Thursday's Health Winners & Losers

Health stocks slunk back from earlier in the week on clinical and regulatory updates and business development news Thursday.

First, BioCryst(BCRX) fell $3.81, or 32%, to $7.97 Thursday after announcing after-close Wednesday that a phase II trial didn't meet its primary endpoint due to the size of needles used to administer flu treatment peravimir. BioCryst is a component of the Nasdaq biotechnology index, which was down 4.52, or 0.5%, to 843.48.

Meanwhile, Medicure(MCU) said Thursday that it completed enrollment in its MEND-CABG II trial, a phase III study will evaluate safety and efficacy of the company's MC-1 in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Enrollment in the 3,000-patient pivotal trial wrapped up about two months early. Shares rose some 4.5% before ending the day at the flat line.

Also, AstraZeneca(AZN) said that results published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on Thursday show vandetanib, an oral anti-cancer drug, in combination with docetaxel, improved progression-free survival in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

Based on these data, the company has initiated a phase III trial, currently under way, to evaluate vandetanib and docetaxel in second-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. The study is recruiting and aims to enroll approximately 1,400 patients. The primary end points of the study are to assess progression free survival. Response rates and overall survival will be secondary endpoints. Shares were up 23 cents, or 0.5%, to $48.44 Thursday.