Fengate buys majority stake in Florida clinical trial network CRWF
What's the deal? Fengate Private EquityDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a division of Fengate Asset ManagementDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, has acquired a majority stake in Clinical Research of West Florida (CRWF)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an independent clinical research site network in the Tampa Bay region. Financial terms were not disclosed. Fengate is managing the investment on behalf of the LiUNA Pension Fund of Central and Eastern CanadaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
What each side brings: Founded in 1995, CRWF runs three research facilities across Tampa and Clearwater, including a dedicated Phase I unit, and draws on a database of more than 35,000 patients. Its board-certified principal investigators have supported over 1,000 trials across Phase I through IV for nearly 300 biopharmaceutical sponsors and contract research organisations. Fengate manages more than $19 billion in assets across private equity, infrastructure, and real estate.
What's the endgame? The deal is Fengate's second pharma services platform investment, extending its coverage from commercialisation into clinical development. The firm plans to build a leading regional network while preserving the qualities behind CRWF's track record.
The expansion: With Fengate's backing, CRWF will grow beyond Southwestern Florida by opening new sites in high-demand markets and partnering with independent site owners. It will seek sites with strong investigators and established patient communities, alongside new site development.
"Sponsors and CROs increasingly need site partners that can deliver consistent enrollment, quality and execution at scale," said Maxim Tcherner, managing director at Fengate Private Equity.
The signal: Demand for reliable clinical trial sites is pushing private capital to consolidate a fragmented, mostly independent market. Fengate's bet reflects a wider push to turn single-owner research sites into scaled regional networks that sponsors can rely on.
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