09:21 AM EST, 03/06/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were edging higher premarket Wednesday with the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) up 0.3% and the iShares Biotechnology ETF ( IBB ) recently advancing by 0.5%.

Grifols ( GRFS ) was slipping past 12% after short-seller Gotham City Research doubled down on questions about the company's accounting practices.

Calliditas Therapeutics ( CALT ) was up more than 10% after saying the US Food and Drug Administration has granted its kidney disease drug Tarpeyo an orphan drug exclusivity period of seven years, expiring in December 2030 based on when the company received full approval with a new indication for the product.

Marinus Pharmaceuticals ( MRNS ) was nearly 4% lower after the company reported a wider-than-anticipated loss and revenue fell shy of market expectations.