medical

The company said it could not find enough test patients in its Phase Ib clinical trial for the last six months. The disease afflicts mainly children.

StemCells Inc. (STEM) is down just over 9% but it is paring losses from its opening bell skid to 73 cents, sparked by the company's announcement that it is ending its program for a stem-cell treatment for Batten disease.

OVA1, which the companies hope to launch in the second quarter of 2011, is the first protein-based multi-variate index assay (IVDMIA), a new class of state of the art software-based diagnostics, cleared by the FDA.

Combined with ultrasound, OVA1's high sensitivity for ovarian malignancy can be used to detect the likelihood of malignancy in women with an ovarian mass for whom surgery is planned.

Vermillion (VRML) announced today that it has signed an agreement with Quest Diagnostics (DGX) to make OVA1, an in vitro software-based diagnostics, available in India.

Vivus (VVUS) is up by double digits in early trading, after it says long-term data demonstrated patients treated with the investigational drug QNEXA for two years showed reductions in blood pressure and the use of antihypertensive

Citigroup raised its price target for Medco Health Solutions (NYSE:MHS) to $77 from $74 and maintained its buy rating on the stock. The bank sees 2011 EPS of $4.12, vs. consensus estimates of $4.08 per share, and 2012 EPS of $4.97

Each stock option has an exercise price per share equal to $11.83, the fair market value on the grant date, and vests over four years, with 25% of the shares vesting on the one-year anniversary of the applicable vesting commenceme

Optimer Pharmaceuticals (OPTR) says that on March 31, its Board approved the grant of inducement stock options to purchase an aggregate of 258,000 shares of common stock to 7 new employees.

However, the FDA did say it may at any time revisit a decision to exercise enforcement discretion, leaving some room open for future regulatory enforcement regarding compounding the drug, Reuters reported.

K-V Pharmaceuticals (KV.A) slides after the FDA says it does not plan to take enforcement action against pharmacies that compound KV.A's pre-term birth drug based on a valid prescription.

On a basic and diluted earnings per American depositary share basis (ADS), earnings were RMB 0.87 ($0.13) compared to RMB 0.69 ($0.11) in the same period last year. Non-GAAP profit for the quarter was RMB 45.49 million ($6.91 mill

Concord Medical Services (CCM) announced today that its net income for the fourth quarter had grown 21.8% to RMB 43.7 million ($6.6 million) versus RMB 19.70 million ($2.9 million)last year.

Teleflex (TFX), announced today that it has signed a global distribution agreement with Perouse Medical, a French company specializing in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of medical devices used in Cardiovascular a

Health care shares are lower in mid-session trading while Xoma (XOMA) tumbles after disappointing results from a clinical trial. The company is down nearly 30% in early trading, after it said late Tuesday its Phase 2b trial of XOM

Mr. Weinstein said in the note, "In 2011, St. Jude will launch what we believe is the most important new product in ICDs since 2002. The Street doesn't see it yet."

As a result of the new technology being introduced, St. Jude should see "significant" gains in market share, the analyst said.

Shares of St Jude Medical are trading up 6.38% at $51.53.

Shares of St. Jude Medical (NYSE:STJ) jumped today after Michael Weinstein, a J.P. Morgan analyst, expressed optimism about new technology the company is developing in the market for implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, or ICD