12:51 PM EDT, 07/03/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks declined Wednesday afternoon with the NYSE Health Care Index shedding 1% and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) retreating 0.8%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) fell 0.7%.

In corporate news, patients prescribed with Novo Nordisk's ( NVO ) Ozempic or Wegovy had a higher risk of developing a potentially blinding eye condition called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy compared with patients who were not prescribed those drugs, a study led by the Massachusetts Eye and Ear showed. Novo shares fell 3.2%.

GSK (GSK) will buy the rights to candidate vaccines for seasonal influenza, COVID-19 and avian influenza from CureVac ( CVAC ) for up to 1.45 billion euros ($1.56 billion) as the UK pharmaceutical giant seeks to expand its mRNA vaccine portfolio. CureVac ( CVAC ) shares lost 5.7%, and GSK added 0.6%.

Simulations Plus ( SLP ) shares tumbled 15% after the company reported lower fiscal Q3 earnings and trimmed its 2024 earnings guidance.