01:58 PM EDT, 09/13/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks advanced Friday afternoon with the NYSE Health Care Index up 0.3% and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) adding 0.4%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) climbed 1.3%.

In corporate news, MBX Biosciences (MBX) shares debuted on Nasdaq with an opening price of $23 apiece, above the initial public offering price of $16. The stock surged 43% in recent trading.

Immuneering ( IMRX ) shares climbed 39% after the company said a complete or partial response was seen in the first two patients with pancreatic cancer getting IMM-1-104 plus modified gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel in a phase 2a trial.

Grifols ( GRFS ) is seeking to hire a consultancy firm to help manage minority investors in the face of a takeover approach, Bloomberg reported Friday. Grifols ( GRFS ) shares rose 2.3%.