NovaQuest Completes 16 Investments into Emerging Biotech Companies in 2006

NovaQuest Completes 16 Investments into Emerging Biotech Companies in 2006

January 08, 2007

Participates in Funding That Raises $342 Million Total to
Advance New Medicines


    RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Jan. 8
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- NovaQuest, the strategic partnering
group of Quintiles Transnational Corp., continues to be a
leader in providing funding, strategic expertise and
management services to emerging biotechnology companies
worldwide, forming 16 such alliances through its
investments in 2006.

    NovaQuest participated as a minority investor in
funding rounds that raised a total of $342 million for
those companies; most of its emerging biotech investments
ranged from $1 million to $5 million.

    All NovaQuest partnerships involve financial support
and strategic development or marketing expertise; many also
include product development or commercialization services
from Quintiles. During 2005, NovaQuest's eBio unit, which
is dedicated to serving the emerging biotech and
small-pharma market sector, invested in eight companies. 
It doubled that number in 2006.

    "Three things are driving the active global
biotech market that we're participating in," said C.G.
"Chip" Gillooly, Global Vice President of
NovaQuest's eBio unit.  "First, biotech's continued
progress in developing promising new medicines.  Second,
private capital markets continue to value these companies
more favorably than the global public equities markets,
thereby altering investor exit strategies.  Third, the
value NovaQuest brings -- the experience and intellectual
capital necessary to advance experimental programs,
non-dilutive financing, alternatives to premature
out-licensing and access to Quintiles' global development
and commercialization resources.

    "We believe NovaQuest is among the leaders in
biotech financing activity, and the only company combining
that with the development and commercialization expertise
available from Quintiles."

    Quintiles Transnational Corp. is powering the next
generation of healthcare by providing a broad range of
professional services in drug development, financial
partnering and commercialization for the biotechnology and
healthcare industries. With 16,000 employees and offices in
more than 50 countries, it is focused on providing
customer-centric solutions that are the gold standard of
the industry.  For more information, please visit the
company's Web site at http://www.qtrn.com .

    NovaQuest, the strategic partnering group of Quintiles
Transnational, is an industry pioneer in offering tailored
financial and operational solutions that help
pharmaceutical and biotech companies overcome development
and commercialization challenges.  Its unique managed
partnership approach ensures sponsorship by senior-level
executives; access to global development and commercial
resources and expertise; and efficient operational delivery
of services.  Since 2000, NovaQuest has committed more than
$1.6 billion in "smart money" to alliances with
companies of all sizes.  For more information, please visit
http://www.novaquest.com .    


    For more information, please contact:

     Jay Johnson
     Media Relations
     Quintiles Transnational Corp.
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail] 

     Greg Connors
     Investor Relations
     Quintiles Transnational Corp.
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]


SOURCE  Quintiles Transnational Corp.