A leading contract research organization specializing in pharmaceutical drug discovery and development services disclosed a significant data breach stemming from a ransomware attack that occurred in early August 2025.
The Inotiv company announced the cybersecurity incident in its fiscal 2025 financial results disclosure. Revealing that threat actors gained unauthorized access to critical systems between August 5 and August 8.
The West Lafayette, Indiana-based firm discovered the breach on August 8, 2025, and immediately initiated incident response procedures.
Pharma Firm Inotiv Data Breach
Inotiv restored availability and access to affected networks and systems, followed by a comprehensive forensic investigation that has now concluded.
During the four-day compromise window, attackers successfully infiltrated the company’s infrastructure and acquired an unspecified amount of company data. Though the exact scope and sensitivity of exfiltrated information remains unclear.
In regulatory filings, Inotiv stated that it is currently providing notifications regarding the cybersecurity incident in accordance with applicable legal obligations. Indicating potential state and federal disclosure requirements are in motion.
Inotiv acknowledged that, while it has identified the likely scope of the breach, the full operational and financial impacts are still under evaluation.
Notably, Inotiv has not yet determined whether the incident is reasonably likely to have material financial consequences for the organization. The breach adds to Inotiv’s existing operational challenges.
The pharmaceutical services provider is navigating substantial debt obligations totaling $402.1 million and recently engaged financial advisors to explore debt refinancing alternatives.
During fiscal 2025, the company reported revenue of $513 million but posted an operating loss of $30.9 million.
Inotiv’s incident disclosure comes amid broader ransomware targeting of healthcare and pharmaceutical organizations.
The contract research sector handles sensitive clinical data, proprietary drug development information, and regulatory documentation, making these firms attractive targets for threat actors.
The company’s financial guidance did not specify whether incident remediation costs would impact future earnings or were already factored into current loss projections.
The incident underscores the cybersecurity risks faced by pharmaceutical research organizations that manage high-value intellectual property and confidential client data throughout the drug development pipeline.
