01:45 PM EDT, 05/31/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were higher Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index rising 0.8% and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) up 0.7%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was shedding 0.2%.

In corporate news, Pfizer ( PFE ) said Friday its Lorbrena drug for an advanced form of lung cancer helped patients live longer without disease progression, based on long-term follow-up results of a late-stage trial. Its shares added 0.6%.