Wistar Han Rat Details
The Wistar Han rat is a well-characterized outbred strain widely selected for regulatory toxicology and long-term safety assessment programs. Known for its robust health, controlled body weight gain, and consistent physiological performance, the Wistar Han rat supports clear data interpretation across chronic, carcinogenicity, and repeat dose studies.
Compared with traditional Wistar strains, Wistar Han rats demonstrate improved survival and a reduced incidence of age-related spontaneous findings, helping minimize background pathology that can confound long-duration study outcomes. Their calm temperament and ease of handling further support efficient study conduct and reduced stress-related variability.
Backed by decades of internal and published data and bred under Charles River’s International Genetic Standardization (IGS) program, the Wistar Han rat offers reliability, reproducibility, and global consistency for high confidence nonclinical research.
GlaxoWellcome rederived the Wistar Han rat from Han Wistar stock originally supplied by BRL. The strain was transferred to Charles River UK in 1996, followed by transfer to Charles River in 1997, where it was rederived and established as an isolator maintained Foundation Colony.
LOCATION: Raleigh
UNIT: R01
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Wistar Han Rat Details
The Wistar Han rat is a well-characterized outbred strain widely selected for regulatory toxicology and long-term safety assessment programs. Known for its robust health, controlled body weight gain, and consistent physiological performance, the Wistar Han rat supports clear data interpretation across chronic, carcinogenicity, and repeat dose studies.
Compared with traditional Wistar strains, Wistar Han rats demonstrate improved survival and a reduced incidence of age-related spontaneous findings, helping minimize background pathology that can confound long-duration study outcomes. Their calm temperament and ease of handling further support efficient study conduct and reduced stress-related variability.
Backed by decades of internal and published data and bred under Charles River’s International Genetic Standardization (IGS) program, the Wistar Han rat offers reliability, reproducibility, and global consistency for high confidence nonclinical research.
GlaxoWellcome rederived the Wistar Han rat from Han Wistar stock originally supplied by BRL. The strain was transferred to Charles River UK in 1996, followed by transfer to Charles River in 1997, where it was rederived and established as an isolator maintained Foundation Colony.
Growth chart data should be used as a guideline only.
The shaded areas on each chart are the mean weight plus or minus one standard deviation at a given age averaged across all production facilities. This represents approximately 67% of the population, with the remaining 33% falling outside of this weight range.
LOCATION: Les Oncins
UNIT: B23
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*eCommerce is available in US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland
Try out this model with our animal evaluation program.
Wistar Han Rat Details
The Wistar Han rat is a well-characterized outbred strain widely selected for regulatory toxicology and long-term safety assessment programs. Known for its robust health, controlled body weight gain, and consistent physiological performance, the Wistar Han rat supports clear data interpretation across chronic, carcinogenicity, and repeat dose studies.
Compared with traditional Wistar strains, Wistar Han rats demonstrate improved survival and a reduced incidence of age-related spontaneous findings, helping minimize background pathology that can confound long-duration study outcomes. Their calm temperament and ease of handling further support efficient study conduct and reduced stress-related variability.
Backed by decades of internal and published data and bred under Charles River’s International Genetic Standardization (IGS) program, the Wistar Han rat offers reliability, reproducibility, and global consistency for high confidence nonclinical research.
GlaxoWellcome rederived the Wistar Han rat from Han Wistar stock originally supplied by BRL. The strain was transferred to Charles River UK in 1996, followed by transfer to Charles River in 1997, where it was rederived and established as an isolator maintained Foundation Colony.
Growth chart data should be used as a guideline only.
The shaded areas on each chart are the mean weight plus or minus one standard deviation at a given age averaged across all production facilities. This represents approximately 67% of the population, with the remaining 33% falling outside of this weight range.
UNIT: A3
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UNIT: A56
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*eCommerce is available in US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland
Try out this model with our animal evaluation program.
Wistar Han Rat Details
The Wistar Han rat is a well-characterized outbred strain widely selected for regulatory toxicology and long-term safety assessment programs. Known for its robust health, controlled body weight gain, and consistent physiological performance, the Wistar Han rat supports clear data interpretation across chronic, carcinogenicity, and repeat dose studies.
Compared with traditional Wistar strains, Wistar Han rats demonstrate improved survival and a reduced incidence of age-related spontaneous findings, helping minimize background pathology that can confound long-duration study outcomes. Their calm temperament and ease of handling further support efficient study conduct and reduced stress-related variability.
Backed by decades of internal and published data and bred under Charles River’s International Genetic Standardization (IGS) program, the Wistar Han rat offers reliability, reproducibility, and global consistency for high confidence nonclinical research.
GlaxoWellcome rederived the Wistar Han rat from Han Wistar stock originally supplied by BRL. The strain was transferred to Charles River UK in 1996, followed by transfer to Charles River in 1997, where it was rederived and established as an isolator maintained Foundation Colony.
Growth chart data should be used as a guideline only.
The shaded areas on each chart are the mean weight plus or minus one standard deviation at a given age averaged across all production facilities. This represents approximately 67% of the population, with the remaining 33% falling outside of this weight range.
UNIT: 1
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UNIT: 3
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➤ TALK TO US to discuss organization or volume-based discounts
Already have an eCommerce portal account?* Login to order research models, obtain quotes, view organization-specific pricing, and see inventory. Processing time required to validate new eCommerce access requests.
*eCommerce is available in US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland
Try out this model with our animal evaluation program.
Wistar Han Rat Details
The Wistar Han rat is a well-characterized outbred strain widely selected for regulatory toxicology and long-term safety assessment programs. Known for its robust health, controlled body weight gain, and consistent physiological performance, the Wistar Han rat supports clear data interpretation across chronic, carcinogenicity, and repeat dose studies.
Compared with traditional Wistar strains, Wistar Han rats demonstrate improved survival and a reduced incidence of age-related spontaneous findings, helping minimize background pathology that can confound long-duration study outcomes. Their calm temperament and ease of handling further support efficient study conduct and reduced stress-related variability.
Backed by decades of internal and published data and bred under Charles River’s International Genetic Standardization (IGS) program, the Wistar Han rat offers reliability, reproducibility, and global consistency for high confidence nonclinical research.
GlaxoWellcome rederived the Wistar Han rat from Han Wistar stock originally supplied by BRL. The strain was transferred to Charles River UK in 1996, followed by transfer to Charles River in 1997, where it was rederived and established as an isolator maintained Foundation Colony.
Please email us at [email protected] to request a health report for this model.
For additional information, including pricing details, please visit the Wistar Han rat page on the Vital River Laboratories website.
Try out this model with our animal evaluation program.
Advancing Preclinical Research with the Rat Model
This presentation will explore how the unique physiological characteristics of rats provide translational value across multiple therapeutic areas, as well as best practices for husbandry that optimize both welfare and experimental reproducibility.
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Our IGS (International Genetic Standardization) breeding program ensures that animals bred at any global production facility have the same genetic profile if they are inbred, or the same level of genetic heterogeneity if they are outbred. Learn More
Benefits of Wistar Han Rats
| Optimized for long-term studies | Improved survival and reduced premature mortality support clearer interpretation of chronic and carcinogenicity data. |
| Lower background pathology | Reduced incidence of spontaneous and age related lesions minimizes confounding findings in regulatory studies. |
| Predictable growth and physiology | Balanced body weight gain enables consistent dosing, sampling, and exposure assessment. |
| Calm temperament and ease of handling | Supports efficient in life phases and helps reduce stress related variability. |
| Regulatory familiarity | Widely accepted by global regulatory agencies with extensive historical control data. |
| Global genetic consistency | Bred under the Charles River IGS program to support comparability of data across sites and studies over time. |
Research Applications for Wistar Han Rats
| Chronic and long term toxicology studies | Improved survival and reduced age‑related pathology support robust long‑duration study outcomes. |
| Regulatory toxicology and safety assessment | Extensive historical control data support IND and NDA enabling programs. |
| General and repeat dose toxicology | Stable physiology and predictable growth enable consistent dosing and data interpretation. |
| Developmental and reproductive toxicology | Well-characterized reproductive performance with established background datasets. |
| Aging, oncology, and surgical research models | Durability and resilience support complex and extended experimental designs. |
Resources
- Informational Resources
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Technical Data
- Neoplastic and Non-Neoplastic Lesions in the Charles River Wistar Hannover [Crl:WI(Han)] Rat - March 2011
- Reproductive Parameters and Fetal Data from Reproductive Toxicity Studies in the Wistar Hannover [Crl:WI(Han)] Rat - March 2009
- Clinical Laboratory Parameters for Crl:WI(Han) Rats - March 2008
- Wistar Han Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) - February 2008
- Spontaneous Neoplasms and Survival in Wistar Han Rats: Compilation of Control Group Data - March 2003
- Neoplastic and Non-Neoplastic Lesions in the Charles River Wistar Hannover [Crl:WI(Han)] Rat - March 2011
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Scientific Posters
- Pharmacological Validation of Integrated Nerve Conduction Velocity Assays, Functional Observational Battery and Videotracking in the Rat using Peripheral Nerve Toxicants
- Ocular Background Findings in Albino Rats: A Comparative Study Between Sprague Dawley and Wistar Han Strains
- Lifetime Carcinogenicity Studies in Han Wistar and Sprague-Dawley Rats: Historical Data for Survival, Neoplasms and Causes of Premature Death
- Skin Lesions Related to Implantation of Transcutaneous Button in Male Sprague Dawley (SD) and Wistar Han (WH) Rats Publications
- Evaluation of Cyclophosphamide at Various Dose Levels to 8-, 10-, and 12-Week-Old Female Sprague Dawley and Wistar Han Rats
- Differences in Survival, Incidence of Spontaneous Neoplasms, and Neoplastic Onset in 2-Year Carcinogenicity Studies Conducted in Crl:CD(SD) Rats and Crl:WI(Han) Rats
- Blood Sampling for Clinical Pathology in Rats: Retro-orbital Sinus Sampling vs Jugular Vein Sampling
- Pharmacological Validation of Integrated Nerve Conduction Velocity Assays, Functional Observational Battery and Videotracking in the Rat using Peripheral Nerve Toxicants
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Scientific Publications
- Williams EC, et al. Spatially Resolved Integrative Analysis of Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Changes in Tissue Injury Studies. Nat Commun. 2026 Jan 7;17(1):205. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-68003-w. PMID: 41501078; PMCID: PMC12780049.
- Freitas L, et al. Impact of Long-Term Swimming Exercise on Rat Femur Bone Quality. Biomedicines. 2023 Dec 22;12(1):35. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines12010035. PMID: 38255142; PMCID: PMC10813774.
- Warmink K, et al. Effects of Different Obesogenic Diets on Joint Integrity, Inflammation and Intermediate Monocyte Levels in a Rat Groove Model of Osteoarthritis. Front Physiol. 2023 Jul 13;14:1211972. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1211972. PMID: 37520829; PMCID: PMC10372350.
- Martins-Macedo J, et al. StressMatic: A Novel Automated System to Induce Depressive- and Anxiety-like Phenotype in Rats. Cells. 2023 Jan 20;12(3):381. doi: 10.3390/cells12030381. PMID: 36766724; PMCID: PMC9913774.
- Williams EC, et al. Spatially Resolved Integrative Analysis of Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Changes in Tissue Injury Studies. Nat Commun. 2026 Jan 7;17(1):205. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-68003-w. PMID: 41501078; PMCID: PMC12780049.
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Strain Comparison: Wistar Han Rats vs. Sprague Dawley Rats
Feature / Consideration Wistar Han IGS Rat (Crl:WI(Han)) Sprague Dawley IGS Rat (Crl:CD (SD)) Strain Type Outbred rat strain Outbred rat strain Breeding Standard Charles River International Genetic Standardization (IGS) Charles River International Genetic Standardization (IGS) Primary Use General multipurpose regulatory/toxicology studies (preferred for long term studies) General multipurpose regulatory/toxicology studies Body Weight Profile More controlled and balanced body weight gain Faster body weight gain over time Survival in Long Term Studies Improved survival in chronic and 2 year studies Lower survival compared with Wistar Han in long duration studies Age Related Spontaneous Findings Reduced incidence of age related and spontaneous pathology Higher incidence of spontaneous findings with aging Background Tumor Incidence Lower background neoplasm incidence in long term studies Higher background tumor incidence in aging studies Historical Control Data Extensive historical control datasets for regulatory submissions Extensive historical control datasets across many applications Regulatory Acceptance Widely accepted for IND and NDA enabling toxicology studies Widely accepted for regulatory and discovery stage research Temperament and Handling Calm temperament; easy handling Calm temperament; easy handling Repeat Dose Toxicology Well-suited due to stable growth and physiology Commonly used and well characterized Carcinogenicity Studies Frequently selected due to survival and pathology profile Used, but background findings may be higher Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology Well characterized; commonly used Well characterized; commonly used Other Toxicology and Safety Pharmacology Studies: FOB, Plysmethography, Mechanistic Studies (Including Cardiovascular) Commonly used N/A Best Fit When… Long term survival, reduced background pathology, and regulatory clarity are priorities Flexibility and broad historical usage are primary needs
Frequently Asked Questions about Wistar Han Rats
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How does the Wistar Han rat differ from traditional Wistar rats?
Compared with traditional Wistar rats, Wistar Han animals demonstrate improved body weight control, lower incidence of age related spontaneous findings, and enhanced survival in long term studies, supporting clearer interpretation of chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity data.
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Can Wistar Han rats replace other Wistar or Sprague Dawley strains in existing programs?
In many cases, yes. However, strain changes should be carefully evaluated based on historical control data, regulatory expectations, and study endpoints.
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What are the main research applications of Wistar Han rats?
Wistar Han rats are commonly used in general and repeat dose toxicology, safety pharmacology, reproductive and developmental toxicology, carcinogenicity studies, and other regulatory driven nonclinical research programs.
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Why are Wistar Han rats preferred for long term studies?
Wistar Han rats exhibit favorable survival profiles and a reduced incidence of age related spontaneous pathology, which minimizes confounding background findings and supports accurate interpretation of long duration study outcomes.
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Are Wistar Han rats accepted by regulatory agencies?
Yes. Wistar Han rats are widely accepted by global regulatory authorities and are routinely used in IND and NDA enabling toxicology studies. Extensive historical control data further support their use in regulatory submissions.
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Are Wistar Han rats suitable for studies aligned with the 3Rs principles (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement)?
Yes. The well characterized biology, extensive historical control data, and consistent performance of Wistar Han rats support Reduction by enabling efficient study design and minimizing the need for repeat studies. Their calm temperament and predictable physiology also support Refinement of handling and experimental procedures.
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Does long term study suitability raise additional welfare considerations?
Wistar Han rats are frequently selected for long term studies due to their favorable survival profiles and reduced age related spontaneous pathology. These characteristics support not only scientific objectives but also animal welfare by reducing the likelihood of unexpected morbidity during extended in life phases.