<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-15</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000919623</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>QUINTILES TRANSNATIONAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>QTRN</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000939158</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GILLINGS DENNIS B PH D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>4709 CREEKSTONE DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DURHAM</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>27703</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5910915</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>13343</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>by Daughter</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>14200</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>by GFEF</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>240000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>by Limited Partnership</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>259278</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>by Spouse</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>14.42</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-09-15</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>74629</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F3" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-09-15</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>74629</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>74629</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Includes 161,531 shares of Quintiles' common stock rolled over on September 5, 2003 from the reporting person's account in the Quintiles Transnational Corp. Employee Stock Ownership Plan into an IRA.  As part of the rollover, the 0.948 fractional share was processed as a check to the reporting person.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of all shares owned by spouse.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Options vest 25% on 09/15/2004, 50% on 09/15/2005, 75% on 09/15/2006, and 100% on 09/15/2007.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/Tammy B. Stogner
By:  Tammy B. Stogner, Attorney in Fact
For:  Dennis B. Gillings</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-17</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

