WCG to Acquire The Contract Network, Extending ClinSphere's AI-Driven Site Enablement Capabilities Across Study Start-Up

CARY, N.C., April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- WCG, a global leader in providing solutions that measurably improve and accelerate clinical research, today announced an agreement that marks a significant step in building a connected, AI-powered site enablement ecosystem, bringing together contract and study start-up intelligence to create earlier alignment, greater congruency, and more confident decision-making across study initiation.

The agreement includes the acquisition of The Contract Network, whose focused expertise in applying proven artificial intelligence to contract and study start-up workflows extends WCG's ClinSphere® platform, the AI engine powering WCG's clinical trial technology suite, including Trial IntelX™ for predictive trial design, site feasibility, and enrollment intelligence. This set of capabilities builds on WCG's long-standing leadership in global regulatory operations, workflow, and site enablement.

By extending its existing AI capabilities in targeted areas, WCG aims to further streamline some of the most complex and time-sensitive aspects of clinical research, without introducing new tools or processes for sites to manage independently. Where contract and start-up workflows have traditionally been reactive — surfacing issues only after delays have begun — this intelligence identifies misalignments at the point of document creation, before they become timeline risks.

"Study start-up continues to be one of the most challenging phases of clinical research, particularly for sites navigating contract and budget complexity," said Sam Srivastava, chief executive officer, WCG. "With The Contract Network, we accelerate the advancement of our AI roadmap by extending the capabilities we already have in place across site enablement. By bringing this specialized intelligence into our site enablement ecosystem, we can help sites and sponsors move forward with greater clarity and confidence."

"This isn't just about accelerating contracts or budgets, it's about creating a more connected and intelligent foundation for how sites engage across the clinical research ecosystem," said Jim Wagner, chief executive officer, The Contract Network. "By joining WCG, we can significantly amplify the scale and impact of the work we've been delivering, while gaining deeper insight into the full site enablement process. Our customers and partners will continue to benefit from The Contract Network's intelligence, now strengthened by WCG's integrated software and service capabilities to enable earlier alignment, clearer decisions, and a more trusted, neutral experience for all stakeholders."

The Contract Network's technology — co-developed in collaboration with leading academic medical centers including Mayo Clinic — is designed to analyze and surface inconsistencies across study documents, enabling earlier issue identification and more predictable workflows. Integrated into WCG's broader site enablement framework, these enhancements will drive faster decision-making while reinforcing WCG's commitment to usability, consistency, and measurable impact.

The acquisition aligns with WCG's ongoing strategy to advance site enablement by prioritizing integration, operational fit, and incremental innovation, ensuring new capabilities enhance, rather than complicate, the experience for sites and sponsors. Srivastava added, "With this addition, WCG ClinSphere now spans AI-powered predictive trial design, site feasibility and selection, participant enrollment, ethical review, and contract and budget intelligence, creating the industry's most comprehensive AI-enabled platform for clinical research operations."

About WCG

WCG is the decision infrastructure of clinical research, combining trusted oversight with intelligence that scales judgment and reduces risk across the trial lifecycle. With decades of experience and the industry's deepest dataset powering responsible AI, we help teams make confident decisions that keep trials moving forward for therapies at every stage of development. For more information, please visit wcgclinical.com or follow us on LinkedIn. 

About The Contract Network

The Contract Network builds AI-powered solutions that accelerate clinical research collaboration and study start-up. The company transforms complex study documents into structured, source-verified intelligence that supports faster decisions, better coordination and more efficient clinical trial activation.

SOURCE WCG