DFW Capital Partners announced today that it has led the acquisition of a majority interest in The Copernicus Group IRB, from its founding owners. DFW recruited pharmaceutical industry veteran, Bruce Tomason, to become CEO of Copernicus and lead the business post-acquisition. DFW completed this investment, in part, with funds from its most recent private equity fund, DFW Capital Partners III L.P.
Copernicus, based in Raleigh, NC, is a leading Institutional Review Board serving the FDA-mandated, independent review and oversight requirements of clinical drug trials involving human patient subjects. Copernicus operates an independent board consisting of medical, scientific, legal and ethical professionals, which reviews new clinical trials study protocols, and associated patient recruitment and communications materials, to ensure the ethical and informed treatment of human subjects. As part of this function, Copernicus evaluates and validates the credentials of principal investigators involved in the clinical trials it reviews, to ensure continued qualification and eligibility to participate in local site studies. Copernicus’ clients include the research and study start-up arms of pharmaceutical companies, medical vice manufacturers and contract research organizations (CROs). Copernicus is renowned for its quality, service and consistency in its ethical review process, and has become one of the largest centralized IRBs in the industry.
Joining DFW in the Copernicus deal were lenders High Point Capital and Patriot Capital.
About DFW Capital Partners
DFW Capital Partners is a private equity investment firm focused on lower middle-market companies. The firm concentrates on service companies, with an emphasis on healthcare and outsourced business and industrial support services. DFW is backed by both institutional and high-net worth individual investors, and has established a 20+ year track record of success in both building companies, and generating returns for its investors. DFW is headquartered in Teaneck, NJ, and maintains an office in Washington, D.C. For more information contact Keith Pennell, General Partner, at (201) 836-6000.