Company History
Meridian Clinical Research was founded by Nicole Osborn in 1999 in Omaha, NE. More than 20 years later, Meridian has grown from a single dedicated research center to a network of more than 35 clinical research sites and 90 principal investigators across North America. Meridian's principal investigators are deeply engaged in clinical research, and every research site is staffed by highly trained research personnel.
Meridian partners with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to conduct clinical trials for everything from flu vaccines and acne, to chronic conditions like multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease, and has enrolled more than 80,000 participants across more than 3,400 research studies to date.
-
May 18, 2022
1999
Meridian Clinical Research is founded by Nicole Osborn and begins operations as a single dedicated research center in Omaha, NE.
-
May 18, 2022
2005
Meridian opens its second dedicated research site in Dakota Dunes, SD, led by Principal Investigator Dr. David Ensz (now located in Sioux City, IA).
-
May 18, 2022
2012
Meridian opens its first internal medicine research site in Savannah, GA, later opening four additional specialties and a dedicated research center.
-
May 18, 2022
2013
Meridian launches a research site in Norfolk, NE, alongside Dr. Keith Vrbicky, a prominent figure in women's health research.
-
May 18, 2022
2015
Meridian opens three additional sites in Savannah, GA, specializing in neurology, dermatology and urology, as well as an internal medicine research site in Norfolk, NE.
-
May 18, 2022
2017
Meridian expands operations in the southern region, opening its first research sites in Maryland, Louisiana, and Virginia.
-
May 18, 2022
2018
Meridian adds a new internal medicine research site in Rockville, MD, and a plastic surgery and cosmetics research site in Savannah, GA.
-
May 18, 2022
2019
Meridian launches its Strength in Numbers program, built to reinforce full trial enrollment, superior research conduct, and a shared mission to help people beyond the clinic.
Meridian acquires the assets and operations of Regional Clinical Research, adding three new research sites in New York.
-
May 18, 2022
2020
Meridian plays a pivotal role in conducting COVID-19 clinical trials throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, enrolling 10,000 patients into COVID-19 vaccine trials and supporting more than 30 SARS-CoV-2 research programs for vaccines, treatments, prophylaxes, and diagnostics.
Keith Vrbicky, MD, Meridian Principal Investigator in Norfolk, NE, enrolls the first participant in Moderna's Phase 2 COVID-19 vaccine trial.
Brandon Essink, MD, CPI, Meridian Medical Director, is named a co-principal investigator for the Phase 3 clinical trial of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine; Paul Bradley, MD, Principal Investigator at Meridian’s internal medicine site in Savannah, GA, enrolls the first participant in the Moderna Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial.
Read more about Meridian's continued role in COVID-19 clinical research »
In October 2020, Meridian wins the Vaccine Industry Excellence (ViE) awards for Best Clinical Trial Site and Best Clinical Trial Network.
Inc. magazine ranks Meridian Clinical Research as 2,938 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies.
Meridian opens a dedicated research site in Iowa; opens its third Patient Engagement and Recruitment Center in Sioux City, IA; and expands research site operations into Macon, GA, and Grand Island and Hastings, NE.
-
May 18, 2022
2021
Meridian acquires the assets and operations of Sterling Research Group, expanding into Cincinnati, OH, with three dedicated research sites.
Meridian opens research sites in South Carolina and Washington, DC; and expands its footprint in Nebraska and Virginia, establishing research sites in Grand Island, NE, Lincoln, NE, and Portsmouth, VA.
Meridian ranks 1,145 on the Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest-growing private companies.
Meridian wins the first ever Excellence in Patient Centricity Award from the Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS).
-
May 18, 2022
2022
Meridian opens research sites in Kansas and North Carolina, strengthening its capabilities in allergy and immunology research and neurology research therapeutic areas.
-
May 18, 2022
Today
Through our Strength in Numbers program, launched in 2019, Meridian has given back more than $2.3 million to help people beyond its clinics.
Culture and Altruism
Since its founding in 1999, Meridian has relentlessly supported charitable and altruistic efforts in its local communities and in worldwide research communities. To keep patients and communities at the forefront, Meridian created the All In: Strength In Numbers program.
The program reinforces full trial enrollment, superior research conduct, and a shared mission to help people beyond the clinic. Each year, Meridian donates to charities that operate in the communities in which it operates. The donation amount is influenced by employee and enrollment performance. In 2021, Meridian donated more than $612,600 as part of this program.
Beyond donating to charities, Meridian has an annual Good Deeds Day — a tradition of spontaneous giving began more than a decade ago. For Good Deeds Day, employees at each Meridian site are given a cash stipend and a simple instruction: Go into your community and make a difference. Meridian employees decide on the best way to donate to the community, support local charities, or perform small acts of kindness.