Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of biopharmaceutical company Amarin (Nasdaq: AMRN) surged a staggering 80% today on positive results for its fish oil heart disease treatment.

So what: In a late-stage clinical trial, Amarin's lead product candidate, AMR101, was effective at reducing triglycerides without increasing LDL cholesterol, or "bad cholesterol," after 12 weeks. Lovaza -- GlaxoSmithKline's (NYSE: GSK) triglyceride drug which can raise LDL levels in some patients -- managed to bring in $900 million worth of sales last year, so it's no surprise that Mr. Market is extremely excited about AMR101's potential.

Now what: Amarin seems like an interesting situation for speculative investors. AMR101 continues to display clear benefits over competing triglyceride drugs, making it an increasingly tempting takeover target. It's hard to believe, but even with today's 80%-plus surge, Amarin might still be a steal for a patent cliff-facing drug giant.  

Interested in more info on Amarin? Add it to your watchlist.

Fool contributor Brian Pacampara owns no position in any of the companies mentioned. Glaxo is a Motley Fool Global Gains selection, and the Fool owns shares of it. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days.

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