PRA International

12120 Sunset HIlls Rd.

Year founded: 1996

Industry: health care

Post 200 Category: Top 125 Companies

Revenue: $307.64 Million

Net Income/Loss: $20.75 Million

Earnings per share: $1.02

Dividend: n/a

Stockholder equity: $150.38 Million

Auditor: PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP

Stock: PRAI

Assets: $337.34 Million

Market capitalization: $586.93 Million

52-week high: 28.3 2/4/2005

52-week low: 19 11/17/2004

President and CEO: Patrick Donnelly

CFO and SVP: J. Matthew Bond

Employees: 2500

Local employees: 50

Description: PRA International provides drug development services to biotech and pharmaceutical companies, by managing human trials, filing regulatory documents and monitoring drug safety during tests.

Developments: After pulling back in 1997, PRA entered the public markets in November with an initial public offering that raised $68.4 million. Executives are planning to use the proceeds to fund expansion operations in Asia and South America. PRA impressed analysts with its ability to dominate certain drug sectors, especially treatments for cancer. Of the firm's new business in 2004, two-thirds was cancer-related. PRA has also aggressively courted biotech customers. They represent a sector of the drug-development business where research spending is increasing, unlike in the big pharmaceutical companies. More than 50 percent of PRA's revenue comes from biotech companies. The firm's drug safety group saw a more than 40 percent increase in revenue during 2004, as concerns about the safety of drugs mounted. And early this year, the group was bolstered by the Food and Drug Administration's creation of an independent office aimed at strengthening the agency's response to safety issues.