Quintiles Transnational Corp., the biggest provider of testing and drug-trial services to pharmaceutical companies, is studying an initial public offering, said two people familiar with the situation. The company may file for the IPO in the next 18 months, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private. Quintiles was bought in 2008 by private- equity firms including TPG Capital and Bain Capital LLC in a deal that valued the company at $3.8 billion, including debt, another person said.
