CRO

InVentiv to go public, hopes to raise $500M

InVentiv Group Holdings, one of the largest contract research organizations in the world, is looking to float as part of its recent growth spurt.

The currently privately held CRO filed its request to go public on Tuesday with the SEC to raise up to $100 million--although this is likely a placeholder for an IPO that analysts predict could raise up to $500 million.

The Burlington, MA-based company was founded in 1999. It has not selected an exchange or symbol but has said that Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Jefferies are the joint book runners on the deal. No pricing terms have yet been disclosed.

The company, which includes inVentiv Health, has been steadily growing its global reach and expertise over the past few years. The company touts itself as playing a role in either the development or commercialization of 60% of all drugs approved by the FDA over the last 5 years.

The sprawling company, which is now looking to compete with CROs such as Quintiles ($Q) and Parexel ($PRXL), has offerings spanning all phases of clinical development, along with legal, regulatory and policy work, among other services.

- see the release