Baxter International Inc. fell$. 48 or. 7 percent, to $71.67. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. fell$. 25 or. 5 percent, to $46.75. Hospira fell$. 09 or. 3 percent, to $35.09.
May 23- Merck& Co has ended development of preladenant, an experimental drug for Parkinson's disease, after initial data from three late-stage trials proved disappointing. New Jersey- based Merck said the decision to discontinue the studies was not based on any safety findings.
Baxter International Inc. fell$. 58 or. 8 percent, to $71.72. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. fell$. 21 or. 5 percent, to $46.19. Hospira fell$. 26 or. 7 percent, to $35.14.
CHICAGO, May 23- Kathrin Jansen is a microbiologist with at least two breakthrough vaccines to her name: she brought the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil to market for Merck and helped develop the $4 billion a year pneumonia and meningitis vaccine Prevnar 13 for Pfizer.
*FDA panel says suvorexant safe, effective at lower doses. On Monday, the FDA's internal reviewers published a report expressing concern about suvorexant's potential to cause next-day sleepiness and impaired driving.
The advisory panel was convened to help the FDA decide whether to approve the drug, suvorexant, which would be the first in a new class of sedatives designed to help people fall asleep and stay asleep.
WASHINGTON, May 22- Merck& Co's experimental insomnia drug is safe and effective at the lower of two doses studied but not at the higher, a panel of medical experts said on Wednesday.
Baxter International Inc. rose$. 16 or. 2 percent, to $73.20. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. rose $3.30 or 7.5 percent, to $47.36. Hospira rose$. 02 or. 1 percent, to $35.94.
NEW YORK-- A look at New York Stock Exchange 10 most-active stocks at 1 p.m.:. Bank of America Corp. rose 1.4 percent to $13.63 with 88,111,200 shares traded. Barrick Gold Corp. rose 1.8 percent to $19.71 with 16,112,200 shares traded.
*Potential sales of $35 bln a year over next 10 years- Citigroup. That bullish sales forecast by analysts at U.S. bank Citigroup highlights the growing excitement surrounding so-called immunotherapy after positive results from clinical trials conducted by companies such as Bristol-Myers Squibb and Roche Holding.
Baxter International Inc. rose$. 10 or. 1 percent, to $73.04. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. rose$. 30 or. 7 percent, to $44.06. Hospira fell$. 11 or. 3 percent, to $35.92.
NEW YORK-- A look at New York Stock Exchange 10 most-active stocks at 1 p.m.:. Advanced Micro Devices Inc. fell. 9 percent to $4.07 with 23,047,800 shares traded. Bank of America Corp. fell. 4 percent to $13.46 with 65,492,500 shares traded.
May 20- Merck& Co's experimental insomnia drug suvorexant appears generally effective, according to reviewers at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but they questioned the company's proposed dosing levels.