Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals Inc. signed an exclusive licensing deal with Charles River Laboratories International Inc. (NYSE:CRL) for lab rats.

Under the agreement, Wilmington, Mass.-based Charles River will market and distribute the Lexington, Ky.-based lab rat developer’s p53 and Bcrp TGEM Knockout rat models, so named for mutations in their p53 and Bcrp genes.

The rats mimic human diseases and are used for drug discovery and development research, according to Transposagen. Researchers frequently study the p53 gene for its tumor suppression characteristics and the Bcrp gene encodes a drug transporter. The p53 model is the world’s only fully phenotyped p53 Knockout rat, according to the company.

“Knockout rat models are a new and emerging tool in drug discovery and development, and Transposagen’s p53 and Bcrp TGEM Knockout rat models are expected to quickly become widely accepted for research in oncology and other therapeutic areas,” said Charles River vice president Iva Morse in prepapred remarks.