Fortrea closes $45 million deal for Worldwide's early phase unit
The Durham CRO adds a 200-bed clinical research unit and a bioanalytical lab in Texas, bought from RTP-based Worldwide Clinical Trials.
Fortrea, the Durham contract research organization, said on Oct. 19, 2026, that it has completed its purchase of the Early Phase Services division of Worldwide Clinical Trials, a CRO based in Research Triangle Park. Fortrea valued the all-cash deal at about $45 million.
The division includes a 200-bed clinical research unit in San Antonio, a 60,000-square-foot bioanalytical laboratory in Austin and a biospecimen storage facility in Pflugerville, Texas. Fortrea says the purchase brings its early clinical development capacity to more than 570 beds worldwide and gives it in-house large and small molecule bioanalytical work. The acquired operations now sit inside Fortrea's Clinical Pharmacology Services business unit.
Fortrea says the combined platform is designed to reduce handoffs between clinical and bioanalytical teams and improve turnaround times for early-phase studies. "Completing this acquisition further strengthens our integrated, scalable and scientifically differentiated clinical development platform," CEO Anshul Thakral said in the release.
Worldwide said the sale lets it focus investment on its clinical development business in oncology, neuroscience, internal medicine and rare disease, and that it will keep offering healthy volunteer studies through its external site network. The two companies have signed agreements meant to keep client programs running through the transition.
Barclays was Fortrea's financial advisor and Mintz its legal counsel. BroadOak Partners advised Worldwide, with Greenberg Traurig as legal counsel.
About this story
By Sotwire Desk. Written by Sotwire Desk from the sources below. Not a company attestation.
Sotwire Desk. Written by a named Sotwire editor from the sources cited below. Not a company attestation. Sotwire corrects errors publicly.
Key facts
- Fortrea
- Durham, NC
- Company news
- Desk reported
- Sotwire Desk
- About $45 million, all cash
- Oct. 19, 2026
- Worldwide Clinical Trials (Research Triangle Park)
- San Antonio clinical research unit (200 beds), Austin bioanalytical lab (60,000 sq. ft.), Pflugerville biospecimen storage
- More than 570 beds globally, per Fortrea
- Anshul Thakral
Key events
- Fortrea completed the acquisition
Sources
- Fortrea Completes Acquisition of the Early Phase Services Division from Worldwide Clinical Trials · Fortrea via GlobeNewswire · accessed 2026-10-26
- Worldwide Clinical Trials Completes Divestiture of Early Phase Services Business to Fortrea · Worldwide Clinical Trials · accessed 2026-10-26
- North Carolina Life Sciences News: Fortrea's $45 Million Acquisition, United Therapeutics FDA Approval & More · BioBuzz · accessed 2026-10-26