09:19 AM EDT, 03/15/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were edging higher premarket Friday with the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) recently up 0.2% and the iShares Biotechnology ETF ( IBB ) advancing by 0.1%.

Geron ( GERN ) was rallying past 77% after saying the US Food and Drug Administration's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted in favor of the benefit-to-risk profile of imetelstat. The vote was 12-2, and the target action date for the company's new drug application is June 16, Geron ( GERN ) said.

Madrigal Pharmaceuticals ( MDGL ) rose by over 21% after saying it received the US Food and Drug Administration's accelerated approval of Rezdiffra for treating adults with noncirrhotic nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and moderate to advanced liver fibrosis.

Aquestive Therapeutics ( AQST ) said its sublingual film epinephrine experimental drug Anaphylm showed exposure levels comparable to autoinjectors and was quicker to reach maximum concentration in a phase 3 study. Aquestive Therapeutics ( AQST ) was up almost 2% pre-bell.