Zebrafish have become increasingly important to scientific research. With over 70% of their genes shared with humans, they offer a powerful model for studying human diseases. Zebrafish produce hundreds of offspring at a time, their embryos are transparent, and they have a rapid growth cycle—reaching maturity in just 3 months. These features make them an efficient, cost-effective alternative to traditional mammalian models like mice. Moreover, zebrafish are particularly suited for high-throughput drug screening, offering researchers the ability to test thousands of compounds simultaneously. In recent years, zebrafish have been used in groundbreaking research, including oncology, neurodegenerative disease, and regenerative medicine. This has propelled the rise of specialized CROs in zebrafish research globally.
Why Zebrafish Matter
According to a 2024 report from Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, nearly 15% of preclinical research in oncology and toxicology now involves zebrafish. This reflects their unique advantages, such as rapid embryo development, reduced ethical concerns compared to mammalian models, and lower research costs. Zebrafish-based CROs are at the forefront of innovation, providing tailored solutions for academic and industrial research needs. As demand for faster and more cost-efficient models grows, zebrafish CROs play a crucial role in bridging the gap between early-stage discovery and clinical applications.
Here are the top 8 zebrafish CROs in the world:
CEO: Matt Beaudet
Located in the US, InVivo Biosystems creates custom genome-edited C. elegans and zebrafish models to enable aging and other disease studies used by researchers to perform phenotyping, toxicological assessment, and drug screening. They offer advanced genetic engineering tools, including CRISPR, to create tailored models. In 2025, InVivo Biosystems is also expanding its services to include AI-driven phenotype analysis, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of their studies. As one of the top CROs in zebrafish research, their contributions are highly valued.
CEO: Simone Calzolari
Located in Barcelona, ZeClinics uses its proprietary platform to accelerate drug development using zebrafish. This platform performs high-throughput assays to test the safety and toxicity of pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and nutritional compounds. Their innovative technologies include automated imaging and behavioral analysis systems, allowing precise assessment of compound effects. In 2025, their robust service offerings and expansion into new therapeutic areas like neurodegenerative diseases make them a global leader among the largest CROs specializing in zebrafish.
CEO: Werner Lanthaler
Based in Germany, Evotec provides comprehensive drug discovery solutions, including zebrafish-based assays. Their services integrate toxicology and efficacy studies, making zebrafish a vital tool for preclinical development. Evotec also leverages AI to analyze data from zebrafish models, accelerating drug discovery timelines. Their collaborative approach with academic and industrial partners ensures they remain at the forefront of innovation in zebrafish research services in 2025. Their standing among the top CROs in the US and Europe cements their reputation as an industry leader.
CEO: James C. Foster
Headquartered in the US, Charles River Laboratories has expanded its zebrafish-based research capabilities. Their services include toxicology, oncology, and early-stage drug discovery, leveraging zebrafish models to provide high-throughput, cost-effective solutions to clients in biotech and pharma. In 2025, Charles River has also introduced customized zebrafish transgenic models, enabling clients to explore disease pathways and target validation in unprecedented detail. This innovation places them among the largest CROs globally.
CEO: Arantza Muriana
Located in Spain, Biobide provides image analysis and automation services on multiple zebrafish models to test for drug toxicity. Their proprietary systems enable simultaneous analysis of multiple parameters, ensuring comprehensive toxicity profiling. Biobide’s focus on sustainability in research practices, including reducing chemical waste through zebrafish assays, positions them as a top choice for researchers in 2025. They continue to maintain their position among the top CROs in Europe.
COO: Anna (Nilsson) Erkstam
Located in Sweden, Bioreperia creates innovative technologies to speed drug discovery and improve cancer patient diagnosis. Their zebrafish xenograft models allow for early "proof-of-concept" research in toxicology, oncology, and personalized cancer therapy. In 2025, Bioreperia is further developing models to evaluate immune response modulation, making them a critical player in the immuno-oncology space. Their specialized services make them a contender for one of the largest CROs focused on zebrafish.
Head of Research and Development: Wayne Zhang
Located in the US, Creative Biogene offers a variety of zebrafish gene-editing services, including point mutations, knockouts, short insertions, gene knock-ins, and conditional knock-ins. Their services help investigate gene function, develop disease models, and validate candidate genes. Creative Biogene has also introduced scalable zebrafish screening platforms in 2025, allowing rapid testing of large compound libraries, which is particularly valuable for pharmaceutical clients. This ensures their place among the top CROs in the US for zebrafish gene-editing and screening services.
Aurigene Pharmaceutical Services
CEO: Akhil RaviLocated in India, Aurigene Pharmaceutical Services provides zebrafish research models for drug discovery studies and the screening of chemical compounds. These models are used to study compound efficacy, toxicity, and distribution at an early exploratory stage of drug discovery, facilitating decision-making and early attrition. In 2025, Aurigene has expanded its zebrafish portfolio to include advanced imaging solutions, enabling real-time visualization of drug interactions at cellular levels. Their growth solidifies their status among the largest CROs in Asia.
Scispot: Empowering Zebrafish Research
Scispot is on a mission to empower bioentrepreneurs and make workflow automation possible for every life science lab on this planet. Zebrafish research benefits significantly from Scispot’s no-code digital toolkit. Labs working with zebrafish can utilize Scispot’s platform to automate data collection, manage protocols, track experimental progress, and collaborate seamlessly with team members or external CROs in the industry. By integrating AI-powered analytics, Scispot enables researchers to gain actionable insights from their zebrafish studies faster than ever before. From assay plate design to advanced reporting, Scispot provides a comprehensive solution for managing zebrafish research workflows with precision and ease. Additionally, Scispot’s ability to integrate with ELN and LIMS systems ensures seamless data standardization across different stages of research.
To learn more about Scispot and its automation solutions, book a demo here.
Conclusion
Zebrafish have proven their value as a powerful model organism for biomedical research, and their use continues to expand into diverse therapeutic areas. The CROs highlighted above are at the forefront of zebrafish-based research, driving innovation in drug discovery, toxicity testing, and disease modeling. As technology advances, these companies are integrating AI, automation, and high-throughput capabilities to provide even more reliable and scalable solutions for their clients. For researchers and organizations looking to streamline their workflows and enhance zebrafish-based studies, platforms like Scispot offer the perfect complement to these top CROs, enabling a seamless transition into the future of life science research.