Health Winners & Losers: Amgen

Onyx shares traded up $1.21, or 3.1%, to $40.09.

In earnings, look for Amgen (AMGN Quote) after the close. But rather than quarterly digits, the big story is its bone drug denosumab, which reduced the risk of spine and hip fractures compared to placebo in a large phase III study of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. The much-awaited results regarding the potential blockbuster drug sent the stock up $6.56, or 12.2%, to $60.48 Monday.

Elsewhere, Biocryst (BCRX Quote) said Monday that according to preliminary results from a midstage study, patients with influenza who were treated with intravenous-administered flu treatment peramivir had a statistically significant improved median time to alleviation of symptoms vs. the placebo arm in an outpatient setting.

The company said that according to the trial, which was conducted by its partner, Shionogi & Co., in Japan, the drug was also safe and well-tolerated. Shionogi has begun preparing for a late-stage trial of the drug. Biocryst shares traded up 53 cents, or 20.2%, to $3.15.

Vanda, Sciele, Onyx, Amgen and Biocryst are all components of the Nasdaq biotechnology index, which edged down 0.2% to 886.69.