Health Stocks in Motion

Quidel (QDEL) was among the winners of health-related stocks Thursday after the company said it received approval to market one of its flu diagnostic tests as effective in finding the virus linked to bird flu.

Quidel said package inserts for its QuickVue Influenza A+B kit will be updated to reflect a 94% sensitivity finding for detecting Influenza A when using nasal swab specimens. Clinical study results for nasal swab, nasopharyngeal swab and nasal wash for the detection of cultured avian influenza viruses will be included in the packaging. Quidel shares recently were up $2.52, or 27%, to $11.99.

Alkermes (ALKS) and Cephalon (CEPH) were moving after the Food and Drug Administration issued an approvable letter for their alcoholism drug, Vivitrol. Full approval is contingent upon finalizing the product label and satisfying a request by the FDA for certain preclinical pharmacokinetic data. The companies expect to launch the drug in the second quarter of 2006. Shares of Alkermes, which developed the drugs, were up $1.74, or 9.8%, to $19.53, while the drug's marketer, Cephalon, fell 6 cents, or 0.9%, to $64.61.

Guidant(GDT) reported 18 additional failures of its recalled heart devices. The report, which came via the Food and Drug Administration, comes a day after the medical device maker set a date to vote on its prior acquisition deal with Johnson & Johnson(JNJ), despite a higher rival bid by Boston Scientific(BSX). Guidant shares were down 44 cents to $64.70.

Shares of NeoPharm(NEOL) gave back some of their gains from earlier this week. The shares jumped after an independent panel recommended the continuation of a phase III trial using its cintredekin besudotox to treat brain cancer. The shares jumped 52% to $12.10 on the news Tuesday, while falling to $11.61 Wednesday. The shares recently shed another 82 cents, or 7%, to trade at $10.79.

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