01:45 PM EDT, 09/18/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks rose Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index up 0.4% and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) adding 0.2%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) climbed 1.3%.

In corporate news, Novo Nordisk ( NVO ) said overnight that data from a phase 3 trial of once-daily oral semaglutide 25-milligram pill showed an average weight loss of 16.6% in participants who adhered to the treatment, compared with 2.7% for placebo. Separately, Novo said Thursday its injectable Ozempic was linked to a 23% lower risk of heart attack, stroke, and death compared with dulaglutide in US Medicare patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Novo shares jumped past 6%.

89bio (ETNB) shares soared 85% after the company said it has agreed to be acquired by Roche for $2.4 billion or a price of $14.50 per share in cash, a premium of about 79% above its closing Wednesday stock price.

Nektar Therapeutics ( NKTR ) shares climbed more than 11% after it said Thursday that data from a phase 2b trial of rezpegaldesleukin to treat atopic dermatitis showed "statistical significance" on its primary endpoint of mean improvement in Eczema Area and Severity Index.

GE Healthcare Technologies ( GEHC ) is mulling options for its China business, including a potential stake sale that could value the unit "at several billion dollars," Bloomberg reported. GE Healthcare ( GEHC ) shares fell 2.3%.