03:33 PM EST, 01/16/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks advanced late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index rising 0.4% and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) up 0.3%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) shed 0.4%.

In corporate news, ImmunityBio ( IBRX ) shares jumped past 25% after it provided an update on its ongoing discussions with the US Food and Drug Administration regarding its cancer pipeline and submissions of marketing authorization applications in Europe and the UK.