Wednesday's Health Winners & Losers

Health stocks were flat-to-green midweek amid earnings and regulatory actions and expectations.

In earnings, ViroPharma (VPHM Quote) Wednesday reported first-quarter profit of $17.4 million, or 22 cents a share, down from $22.1 million, or 31 cents a share, a year ago. Net sales increased to $50.9 million, from $49.0 million, but R&D and SG&A expenses climbed to $27.8 million, from $12.5 million. Results were just shy of analyst consensus expectations, which called for earnings of 23 cents a share on $52.84 million in revenue.

Shares were down 4.7% to $9.14.

Faring better, biotech BioMarin Pharmauceutical (BMRN Quote) said Tuesday post-close that it swung to a profit of $1.7 million, or 2 cents a share, vs. a loss of $9.3 million, or 10 cents a share, in the year-ago quarter. Higher sales and collaboration gains helped push revenue to $60.4 million, from $22.8 million in the 2007 period.

Analysts, on average, had expected a loss of 5 cents a share on revenue of $55.7 million. Shares were up $7.6% to $36.33.

ViroPharma and BioMarin are both components of the Nasdaq biotechnology index, which was up 0.7% at 808.32. Meanwhile, the Amex biotechnology and pharmaceutical indices were also up, 0.4% and 0.5%, respectively.

French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis (SNY Quote), feeling the pressure of generic-drug competition, said Wednesday that its adjusted profit fell to 1.86 billion euros, or $2.9 billion, from 2.12 billion euros in the 2007 quarter, in line with Wall Street's view. Revenue fell 6.94 billion euros ($10.8 billion) from 7.18 billion euros a year earlier. Shares were trading down 0.9% at $38.61.