Amid the frenzy of the Onyx Pharmaceuticals stock runup, two other companies’ shares jumped independently, thanks to developments that helped investors focus on the brighter side of their operations.
Specialty drug maker Acura Pharmaceuticals Inc. /quotes/zigman/108745 /quotes/nls/acur ACUR was up 17% after it announced that giant pharma concern Pfizer Inc. /quotes/zigman/238207 /quotes/nls/pfe PFE would expand sales of its pain medication Oxecta.
Acura produces a technology known as “Aversion” that is used in Pfizer’s Oxecta to prevent abuse of the powerful painkiller, which is an opioid. Aversion keeps the drug from being injected or snorted.
Since Acura remains a small-cap company, the percentage gain on shares amounted to a tiny per-share move. Shares were up 32 cents to $2.20.
The climb for BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. /quotes/zigman/64370 /quotes/nls/bmrn BMRN , meanwhile was just slightly more than 7%, but it gained nearly $4 a share to $59.72.
BioMarin said it has applied to the key market of Brazil to sell Vimizim, a drug used to treat a rare disease known as Morquio A syndrome, and expects approval by mid-2014. The company received priority review designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment in late May.
Morquio A syndrome is a rare disorder that usually is inherited. It keeps victims from processing certain materials and can lead to serious deformities.
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