Highlights of weekly biotech stock moves

Astex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTX) gained $0.23 (14%) to $1.89 last week after FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee scheduled a Feb. 9 meeting to discuss an sNDA from Eisai Co. Ltd. (Tokyo:4523; Osaka:4523) for Dacogen decitabine to treat acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). The PDUFA date is March 6. Eisai markets the drug in North America to treat myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) under a license from Astex.

Curis Inc. (NASDAQ:CRIS) was up $0.42 (10%) to $4.50 Christmas week after EMA accepted for review an MAA from partner Roche (SIX:ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) for vismodegib to treat adults with advanced basal cell carcinoma for whom surgery is considered inappropriate. The submission triggered a $6 million milestone payment to Curis...