Alizyme bounced off a four-month low as the failure of a rival boosted its chances of finding a development partner for its weight-loss pill.

Its shares rose 7½p to 93½p after a health panel in the United States voted against approving Sanofi-Aventis’s Acomplia treatment because it may be linked to depression. That left Alizyme’s celistat as one of only two weight-loss drugs still in late-stage development. The group, which hosts its annual meeting today, would need to raise cash if it cannot find a partner.

Tanzania Gold rose 9p to 91p after saying it was planning to issue shares at 75p per share. The group, which will change its name to Bezant Resources, is understood to have backing for a £5 million fundraising that will provide working capital and fund its purchase of a proven copper and gold prospect in the Philippines.

The aerospace engineer Seniorrose 1½p to 87p on word it had brought forward a trading update to Monday. Kaupthing said: “From our recent conversations with the group this can be nothing but positive.”

Results from the IT recruitment minnow Highams Systems triggered profit-taking, with the shares down ¾p at 7p despite management setting out a plan to expand into Europe by using home workers as agents. The stock surged this week after a peer took a stake.

Insider demand helped to lift Imperial Energy by 42p to £11.69. Two directors spent £26,000 in total on stock, following the lead of the oil explorer’s chief executive, who splashed out more than £557,000 the day before.

Vislink rose 2p to 82p as Evolution Securities started coverage of the broadcast equipment maker with a “buy” stance and 116p target. Meanwhile, the investment group Cobra Capital jumped 4½p to 38p, its best level for a year, on gossip of a takeover approach.

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