Celerion
Celerion is a privately held clinical research organization (CRO) providing integrated early-phase clinical pharmacology, bioanalytical, and cardiovascular safety services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology sponsors across North America, Europe, and Asia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersLincoln, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Celerion does
Celerion is a privately held contract research organization (CRO) specializing in early-phase clinical drug development for pharmaceutical and biotechnology sponsors. Founded with operations tracing back more than 50 years and headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, the company runs 1,001–5,000 employees across facilities in Lincoln, Phoenix, Zurich, and Belfast. Its core services span clinical pharmacology (first-in-human, proof-of-concept, and dose-escalation studies), bioanalytical sciences (method development, validation, and sample analysis), cardiovascular safety assessment (ECG and Holter monitoring), and cGMP-compliant US pharmacy services for Phase 1 investigational drugs. The operating model is an integrated clinical-and-laboratory platform — combining Phase 1 clinical research units with in-house bioanalytical labs and a dedicated senior cardiology function under Dr. Steven Evans — which the company's PE sponsor cites as a differentiator versus single-service CROs.
Celerion serves two primary customer segments — large and mid-size pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies — addressing pain points around escalating R&D costs, biologic drug development complexity, and the need for specialized early-phase expertise. Customer relationships are driven through enterprise B2B sales, with marketing supported by industry conferences, scientific publications, and direct business development. The company was acquired by H.I.G. Capital in November 2022, which supported commercial, operational, and technology investments that materially expanded the clinical and laboratory footprint; in June 2026, H.I.G. sold Celerion to funds affiliated with THL Partners for approximately $1.8 billion, with the acquirer citing the integrated platform as well-positioned for growing drug development complexity.
The revenue model is professional services: project-based, quote-driven contracts for clinical trials, bioanalytical testing, and specialized safety assessments, with pricing not publicly disclosed. Recent operating actions include Belfast operations relocating to Queen's University Belfast's £64m iREACH Health Clinical Research Innovation Center (Feb 2025), expansion of US on-site cGMP-compliant pharmacy services, and an SBTi Net-Zero Standard commitment. Celerion is currently a portfolio company of THL Partners, with majority ownership held through THL's Fund IX.
Celerion firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Celerion
- Legal name
- Celerion Holdings, Inc.
- Website
- https://celerion.com/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Celerion is a privately held clinical research organization (CRO) providing integrated early-phase clinical pharmacology, bioanalytical, and cardiovascular safety services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology sponsors across North America, Europe, and Asia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Celerion industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Clinical Research Services
- NAICS
- Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Clinical CROs (Phase I–IV) (HLAGAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Bioanalytical & Biomarker CROs (PK/PD/Immunogenicity) (HLAGAAAD), Central Laboratory & Clinical Trial Testing CROs (HLAGAAAE)
Keywords
Where Celerion is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lincoln
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Celerion business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Clinical Research Services: Contract research organization providing clinical pharmacology and early-stage drug development services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients. Revenue is generated through project-based contracts for clinical trials, bioanalytical testing, and specialized safety assessment services.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Celerion product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Celerion is a contract research organization (CRO) providing early-phase clinical pharmacology and bioanalytical sciences services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology drug development programs. The company operates integrated clinical research units and laboratory facilities delivering first-in-human studies, dose-escalation trials, bioanalytical method development and validation, sample analysis, and specialized cardiovascular safety assessment including ECG and Holter monitoring.
Product overview
Celerion is a clinical research organization providing integrated clinical pharmacology and bioanalytical sciences services for early-stage drug development. The company operates a platform combining clinical research units with laboratory capabilities, offering services spanning first-in-human studies, bioanalytical method development and validation, and specialized cardiovascular safety assessment. The portfolio includes Phase 1 clinical trial services, cGMP-compliant pharmacy services for investigational drugs, and specialized cardiac safety monitoring including ECG and Holter analysis.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Clinical Pharmacology Services
Companies that use Celerion
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Celerion technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Celerion partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- iREACH Health (Queen's University Belfast)coreCelerion expanded UK Phase 1 clinical research operations by relocating to Queen's University Belfast's iREACH Health – Clinical Research Innovation Center. This partnership supports advancement of clinical trial development in key healthcare areas. The new facility represents a £64m complex.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Celerion competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- IQVIA: IQVIA is the largest global CRO with full Phase I–IV coverage plus real-world evidence and technology platforms. It is a broad incumbent that competes with Celerion in early-phase clinical pharmacology and bioanalytical services while offering much broader downstream capabilities.
- Labcorp Drug Development (formerly Covance): Labcorp Drug Development is a global CRO and central laboratory operator offering early through late-phase clinical research. Its central lab and early development services directly overlap with Celerion's bioanalytical and Phase 1 offerings.
- ICON plc: ICON is a global CRO providing Phase I–IV services, bioanalytical labs, and post-approval research. It competes with Celerion for early-phase clinical pharmacology and bioanalytical mandates from pharma and biotech sponsors.
- Parexel International: Parexel is a global CRO offering early-phase clinical research, biostatistics, regulatory, and post-approval services. It directly competes with Celerion in early-phase clinical pharmacology and bioanalytical sciences.
- Syneos Health: Syneos Health is a global biopharmaceutical solutions organization offering clinical development and bioanalytical services. It overlaps with Celerion in early-phase clinical research for pharma and biotech sponsors.
Direct peers
- Charles River Laboratories: Charles River is a leading CRO with strong preclinical and early-phase clinical capabilities, including bioanalytical and safety assessment services. It directly overlaps with Celerion in clinical pharmacology and laboratory services for pharma/biotech sponsors.
- Worldwide Clinical Trials: Worldwide Clinical Trials is a mid-size CRO focused on early-phase through post-approval clinical research, with strong bioanalytical capabilities. Its positioning in Phase 1 clinical pharmacology and bioanalytical sciences closely mirrors Celerion's.
- Medpace: Medpace is a mid-size, full-service CRO with growing early-phase capabilities. It targets small and mid-size biopharma sponsors similar to Celerion's customer base and competes for Phase 1 and bioanalytical work.
Emerging players
- BioAgilytix Labs: BioAgilytix is a bioanalytical-focused CRO specializing in PK, immunogenicity, and biomarker assays. It directly overlaps with Celerion's bioanalytical sciences platform and competes for similar pharma/biotech sponsors.
- Frontage Laboratories: Frontage Laboratories is a CRO providing bioanalytical, preclinical, and early clinical development services. It overlaps with Celerion in bioanalytical sciences and Phase 1 clinical pharmacology, with strong US-China operations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Celerion social profiles
Digital presenceCelerion compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Celerion financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Celerion leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Celerion funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Celerion M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Celerion
What does Celerion do?
Celerion is a contract research organization (CRO) providing early-phase clinical pharmacology and bioanalytical sciences services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology drug development programs. The company operates integrated clinical research units and laboratory facilities delivering first-in-human studies, dose-escalation trials, bioanalytical method development and validation, sample analysis, and specialized cardiovascular safety assessment including ECG and Holter monitoring.
Is Celerion a public or private company?
Celerion is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Celerion founded?
Celerion was founded in 2010. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Celerion based?
Celerion is headquartered in Lincoln, United States, in the North America region.
How does Celerion make money?
One revenue line is on record: clinical Research Services.
Who are Celerion's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are IQVIA, Labcorp Drug Development (formerly Covance), ICON plc, Parexel International and Syneos Health. Direct peers are Charles River Laboratories, Worldwide Clinical Trials and Medpace. Emerging players are BioAgilytix Labs and Frontage Laboratories.
Does Celerion have an API?
No public API is recorded for Celerion.
What industry is Celerion in?
Celerion's product category is Clinical Research Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAAAA, Clinical CROs (Phase I–IV), with a secondary code of HLAGAAAD, Bioanalytical & Biomarker CROs (PK/PD/Immunogenicity). Its NAICS code is 5417 and its SIC code is 8731.