Biotech and BioHealth Top Stocks on the Move (ACHN, CBMX, DNDN, EXAS, ILMN, PPHM, VVUS)

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By Jon C. Ogg Published
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There are big movers in the market just about every day, and these movers often come from biotech and other emerging health care winners and losers. The daily direction of the broad market does not necessarily help or hurt these smaller companies with big key development news. These are the big sector winners and losers so far this Monday.

Achillion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ACHN) is on the losers list with a loss of 9.5%, down to $8.55, so far today. The company reported interim results on ACH-3102 and said that enrollment has been completed in a pilot Phase IIa study of ACH-3102 and ribavirin for genotype 1b CC patients. Its 52-week range is $5.42 to $12.95 and its market cap is $675 million.

CombiMatrix Corp. (NASDAQ: CBMX) is surging on its news report that its preliminary annual growth in prenatal testing volumes was 172% in the fourth quarter and up 171% for the year. Shares are up a sharp 24% at $6.37, but note that the market cap is under $10 million and trading volume is light.

Dendreon Corp. (NASDAQ: DNDN) is showing that perhaps not all is as bad as the share price might indicate. The company said that fourth-quarter sales of Provenge will be about $85.5 million, which is higher than the estimate from Thomson Reuters of about $80.7 million. This is a stock where any good news is needed. Shares are up 1% at $6.03, against a 52-week range of $3.69 to $17.04.

Exact Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ: EXAS) is up after positive comments from Jim Cramer ahead of him featuring the company this evening on “Mad Money.” This one is up more than 2% at $11.29, against a 52-week range of $8.34 to $12.30. The consensus price target from Thomson Reuters is $13.70.

Illumina Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) is down by 9% to $49.86 due to buyout talks with Roche not coming higher. This has a 52-week range of $28.72 to $57.00, and the market cap is about $6.2 billion.

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: PPHM) is surging after it reported very positive Phase II lung cancer drug-trial results. Shares are up a whopping 54%, at $2.08 against a 52-week range of $0.39 to $5.50. Even after the huge pop, this has a market cap of only $257 million.

VIVUS Inc. (NASDAQ: VVUS) has found its stride in 2013 and is already living up to why we named it one of the top biotechs for 2013. The company showed that its obesity drug prescriptions were up some 68% in the fourth quarter. Shares are up 9.8% at $15.11 in very active trading. The 52-week range is $9.86 to $31.21, and the consensus price target from Thomson Reuters is still up at $23.89.

Photo of Jon C. Ogg
About the Author Jon C. Ogg →

Jon Ogg has been a financial news analyst since 1997. Mr. Ogg set up one of the first audio squawk box services for traders called TTN, which he sold in 2003. He has previously worked as a licensed broker to some of the top U.S. and E.U. financial institutions, managed capital, and has raised private capital at the seed and venture stage. He has lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as New York and Chicago, and he now lives in Houston, Texas. Jon received a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance at University of Houston in 1992. a673b.bigscoots-temp.com.

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