Press Release | Healthcare (HC)

Celerion Announces Majority Investment from THL Partners

April 22, 2026

Strategic Partnership to Advance Clinical Pharmacology and Bioanalytical Innovation to Accelerate Drug Development

LINCOLN, Neb. — [March 22, 2026] — Celerion, a global leader in clinical pharmacology and bioanalytical sciences, today announced a majority investment from THL Partners (“THL”), a premier private equity firm investing in middle market growth companies. The investment will support Celerion’s continued growth and innovation, including expanding its clinical and bioanalytical capabilities and advancing its work to help pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners bring new therapies to patients worldwide.

Celerion is a critical partner in bringing new medicines to market. The company is a premier provider of clinical pharmacology and advanced bioanalytical sciences, specializing in first-in-human dose escalation, cardiac safety (TQT), bioequivalence, drug-drug interaction, renal and hepatic impairment, PK/PD characterization, and other complex clinical pharmacology studies that are critical to drug labeling and regulatory approval. The company operates a fully integrated model spanning clinical and laboratory capabilities, enabling it to deliver high-quality, reliable data to support early-phase clinical trials and regulatory submissions. With a footprint across North America and Europe, Celerion supports pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers through a network of purpose-built clinical research units and bioanalytical laboratories.

“Celerion has built a reputation as a trusted partner to leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, grounded in scientific rigor, operational excellence, and a deep commitment to advancing patient outcomes,” said Dr. Susan Thornton, Ph.D., founder and Chief Executive Officer of Celerion. “We are proud of what our team has accomplished and excited to partner with THL to build on this strong foundation. THL’s deep experience in pharma services and collaborative approach make them an ideal partner as we continue to invest in our capabilities and support our customers in bringing new therapies to market. This partnership will allow us to invest further in the capabilities and capacity our customers need as they advance increasingly complex molecules through clinical development.”

“Celerion plays a critical role in bringing new medicines to market, particularly at the earliest and most complex stages of clinical pharmacology,” said Megan Preiner, Managing Director at THL. “With its differentiated clinical infrastructure, leading scientific expertise, and strong customer relationships, Celerion is one of the few organizations globally to integrate clinical pharmacology and bioanalytical capabilities under one roof—a combination that is increasingly valuable as drug development grows more complex. We are excited to partner with the Celerion team to support its next phase of growth and innovation.”

Pharma services is a core focus within THL’s healthcare franchise, with more than 25 years of investment experience across the clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization value chain. Over that time, THL has developed deep sector expertise and a broad network of industry relationships, informed by extensive experience evaluating and partnering with companies across the ecosystem. This long-standing focus reflects the firm’s Identified Sector Opportunities (ISO) strategy of building differentiated insight and repeatable value creation capabilities within key subsectors.

“THL has been investing in pharma services for more than three decades, building a deep understanding of what drives success across the clinical development value chain,” said Joshua Nelson, Head of THL’s Healthcare team. “We believe that experience—combined with our long-standing focus on the sector—positions us to be a highly effective partner to Susan and her talented team as they continue to scale this compelling platform and support increasingly complex drug development programs.”

THL will invest in Celerion through its flagship Fund IX. The transaction is expected to close in 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.

About Celerion

Celerion, a global leader in early clinical research, offers clients expert-driven services that enable fast, informed decisions in drug development. With over 50 years of experience, Celerion specializes in Phase 1 studies, including first-in-human dose escalation, drug-drug interactions, cardiac safety, bioequivalence, metabolism, and pharmacokinetics in patient populations. Celerion also provides comprehensive data management, biostatistics, clinical monitoring, and bioanalytical services. For more information, visit www.celerion.com.

About THL

THL Partners is a premier private equity firm investing in middle-market growth companies exclusively within Healthcare, Financial Technology & Services, and Technology & Business Solutions. THL couples deep sector expertise with dedicated operating resources to build great companies of lasting value in partnership with management teams. For more information, visit www.thl.com.