I end the week as I started it: blogging about Vivus and the three-contestant race to make a new prescription diet pill.
On Monday I was reporting and bloggingfrom the Obesity Society meeting in Washington, DC where I highlighted all three players—Vivus, Arena Pharmaceuticals and Orexigen Therapeutics.
ARNA and OREX put out press releases on the new data they presented at the conference. Vivus didn't. In fact, we were told by a company spokesperson there was nothing new.
Then, on Tuesday Cowen and Company biotech analyst Ian Sanderson wrote a research note for clients raising a red flag about a piece of VVUS' presentation. The stock fell. The conference ended Wednesday. Everyone went home.