Thursday's Health Winners & Losers

For-sale signs, buyouts and new partnerships lifted biotech trading volume and launched a few stocks Thursday.

MGI Pharma(MOGN) said in a statement Thursday that management has hired Lehman Brothers to help it evaluate strategic alternatives.

Amgen(AMGN) and Bristol-Meyers Squibb(BMY) have been among the rumored prospective buyers of the company, whose products include blood-disorder drug Dacogen and chemotherapy-induced nausea preventive Aloxi. MGI, in a statement, declined to comment on rumors. Shares added $5.35, or 18.1%, to $34.90.

On the buyout topic, Axcan Pharma(AXCA), which specializes in treatments for gastrointestinal disorders, said Thursday that it agreed to be acquired by private equity firm TPG Capital in an all-cash transaction valued around $1.3 billion. TPG Capital will pay $23.35 a share, a 28% premium over the average trading price of Axcan's common shares on Nov. 28. Axcan expects that the transaction, which was unanimously approved by the board, will be completed in the first calendar quarter of 2008, subject to shareholder approval. Shares surged $4.36, or 24%, to $22.57.

Also on the rise was Regeneron(REGN), shares of which garnered $4.86, or 28.3%, to $21.80 on news that it strengthened its ties with Sanofi-Aventis(SNY). Sanofi now holds a 19% stake in the company, up from a prior 4% stake. The team's new collaboration will use Regeneron technology to discover and develop fully humanized antibody drugs.

Regeneron and Axcan are both components of the Nasdaq biotechnology index, which was up 5.03, or 0.6%, to 860.25.