Arena Pharmaceuticals (ARNA), which soared over 10% in Monday morning trading, has set a new 52-week high of $6.75. Over the past month, Arena signed a licensing deal for its potential weight-loss drug, lorcaserin, with Japan's Eisai; released study results for the drug; and got a boost from a decision by a Food and Drug Administration panel on rival's Vivus (VVUS) drug. Arena's shares have more than doubled during that time.

The Eisai licensing deal is potentially worth about $1.3 billion. Meanwhile, the study results Arena released showed lorcaserin helped nearly half the patients lose 5% of their weight and improved their chances of keeping it off. Arena's drug did that while exhibiting a safer safety profile than either of its competitors' treatments: Vivus's Qnexa and Orexigen's (OREX) Contrave.

On Thursday afternoon after the close of the New York York Stock Exchange, a FDA panel voted 10 to 6 against recommending Vivus'(VVUS) weight loss drug Qnexa for approval. Apparently there was concern that the data supporting Qnexa wasn't strong enough for a drug that could be used by millions for an indefinite time period.

The FDA does not have to act in accordance with the panel's recommendation, although the agency rarely fails to do so. Chief Executive Leland Wilson said the panel vote is "a recommendation and not a final step in the drug-approval process," and that his company would work with the FDA "to address the labeling and safety questions raised during today's proceedings." A final decision is expected in October.

The data that the company presented to the FDA was based on one year, but a company spokesperson said that two-year data will be available by September, so there is definitely still hope for this drug.

"I don't think that Qnexa is dead, but it has to be heavily discounted [from the stock price] until we hear from the FDA," said Rodman & Renshaw analyst Elemer Piros.

According to Lazard analyst William Tanner, "Should Vivus be required to conduct a new trial to generate additional safety data for its low and mid doses, final approval and launch could be delayed by as much as two years."

Today was another up and away day, although after the 2:00 PM Beige Book and after a Treasury auction, it felt like today was just going to be a difficult one to call.

This is a light week on data and a light day on earnings and that makes it a hard tell each day to have serious conviction for bulls and bears alike. The DJIA went above 9,500 and marks the 4th day in a row of a rally.

Here are today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 9,538.23 +40.89 (0.43%)
S&P 500 1,032.47 +7.08 (0.69%)
Nasdaq 2,058.60 +20.83 (1.02%)

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