We have provided news updates, added color where applicable, shown the price moves with volume and comparative data on each.

AEterna Zentaris (NASDAQ: AEZS) may be hard to pronounce, but shares are up after it said the European Medicines Agency assured the acceptability of its Phase III programs for its lead anti-cancer drug, perifosine.  This is for the treatment of multiple myeloma and refractory advanced colorectal cancer.  Shares are up 15% at $1.59 on well over 9 million shares; average volume is only about 750K and the 52-week range is $0.75 to $3.25.

Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANDS) is up after showing 72% of patients receiving ANA598 in a phase II combination study with interferon and Ribavirin achieved undetectable levels of virus at week eight.  Shares are up 8.6% at $2.84, but shares had been up as high as $3.24 today.  Mid-day volume is 11 million shares versus only about 500K on average, and the 52-week range is $1.44 to $6.45.

Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACHN) is down 8.5% at $2.98, but shares had been as high as $3.20 and the 52-week range is $1.10 to $3.89.  The news is that the company is presenting data from studies of ACH-1625 in Hepatitis C at the EASL International Liver Congress that shows a significant reduction in HCV RNA.

Akorn Inc. (NASDAQ: AKRX) is up after it received FDA clearance to market a generic version of the painkiller Dilaudid-HP, and it plans to start shipping the product next month.   Shares are up over 15% at $1.64 on about 1.7 million shares.  The 52-week range is $0.73 to $2.00 and the average volume is only about 206,000 shares.

Dynavax Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: DVAX) is up oh hepatitis news as well, after it showed that its chronic kidney disease study confirms that HEPLISAV offers  enhanced seroprotection against HBV infection.  Shares had been up over 16% earlier on the news.  In early-afternoon trading the stock is up over 8% at $1.57 on 3.9 million shares (over 10-times normal volume).

Genzyme Corp. (NASDAQ: GENZ) is fighting Carl Icahn via another activist…. Genzyme and Relational Investors LLC have amended their mutual cooperation agreement and Ralph Whitworth, principal and co-founder of Relational, has been elected to Genzyme’s board of directors, effective immediately, and he will chair a new Strategic Planning and Capital Allocation Committee.  Genzyme is up a mere 0.25% at $52.79.

Idenix Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: IDIX) is also up on hepatitis news after it reported positive results on its IDX184 in interim analysis of a Phase IIa hepatitis C study.  The shares were up over 16% earlier today, but the stock is up 8.6% at $4.43 on 1.5 million shares now.

Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: MIPI) has another give-back after a large move up this week.  Today’s drop is after the stock was downgraded to “Market Perform from Outperform” at Wells Fargo.  Shares are down 7% more at $2.67, but only on about 700,000 shares.  Keep in mind that ‘my-pie’ was only at $1.50 on Monday and traded as high as $4.49 on Tuesday.

Repros Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: RPRX) is down today on exchange related news.  It said it now has enough stockholders’ equity for NASDAQ compliance, and it has until June 14, 2010 to meet the NASDAQ minimum $1.00 rule.  Shares are down 7.8% at $0.73 on just over 1.5 million shares.

Santarus Inc. (NASDAQ: SNTS) was down in half last night after the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware ruled that five patents covering ZEGERID® prescription products are invalid due to obviousness (indicated for the treatment of certain upper GI diseases and disorders).  Shares are down 32% at $3.64 on over 10 million shares.

Warner Chilcott PLC (NASDAQ: WCRX) may still be on the way to being the next best drug stock out there.  Shares were up on positive UBS comments yesterday and IBD said its chart was #66 but third best in class today.  Shares were up another 3.2% at $27.69 and the highest level since March 8, 2010.

JON C. OGG

Dynavax Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: DVAX) is up 16.5% on positive drug study news.

Mariner Energy, Inc. (NYSE: ME) is up almost 40% at $25.10 on well over 4 million shares.  Apache is paying some $2.7 billion or $26.22 per share to acquire it in terms of 0.17043 shares of Apache common stock and $7.80 in cash.

Idenix Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: IDIX) is up 16.5% at $4.75 on over 300,000 shares after it reported positive results on its IDX184 in interim analysis of a Phase IIa hepatitis C study.

MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM) is weighing down casinos on a disappointment. Wynn Resorts Ltd. (NASDAQ: WYNN) and Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS) are taking breathers too after having seen such large run-ups.

Santarus Inc. (NASDAQ: SNTS) is the worst stock this morning after losing a patent case.

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE: UPS) is hitting new 52-week highs after handily beating earnings expectations last night.  Shares are now up 4.6% at $68.46 versus a prior 52-week high of $65.52.

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JON C. OGG

YUM! Brands Inc. (NYSE: YUM) is up 2.8% at $42.85 on 892,666 shares since the close after earnings despite some cautious metrics inside on U.S. data not including China.

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE: UPS) is up 3.9% at $68.01 on fairly active trading after beating earnings and raising its outlook.

Princeton Review Inc. (NASDAQ: REVU) is down over 10% at $3.10 after it proposed an offering of 14 million shares in a secondary offering.

Dynavax Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: DVAX) is trading up over 17% at $1.70, but had been up over 20% initially, on word that its chronic kidney disease study confirmed HEPLISAV’s enhanced seroprotection against HBV infection.

MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM) is down 5.9% at $14.50 on over 1.5 million shares after preliminary earnings of -$0.22 and a securities sale to pay off existing debt.  This will act as a drag on casino stocks most likely.

Santarus Inc. (NASDAQ: SNTS) is down a whopping 45% at $2.97 on over 600,000 shares.  We are trying to confirm some news before printing.

JON C. OGG

Today’s movers are different because we have included some device companies.  Normally we would not, except these in some cases are the key movers in medial and health-related stocks and also may compete against traditional drugs.  We have included the news, the share move, relative performance and valuation data, and added in additional market color where applicable.

Accuray Incorporated (NASDAQ: ARAY) is a call we have not seen the full report on, but we are told that Soleil Securities had downgraded the stock to “Sell” from “Hold” and that the price target was cut from $6 to $4.  Accuray is technically not a drug nor a biotech company, but the company has the CyberKnife system.  Shares are down 7.9% at $6.62 on 580,000 shares; average volume is over 300,000 shares and the 52-week range is $4.72 to $8.35.

Beckman Coulter, Inc. (NYSE: BEC) makes and sells biomedical testing instrument systems, tests, and supplies for clinical laboratories.  After the close on Monday it disclosed that it sent a notice to customers who use its AccuTnI troponin test kits on the UniCel DxI immunoassay system alerting that these DxI customers to a positive bias in troponin results obtained on the DxI system when compared with troponin results obtained on its Access system using the same test kits. It is recommending the  discontinued use of troponin test kits on DxI if an alternative methodology was available.  Shares are down 7.7% at $63.80 on 3.2 million shares; the average volume is about 500,000 shares and the 52-week range is $47.53 to $71.57.

Biosante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: BPAX) is up after it announced additional positive Leukemia vaccine results and unveiled its second FDA Orphan Drug Designation.  Full Details are here on that one.  Shares are up 6.9% at $1.86 on 1.8 million shares.  The average volume is only about 600,000 shares and the 52-week range is $1.14 to $2.70.

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTIC) is seeing a surprise trading bounce after yesterday’s roughly 50% haircut after an FDA Panel unanimously rejected its Pixantrone to fight non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.  Shares are up a whopping 30% at $0.61 on over 68 million shares.  This is surprising after yesterday’s news, but that is what makes a market.

Chelsea Therapeutics International Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHTP) is trading higher after Needham initiated the stock with a Buy rating in new coverage this morning.  Shares are up 8% at $4,05 on 445,000 shares; the average volume is only about 355,000 shares and the 52-week range is $1.44 to $7.51.

Dynavax Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: DVAX) is trading higher after the company reported positive findings from safety analysis of HEPLISAV.  The results showed that its hepatitis B vaccine was as safe as Glaxo’s vaccine.  Shares are up 12.6% at $1.43 on 750,000 shares.  Average volume is only about 322,000 shares and the 52-week range is $0.60 to $3.35.  Keep in mind that the market cap is only $59.2 million here.

Nabi Biopharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: NABI) is a bit of a head-scratcher if you follow share buybacks and dividends.  The company announced a $61 million share repurchase program versus a $300+ million market cap.  Shares are down 0.3% at $6.17 on about 250,000 shares.  Again, the buyback here is not the norm. To date, Nabi said that it has repurchased 13.9 million shares of common stock for a total cost of $54.1 million under a program which has been around since 2007.

Oncothyreon Inc. (NASDAQ: ONTY) is getting crushed after it announced the temporary suspension of Stimuvax clinical trials by Merck Serono for Stimuvax… due to suspected unexpected serious adverse reaction in a patient with multiple myeloma. Shares had been halted earlier on the news and the stock gapped way down.  Shares opened at $3.25 and had been almost down by half in pre-market indications.  Shares are down 22% at $3.71 and we have seen over ten-times normal volume based upon the three-month average.

Sequenom Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM) is seeing a huge recovery based upon an analyst upgrade. The troubled Down’s Syndrome test company was raised to Buy from Hold at Lazard in research coverage this morning.  Shares are up a whopping 14% at $6.31 and there has been over 14.5 million shares traded today.

Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOMX) is very active, again.  The company announced last night that will sell up to 4,000,000 shares of its common stock a public secondary offering.  Frankly, this is a good capital raise, should be no surprise based upon the company’s small balance sheet and the need to secure a marketing and development partner for Silenore as a sleep-aid after last week’s FDA approval.  Traders first endorsed this as a positive.  Shares are up almost 3% at $8.55 on 4.55 million shares.  Usually shares sell off on secondary announcements, but the traders believe this is a good capital raise and will allow it to negotiate for a partner for Silenor from a position of strength rather than one of need.

World Heart Corporation    (NASDAQ: WHRT) is soaring today.  The company is a device play for hearts rather than a drug or biological implantation.  But the move from the implantable ventricular assist devices  (VADs) and the University of Utah Hospital successfully implanted its first Levacor Ventricular Assist Device is making this one of the market’s top percentage gainers today.  World Heart is up 33% at $2.70 on 870,000 shares.  Average volume is only about 13,000 shares and the 52-week range is $1.70 to $8.63.  The market cap here is only $35.9 million, and that is after the pop.

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JON C. OGG

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ: BMRN) is seeing exponential trading volume in stock and options after a 10% rise today.

Dynavax Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: DVAX) is up over 50%after the FDA removed a clinical hold on its hepatitis treatment.

The fight over the Sepracor, Inc. (NASDAQ: SEPR) acquisition has now gone to the level of a class action status.  We noted the very low P/E and multiple valuations yesterday on this one.

StemCells, Inc. (NASDAQ: STEM) traded slightly higher on word that it will soon begin a study with the University of California, San Francisco Children’s Hospital using purified human neural stem cells as a possible treatment for Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease.

Pharmacyclics Inc. (NASDAQ: PCYC) was trading up on news that its right offering is oversubscribed.

Oculus Innovative Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: OCLS) is trading higher on report that it has been assigned a Medicare HCPCS code for its recently introduced Microcyn Skin & Wound HydroGel.

JON C. OGG
SEPTEMBER 10, 2009

The companies have received communication from the FDA regarding theirresponse to the agency’s request for safety information pertaining tothe clinical hold on the two Investigational New Drug Applications forHEPLISAV.  Obviously, it isn’t good.

The FDA advised that the balance of risk versus potential benefit nolonger favors continued clinical evaluation of HEPLISAV in healthyadults and children, which might as well be the kiss of death for atrial program.  The FDA did advise that there may be potential for anacceptable risk versus benefit profile for HEPLISAV in patients withrenal failure.  For that effort, the FDA has requested additionalinformation from the companies before considering furtherclinical studies in those patients.

Dynavax and Merck are going to evaluate the FDA’s response inconsidering the next steps, but the clinical hold on the two U.S. INDApplications for HEPLISAV remains in effect.

The reason this is so bad is that Merck has been reviewing all of itsclinical trial relationships to focus on those which will have thegreatest upside and the greatest chance for broad acceptance.  Even ifthis would be able to be a profitable product for Dynavax, the fear isthat Merck may determine it isn’t worth its efforts. 

At the last quarterly report, Dynavax had almost $64 million in cash andequivalents and its total assets were $96.9 million after adding in $5million for goodwill and intangibles.  Its total liabilities werelisted as $83.1 million.  It has also been burning about $15 million inR&D per quarter on average for the last year.

The new market cap here only $11.3 million after a 75% price drop downto $0.28.  Before today its 52-week trading range was $0.97 to $6.55.Traders are obviously coming to the conclusion that there will be closeto nothing left at this company.

Jon C. Ogg
October 22, 2008

• Ameriprise Financial (AMP) Cut to Market Perform at KBW.
• Apple (AAPL) Cut to Neutral at UBS.
• Dynavax (DVAX) Cut to Perform at Oppenheimer.
• Freeport-McMoran (FCX) Cut to Market Perform at FBR.
• GATX (GMT) Cut to Neutral at Piper Jaffray.
• Lincoln National (LNC) Cut to Market Perform at KBW.
• Patriot Coal (PCX) Cut to Market Perform at FBR.
• US Steel (X) Cut to Sell from Neutral at Goldman Sachs.

Jon C. Ogg
October 22, 2008

• Akamai Tech (NASDAQ: AKAM) Cut to Hold from Buy at Citigroup.
• American Eagle (NYSE: AEO) cut to Underperform at Friedman Billings.
• Ariba (NASDAQ: ARBA) raised to Outperform at RBC Capital.
• Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI) Added To Citigroup’s Top Picks list.
• Compuware (NASDAQ: CPWR) Raised to Buy from Hold at Banc Of America.
• Dynavax Technologies (NASDAQ: DVAX) cut to Peer Perform at Bear Stearns.
• Finisar (NASDAQ: FNSR) Raised to Overweight at Thomas Weisel.
• National City (NYSE: NCC) Raised to Buy from Hold at Citigroup.
• Teekay Offshore (NYSE: TOO) raised to Outperform at Wachovia.
• Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) Raised to Buy from Hold at Citigroup.

Jon C. Ogg
May 19, 2008

Jon Ogg produces and edits the "10 Stocks Under $10" newsletter and he does not own securities in the companies he covers.

Moneygram (MGI) is taken out of one of the S&P indexes. Down to $1.62 from 52-week high of $30.67.

Borders Group (BGP) Bad time to be in the print business. Down to $6.98 from 52-week high of $24.15.

Dynavax Technologies (DVAX) FDA halts trials of a company drug. Falls to $2.07 from 52-week high of $6.55.

Nuvelo (NUVO) Cuts staff and announces failure of drug trial. Down to $.55 from 52-week high of $6.63.

Shuffle Master (SHFL) Post loss for quarter. Drops to $5.13 from 52-week high of $19.78.

Douglas A. McIntyre