Arsenal Capital-Led Investor Group Recapitalizes WIRB-Copernicus Group

NEW YORK – Arsenal Capital Partners, a New York based private equity firm, announced today that its portfolio company WIRB-Copernicus Group® (WCG™), has completed a recapitalization in which Arsenal Capital Partners led an investment group, including Arsenal Capital Fund IV, MSD Capital, L.P. and other leading institutional investors, to provide WCG with additional capital to continue its successful growth.

WCG is one of the world's leading providers of solutions that measurably improve the quality and efficiency of clinical research. Stephen McLean, co-Head of Arsenal’s Healthcare Group, stated, “Arsenal has an abiding commitment to enabling increased efficacy of Pharmaceutical and Bio-technology research and development. WCG is an essential company in this endeavor. The significant investment by Arsenal and our partners reflects the investors’ commitment to safe, effective clinical trials.”

Donald Deieso, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO of WCG, stated, “The management of WCG is devoted to enhancing the safety of clinical trial subjects around the world and to improving the efficiency of clinical trial execution at this critical juncture for our industry. The additional investment by Arsenal and its partners augments our resources to further the important mission of our company.”

About WCG
The pioneer of independent ethical review, WCG continues to drive ingenuity in the clinical research space. Today, WCG’s solutions are built upon the foundation of ethical review, but have grown to include a suite of complementary services and technologies that expand the capabilities of the modern research professional. WCG delivers transformational solutions that stimulate growth, foster compliance, and maximize efficiency for those who perform clinical trials.

WCG is proud to serve the individuals on the frontlines of science and medicine, and the organizations that strive to develop new products and therapies to improve the quality of human health. It is WCG’s role to empower them to accelerate advancement, while ensuring that the risks of progress never outweigh the value of human life.

About Arsenal Capital Partners
Arsenal Capital Partners is a leading New York based private equity firm established in 2000 to invest in middle market healthcare and specialty industrial companies. Arsenal currently manages $2.8 billion of committed capital. Arsenal makes investments in growth companies in sectors in which the firm has significant prior knowledge and experience. Within its healthcare portfolio, Arsenal companies support pharmaceutical and biotech research in discovery, pre-clinical and clinical phases. Arsenal is committed to assisting scientific research in bringing safe and effective therapeutic treatments to address human diseases around the world.

About MSD Capital, L.P. and MSD Partners, L.P.
MSD Capital, L.P. is the private investment firm that was established in 1998 to exclusively manage the capital of Michael Dell and his family. The firm’s investment strategy is focused on making long-term investments across the globe in the equities of public and private companies, credit, real estate and other asset classes and securities. In 2009, the principals of MSD Capital formed MSD Partners, L.P., an SEC-registered investment adviser, to enable a select group of investors to invest in strategies that were developed by MSD Capital. MSD Capital and MSD Partners are headquartered in New York.