Health and Healthcare

Major Biotech Movers (AGEN, CEGE, ENCY, IDMI, IMCL, ONXX, PFE, NTII, OXGN, PSDV, SIRT)

Antigenics Inc.  (NASDAQ: AGEN) A study for Cancer vaccine, Oncophage, for the treatment of metastatic melanoma showed mixed results this morning. Shares are down almost 7% to $2.17. The 52 week range is $1.54 to $5.42.

Cell Genesys, Inc. (NASDAQ: CEGE). Shares continue to climb following report Friday citing that vaccine candidate GCAX showed immune response in prostate cancer patients. Shares are trading at $2.93 in mid-day trading. The 52 week range is $1.78 to $7.30.

IDM Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDMI). Downgraded by Rodman & Renshaw. Shares plummet over 18% to $2.57. The 52 week range is $0.57 to $10.75.

Imclone Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: IMCL). Halted testing for competitor Onyx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ONXX) in the lung cancer drug market and a 4.96% stake purchase by Steve Cohen’s hedge fund, SAC Capital, pushed Imclone up early Tuesday. Shares have returned down to $38.41 in mid-day trading. The 52 week range is $27.50 to $47.94

Neurobiological Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: NTII) Received a $2.1 million quarterly royalty payment for sales of Memantine, a moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease treatment, from Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH. Shares have showed little reaction, trading at $2.67. The 52 week range is $2.06 to $19.53.

Oxigene Inc. (NASDAQ: OXGN) Secures $40 million committed equity financing facility. Shares are down over 3% and trading in at $2.05 with a 52 week range of $2.01 to $5.12.

Onyx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ONXX). Shares are down by $3.47 to $29.62, a 10% drop after being murdered yesterday due to a Phase III testing halt for its lung cancer drug Nexavar. Shares fell almost 25% yesterday. The 52 week range is $23.65 to $61.18.

Today, Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) announced offer to buy all issued and outstanding shares of Encysive Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ENCY) for $2.35 per share, a transaction valued at $195 million in equity. Pfizer will acquire the rights to THELIN, a treatment for PAH currently in pre-Phase III clinical testing in the United States. Pfizer is up almost $0.10 to $22.45 in mid-day trading. The range is $21.56 to $27.73. Encysive is up 110% to $2.27. The 52 week range is $0.59 to $5.02.

Psivida Ltd.  (NASDAQ: PSDV)  Received first R&D payments from Pfizer of $500,000 in part of an over $160 million agreement. Shares are down over 2% at $0.78. The 52 week range is $0.39 to $2.99.

Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRT). Co-founder to present first In-Vivo, pre-clinical data showing SIRT1 activation has the ability to suppress tumor formation in cancer of the intestine and colon. Shares are down trading at $11.59 with a 52 week range of $9.81 to $21.99.

Rachel Lopez
February 20, 2008

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