Today's Health Winners and Losers

Shares of OccuLogix(RHEO) were among the worst-performing health-related stocks Friday, tumbling 67% after the company said its treatment for age-related blindness failed to meet its primary endpoint in a phase III clinical trial.

Shares of TLC Vision(TLCV), which owns 51% of OccuLogix, were also down Friday, falling some 25%. OccuLogix said its treatment system for the dry form of age-related macular degeneration didn't demonstrate a statistically significant difference compared to the placebo group. "An anomalous response of the control group," the company said, "is the principal reason that the primary efficacy endpoint was not met." Shares of OccuLogix were trading down $8.56 to $4.19, while shares of TLC Vision declined $2 to $5.93.

Mylan Laboratories(MYL) climbed 11% after the drugmaker posted better-than-expected third-quarter results. The company earned $48.2 million, or 22 cents a share, on sales of $311.2 million. Excluding items, the company earned 25 cents a share in the December quarter. Analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call expected earnings of 24 cents a share, before items, on sales of $308.5 million. During the year-earlier quarter, the company earned $34.8 million, or 13 cents a share, on sales of $291 million.

Looking ahead, Mylan now projects fiscal 2006 earnings, before items, of 94 cents to $1 a share, narrowed from a previous forecast of 92 cents to $1.15 a share. For fiscal 2007, the company now sees earnings of $1.20 to $1.40 a share, compared with a previous forecast of $1.20 to $1.74 a share. Mylan projects fiscal 2007 sales of $1.25 billion to $1.36 billion, below Wall Street's prediction of $1.37 billion. Shares were trading up $2.05 to $21.35.

Shares of Ventiv Health(VTIV) rose 8% after the company announced the acquisition of privately-held Adheris and lifted its 2006 earnings and sales guidance. Ventiv is buying Adheris, a provider of patient compliance and persistency programs, for $60 million in cash and stock. The acquisition, which will close late in the first quarter, is expected to immediately add to Ventiv's earnings.