02:02 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 0.6%.

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 0.7%.

Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) said Friday that it has closed its acquisition of Shockwave Medical, which it said will operate as a business unit within Johnson & Johnson MedTech. Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) shares rose 1.5%.

Ocugen ( OCGN ) climbed 5.4% after it said Friday the Data and Safety Monitoring Board has recommended to proceed with dose escalation in the trial of OCU410, its potential treatment for eye disease geographic atrophy.