Health Stocks in Motion

Myriad Genetics(MYGN Quote) rose 13.8% after the company said it started enrolling patients for a phase III trial to study Flurizan, the company's Alzheimer drug. The trial is designed to determine Flurizan's ability to alter the course of cognitive decline and behavioral change in Alzheimer patients. Flurizan is currently being studied in a phase II trial involving 210 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. The patients have now been on the drug for more than nine months. The phase II trial's clinical study period is expected to conclude in March 2005. Shares traded up $3.02 to $24.95.

Shares of HCA(HCA Quote) rose 10.1% after the company previewed fourth-quarter results. When the company posts full results on Feb. 1, the hospital operator expects earnings of 68 cents to 72 cents a share, up from previous guidance of 52 cents to 57 cents a share. Sales, meanwhile, are expected to be $5.9 billion. Analysts had been expecting earnings of 55 cents a share on sales of $5.92 billion. Results for the quarter benefited from a lower tax rate, a reduction in the number outstanding shares, and a lower provision for doubtful accounts. Shares traded up $4.02 to $43.70.

Other health care movers included Pfizer(PFE Quote), down 12 cents to $26.03; Aastrom Biosciences(ASTM Quote), up 18 cents to $2.76; StemCells(STEM Quote), up 12 cents to $5.37; Biopure(BPUR Quote), up 1 cent to 57 cents; Merck(MRK Quote), down 9 cents to $31.08; Amgen(AMGN Quote), up $1.09 to $64.87; Schering-Plough(SGP Quote), up 10 cents to $21.41; and Bristol-Myers Squibb(BMY Quote), up 6 cents to $24.66.