09:25 AM EDT, 10/30/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were flat to higher premarket Thursday, with the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) inactive and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLV ) advancing by 0.2%.

Eli Lilly ( LLY ) shares were up more than 3% after the company posted higher Q3 non-GAAP earnings and revenue, and raised its 2025 outlook.

Novo Nordisk ( NVO ) stock was down more than 3% after the company said it submitted an unsolicited proposal to acquire Metsera ( MTSR ) for $56.50 per share, for an aggregated equity value of about $6.5 billion or enterprise value of around $6.0 billion. Shares of Metsera ( MTSR ) were up more than 19% pre-bell.

Merck ( MRK ) and Eisai said they decided to close a phase 3 trial assessing Keytruda and Lenvima in patients with unresectable, non-metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma after determining that the likelihood of reaching statistical significance for overall survival at a future analysis was low. Separately, Merck ( MRK ) reported higher Q3 non-GAAP earnings and sales, and raised its outlook for 2025 non-GAAP earnings per share. Merck ( MRK ) shares were down more than 2% premarket.