08:52 AM EDT, 06/12/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks rose in Wednesday's premarket hours with the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) advancing by 0.5% and the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) 1.1% higher recently.

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical ( RARE ) and Mereo BioPharma Group ( MREO ) said late Tuesday a phase 2 study of setrusumab showed "ongoing and meaningful improvements" in the lumbar spine bone mineral density of patients with osteogenesis imperfect. Mereo BioPharma ( MREO ) was up more than 9% pre-bell.