Our History

Nucleus Network was established with Victorian Government funding in 2003 by the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute.

Under the leadership of then-Director, Professor Gary Jennings AO, it was at the heart of a strategy to accelerate research translation and better health outcomes for patients.

Like most outstanding ideas, Nucleus Network grew quickly, forming a reputation as an early phase clinical trial specialist for conducting Phase 1 clinical trials, including complex First-in-Human healthy and patient trials for Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical companies.

With an eye on the US market, it became clear to Baker IDI that Nucleus Network had potential to scale well beyond the initial scope. In 2018, the sale of Nucleus Network to Crescent Capital Partners signaled a transformation from a single site with a niche offering, to a company that could make an impact at a global level, and service some of the industry’s largest and most respected clients in the sector.

By 2019, Nucleus Network had expanded its capabilities and access to patient trial participants with the acquisition of additional specialist facilities in Brisbane (Q-Pharm) and the USA (Prism) all brought under the Nucleus Network banner. This positions Nucleus Network as the first and only multi-site Phase 1 clinical trial organization with clinics in both Australia and the USA.

In late 2021, Nucleus Network's continued expansion in profile and capability made it an attractive acquisition for several investment groups, and on March 1st 2022 the sale was finalized and Nucleus Network was acquired by one of the world's largest private equity firms, Blackstone.

We are undergoing an exciting global transformation. With expanded capability and the capacity to offer a true one-of-a-kind flexible, multi-site specialized service, Nucleus Network is setting new standards across the sector and is helping re-imagine the future of early-stage clinical trial conduct.