Thursday's Health Winners & Losers

Forest Laboratories (FRX Quote) fell 2% after the company agreed to acquire closely held antibiotic developer Cerexa of Alameda, Calif., for $480 million. Shares slipped $1.20 to $50.10.

Alexza Pharmaceuticals (ALXA Quote) surged 15% the day after the Palo Alto, Calif., drug developer completed patient enrollment in its Phase IIb clinical trial of its Staccato prochlorperazine prospect in patients with migraine headaches. Shares rose $1.32 to $9.95.

Generex Biotechnology (GNBT Quote) jumped 11% after saying a Phase 1 trial of its peptide-based vaccine in breast cancer patients showed the drug is safe. Shares added 20 cents to $1.95.

Medecision (MEDE Quote) sank 2.6% a day after the Wayne, Pa., maker of software for managed care companies finished flat in its first day of trading following a $47 million initial public offering. Shares slid 26 cents to $9.74.

Magellan Health (MGLN Quote) retreated 2.5% after the Avon, Conn., health care management outfit guided below the Wall Street consensus for 2007. Magellan said it expects to make $1.67 to $2.04 a share for 2007, below Thomson Financial's $2.35-a-share target. Shares gave up $1.09 to $41.90.

Adolor (ADLR Quote) traded actively after the Exton, Pa., drug developer disbanded its 35-person sales force and named its operating chief, Michael R. Dougherty, CEO. Shares tacked on 4 cents to $8.28.

Among Thursday's health care winners, Schering-Plough (SGP Quote) rose 30 cents to $23.60, Merck (MRK Quote) added 42 cents to $43.76, and Pfizer (PFE Quote) inched up 18 cents to $25.57.

Among losers, Elan (ELN Quote) gave back 4 cents to $13.97, and Encysive (ENCY Quote) lost 32 cents to $5.62.