The vast majority of biotech stocks (over 1M volume) avoided a broad market decline on Thursday as gainers exceeded losers. Arca Biopharma Inc (NASDAQ:ABIO) was the top biotech gainer with a rise of 26.47%, extending rally after the company declared that a phase III Adaptive Design Clinical Trial has been planned for its lead developmental drug, Gencaro, in atrial fibrillation.
Athersys, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATHX) soared 15% after a candid interview between Blackbird Analytics Founder (Sam) and Athersys CEO Gil Van Bokkelen was published by Seeking Alpha.[article_detail_ad_1]
Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNSS) rallied 10.53% a day after it was discussed in a news article.
Cytokinetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:CYTK) advanced 7.27%, securing fourth gain in a row after the company regained compliance with NASDAQ rules.
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPPI) surged 5.70% after providing an update on bladder cancer drug.
Zalicus Inc (NASDAQ:ZLCS) recorded solid gains. There was news that for the first time, Chief Medical Officers at biotechs will have their own conference in Boston on May 6-7, 2013.
NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:NPSP) jumped 4.25% after Janney Montgomery Scott initiated coverage with a buy rating on the stock.
Neostem Inc. (NYSEAMEX:NBS) and Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARNA) both gained more than 4.3%.
CEL-SCI Corporation (NYSEAMEX:CVM) ended in green as its very old partnership with Northeast Ohio Medical University has produced a new investigational breast cancer vaccine which prevents and treats a HER-2/neu expressing breast cancer tumor in a mouse model of the disease.
Santarus, Inc.(NASDAQ:SNTS) rose 3.33% after analysts at Leerink Swann began coverage with an “outperform” rating on the stock.
Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSEAMEX:INO) gained sharply after Maxim Group started coverage on the stock with a “buy” rating and a $1.00 price target.
PAREXEL International Corporation (NASDAQ:PRXL) advanced 3.11% one day after it released results and improved annual outlook.
Incyte Corporation (NASDAQ:INCY) rebounded from a fall after Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE:LLY) results included an R&D expenditure of a $50 million milestone payment to Incyte Corporation based on the formal initiation of the rheumatoid arthritis phase III program for baricitinib.
AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVEO) closed 3.01% higher after disclosing that financial results for the company’s fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2012 will be released before the opening bell on Wednesday, February 13, 2013.
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ:BMRN) was up after providing earnings schedule.
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALNY) closed higher after Empire Asset Management Company a FINRA member (143007) assumed coverage on the stock with a Sell rating and 12 month price target $14.00.
Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ONXX) gained about 1% after VG Life Sciences provided details of the successful completion of the first stage of its Phase I Trial to treat ovarian cancer.
Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARIA) got a boost after lifting about $310 million stock sale at $19.60 a share.
Biogen Idec Inc. (NASDAQ:BIIB) extended three-day winning streak after analysts action.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) recovered from a fall it faced after posting third quarterly loss in a row.
Amicus Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:FOLD), Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IDIX), Sequenom, Inc. (NASDAQ:SQNM), ImmunoGen, Inc. (NASDAQ:IMGN) and Peregrine Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:PPHM) each closed up above 1%.
Elsewhere in the industry, Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOR), VIVUS, Inc. (NASDAQ:VVUS), InterMune, Inc. (NASDAQ:ITMN), Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ:CELG), Medivation, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDVN) and Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) all gained in a range of 0-1 percent.
On the flip side, Celsion Corporation (NASDAQ:CLSN) was the biggest loser on Wall Street, declining 81.17% after the news hit the market that its experimental treatment for liver cancer failed in a study.
Repros Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:RPRX) retreated again after Zacks called a plan of delaying results from the first pivotal study (ZA-301) of Androxal as disappointing.
Hemispherx BioPharma, Inc (NYSEAMEX:HEB) lost 7.11% in regular trading on Thursday but was 10.32% up in after-hours trading.
Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:HALO) declined sharply Wedbush analyst Gregory Wade downgraded shares of HALO to neutral from outperform.
Dendreon Corporation (NASDAQ:DNDN) edged down after analysts at Robert W. Baird reiterated their neutral rating on the stock.
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALXN) declined after news of insider’s selling.
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) which has spent $1.2 billion in two years to buy blood cancer drugs and now is seeking more, ended lower on Thursday.
AEterna Zentaris Inc. (USA) (NASDAQ:AEZS), MannKind Corporation (NASDAQ:MNKD and Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:SVNT) were down below 2% while DARA Biosciences Inc (NASDAQ:DARA) and Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) both edged down.
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