Thursday's Health Winners & Losers

Several health-care stocks moved higher on Canadian, European and U.S. regulatory action Thursday, and one of the biggest moves came from Dendreon(DNDN Quote), which recently was climbing 33%.

The Food and Drug Administration confirmed it would accept either a positive interim or final analysis of survival from Dendreon's latest trial to approve its prostate-cancer vaccine Provenge. Shares were up $2.48 to $9.23.

Avanir Pharmaceuticals(AVNR Quote) got the FDA's approval to market a new orally disintegrating tablet formulation of its antipsychotic drug clozapine, marketed as FazaClo. Previously the drug was available in 25-mg and 100-mg dosage strengths in blister packaging, but the company will now additionally market bottle packaging and a 12.5-mg dosage strength.

Avanir said the bottles will be available in pharmacies shortly and it expects health care professionals and patients will find them more convenient. Shares were up 10%, or 33 cents, to $3.55 midday, after rising 16 percent to $3.70 in early trading.

Encysive Pharmaceuticals (ENCY Quote) was higher by 45 cents, or 12.3%, at $4.03 on an announcement late Wednesday that the Canadian health authority approved Thelin for treatment of pulmonary artery hypertension in that country.

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