Tuesday's Health Winners & Losers

Trial enrollment and technology's tribulations moved a few health stocks on an otherwise flat Tuesday.

First, Panacos Pharmaceuticals(PANC) gave up 52 cents, or 21%, to $2 after announcing the departure of its CFO and suffering a downgrade.

The company said after the market close Monday that CFO Peyton Marshall is resigning, and then Tuesday morning Caris & Co. analyst Doug Chow downgraded the stock to average from above average, noting, "we believe the unexpected change in senior management creates uncertainty and could limit potential upside to Panacos shares in the next 12 months." Chow indicated he's also concerned about slow enrollment in the company's phase II trial for bevirimat for HIV.

However, enrollment matters generated enthusiasm for other companies on Tuesday. Abbott Labs(ABT) said it began enrollment in its Hercules trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of its investigational renal stent system for patients with renal artery stenosis, a buildup of fatty plaque in arteries that lead to the kidneys, which can result in high blood pressure. The stock climbed 60 cents, or 1.1%, to $54.47.

Also, Labopharm (DDSS) said it completed enrollment in its phase III trial for a once-daily formula of antidepressant trazadone ahead of schedule and now expects to have results from the study at the beginning of the second quarter of 2008. The Food and Drug Administration only requires one positive phase III study to approve once-daily Trazadone as it's a reformulation of a drug that is already approved and marketed.

Labopharm added 17 cents, or 11%, to $1.69. It's a component of the Nasdaq biotechnology index, which was down just 9 points, effectively flat, at 850.44.