is not publicly confirmed.

Source: Novo Nordisk Foundation annual report

Why the Demand Side Is Invisible

CRO contracts are confidential

No regulatory requirement to disclose which pharmaceutical company sponsored which animal study.

USDA reports name facilities, not clients

Inspection reports and annual data identify the CRO or breeder — never the pharmaceutical sponsor.

SEC filings aggregate by segment

Revenue breakdowns show 'Discovery & Safety Assessment' totals, not client-by-client spending.

Pharmaceutical companies benefit from distance

The entire CRO model exists partly to insulate pharma brands from public association with animal testing.

Key Finding

The pharmaceutical industry is the ultimate demand driver for beagle testing. But the system is designed so that the companies paying for the testing are never named in regulatory records. Transparency advocacy — FOIA requests for CRO contracts, SEC complaint filings about client concentration, investigative journalism — is the only way to map who is actually paying for the dogs.