Monday's Health Winners & Losers

Biotech and pharma stocks kicked off the week on a green note after several companies presented data at a cardiology meeting over the weekend, and others offered separate study results and business news of their own.

The exception came from Schering-Plough (SGP) and Merck (MRK), which sunk to new lows after the companies released full data for the much debated Enhance study on cholesterol drug Vytorin at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology.

An expert panel at the meeting recommended doctors avoid prescribing Vytorin and revert patients to statins, traditional cholesterol-lowering drugs. Schering-Plough shares fell $5.07, or 26%, to $14.40, while Merck shares declined $6.70, or 15%, to $37.81.

Meanwhile, statin makers Pfizer (PFE) and AstraZeneca (AZN), which market Lipitor and Crestor, saw their shares increase 1.5% and 3.8%, respectively.

Abbott Laboratories (ABT) traded on the uptick after presenting data of its own from two late-stage studies at the American College of Cardiology meeting. The company said that its ABT-335, dubbed TriLipix, in combination with two common statins, improved LDL, or bad cholesterol, and HDL, or good cholesterol, compared to the statins alone. Its shares rose $2.01, or 3.8%, to $55.07.

Away from the cardiology news, Schering-Plough -- and competitor Vertex (VRTX) -- also released Hepatitis C data ahead of a European liver disease meeting. Vertex data suggested that its Telaprevir may be effective in treating a group of hepatitis C patients who tried other treatments unsuccessfully. Meanwhile, four-week data from Schering-Plough's boceprevir given in combination with standard treatment, was less robust than previous data from Vertex's Telaprevir. Although the company has yet to release final data, Vertex shares ran up $5.23, or 28%, to $23.89.

Vertex helped to hoist up the Amex and Nasdaq biotechnology indices, which rose 2.6% and 1.97%, respectively.

Another component, Gilead (GILD), gained $1.91, or 3.8%, to $51.49, as investors reacted to IMS prescription data. The data reportedly show February sales of Gilead's HIV drugs Atripla and Truvada of $105.2 million and $81.8 million, respectively.

In a note to investors, Bear Stearns analyst Mark Schoenebaum said that applying the growth rates -- 8% and 4% quarter over quarter -- to fourth-quarter sales implies first-quarter U.S. Atripla and Truvada sales of $280 million and $219 million, respectively. Meanwhile, Lazard analyst Joel Sendek reportedly raised his first-quarter estimate to $300 million and $239 million, respectively.

Elsewhere, Israel-based generic-drug maker Teva Pharmaceutical (TEVA) will acquire Bentley Pharmaceuticals (BNT) for roughly $360 million, or $15.02 a share. The deal will take place following a previously announced spin-off of Bentley's drug-delivery business. Bentley's shares rose $2.20, or 16%, to $15.94. Teva shares traded around the flat line around $46.00.

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