01:56 PM EDT, 04/18/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks eased Thursday afternoon with the NYSE Health Care Index and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) both 0.1% lower.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) fell 0.7%.

In corporate news, 23andMe (ME) Chief Executive Officer Anne Wojcicki told board members she's considering a plan to acquire the company in a go-private deal, the company said in a regulatory filing. 23andMe shares surged 37%.

Elevance Health ( ELV ) shares advanced 4.6% after Q1 results topped estimates and analysts boosted their price targets on the stock.

Moleculin Biotech ( MBRX ) shares rose 3% after the European Medicines Agency granted orphan drug designation to the company's Annamycin product candidate for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.