09:19 AM EST, 11/14/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were declining premarket Friday, with the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLV ) and iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) 0.3% lower.

Bristol-Myers Squibb ( BMY ) stock was down 4% after the company and Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) said they decided to stop a phase 3 trial of their experimental drug, milvexian, added to the standard of care for patients recovering from a recent acute coronary syndrome event.

Merck ( MRK ) said it has agreed for a subsidiary to acquire all outstanding shares of Cidara Therapeutics ( CDTX ) for $221.50 per share in cash, valuing the transaction at about $9.2 billion. Shares of Cidara Therapeutics ( CDTX ) were up 105% pre-bell.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals ( IONS ) stock was up more than 1% after the company said it has received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use for Dawnzera to prevent recurrent attacks of hereditary angioedema in patients aged 12 years and older.