Summit Clinical Research doubles down on liver disease trials with Houston Research Institute deal and top-level hires

Summit Clinical Research has acquired Houston Research Institute as part of a broader effort to strengthen its leadership team and deepen its presence in metabolic and liver disease-focused clinical trials. The acquisition, completed on 28 February 2025, expands Summit’s footprint in the complex therapeutic landscape of MASH (Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis) and MASLD (Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease). It also enhances its scientific and operational capabilities through the addition of key executives with longstanding domain expertise.

The strategic investment was facilitated in partnership with Pinnacle Clinical Research and supported by LongueVue Capital, the private equity backer of Summit. Houston Research Institute, founded in 2022 by hepatology experts Dr. Mazen Noureddin and the late Dr. Stephen Harrison, has been a centre for clinical trials addressing liver-related diseases including cirrhosis, alcoholic liver disease, and obesity.

How the Acquisition Enhances Summit’s Scientific Depth

As part of the transaction, Dr. Mazen Noureddin has joined Summit Clinical Research as Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors and will also serve as Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Noureddin brings years of clinical leadership and academic distinction in liver disease trials. According to his statement, his long-standing collaboration with both Summit and LongueVue Capital made the acquisition a logical extension of shared goals to improve outcomes in metabolic research. His appointment is expected to help align the company’s clinical execution with scientific leadership in key disease areas.

Ryan Nagim, Managing Partner and Head of Healthcare at LongueVue Capital, who also serves as Co-Chairman of Summit, stated that Dr. Noureddin’s key opinion leader status in hepatology will help both Summit and Pinnacle strengthen their roles in advancing clinical development for liver-related conditions.

Leadership Appointments Position Summit for Expanded Trial Capabilities

Alongside Dr. Noureddin’s appointment, Summit has also brought in two other senior executives to support its growth strategy. Dr. Naim Alkhouri has been named Chief Academic Officer and will take over from Dr. Sophie Jeannin. Dr. Alkhouri is currently the Medical Director of the Clinical Research Institute of Ohio and previously held leadership roles including Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Steatotic Liver Program at Arizona Liver Health. His work spans transplant hepatology and the broader metabolic research domain, aligning closely with Summit’s areas of clinical focus.

Dr. Alkhouri indicated that his goal is to expand relationships with sponsors and research sites, while also reinforcing Summit’s reputation as a leader in trials for liver and metabolic disorders.

Additionally, Brandon Early has been appointed President of Summit Clinical Research. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Global Project Delivery at ICON, where he led the strategic execution of full-service clinical trial models. In his new role, Mr. Early is expected to enhance Summit’s operational performance while broadening the company’s service offerings across multiple therapeutic areas.

Summit’s Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Gail Hinkson commented that Brandon Early’s industry background and operational oversight capabilities will support the company’s mission to deliver high-quality, scalable clinical trial services.

Strategic Rationale and Portfolio Synergy

The acquisition of Houston Research Institute complements the existing network of Summit and Pinnacle Clinical Research, which collectively operate more than 120 clinical trial sites worldwide. Houston Research Institute will integrate into this network, reinforcing Summit’s ability to support pharmaceutical sponsors with rapid enrolment and high compliance in complex trials, particularly in hepatology and obesity research.

Pinnacle Clinical Research, Summit’s partner in the transaction, specialises in metabolic and central nervous system disorders, managing a network of 15 sites across the United States. The combined operational and therapeutic capabilities of the three organisations are expected to create synergies that benefit both commercial sponsors and underserved patient populations.

Institutional Context and Funding Structure

The acquisition was structured and executed by LongueVue Capital’s healthcare investment team, including Managing Partner Ryan Nagim, Principal Austin Rees, Director Kent McCarty, Vice President Erin Saer, and Associates Rankin Hobbs and Hutton Johnston. LongueVue Capital, founded in 2001 and based in New Orleans, manages more than $1 billion in committed capital across five funds. The firm has a track record of backing mid-market companies at inflection points, particularly in sectors such as healthcare and industrial services.

Summit Clinical Research, founded in 2018 and headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is an integrated research organisation focusing on improving outcomes in complex clinical trials. Its areas of expertise include metabolic disorders, hepatology, and obesity. The company operates a scaled site network and offers services tailored to pharmaceutical and biotech sponsors seeking enhanced enrolment, quality, and protocol compliance in specialised therapeutic areas.

Outlook for Summit and Investor Confidence

The expansion of Summit’s leadership team and integration of Houston Research Institute are likely to be viewed positively by stakeholders in the clinical research sector. While Summit remains privately held, the deal signals institutional confidence in therapeutic areas such as MASH and MASLD, which have gained increasing attention in pharmaceutical pipelines. The involvement of leading hepatology KOLs adds credibility to the company’s scientific leadership, while the operational appointments suggest readiness for broader scale execution.

LongueVue Capital’s continued investment reflects strong investor sentiment towards specialised clinical research organisations that combine scientific depth with executional efficiency. Although Summit is not publicly listed, its market position and strategic moves are aligned with broader trends favouring decentralised trials and complex therapeutic area specialisation.