04:00 PM EST, 02/03/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks advanced late Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index up 0.2% and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) adding 0.5%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) shed 0.5%.

In corporate news, Pfizer's ( PFE ) Biohaven agreed to a nearly $60 million nationwide settlement for submitting false claims to Medicaid and other government healthcare programs, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said. Pfizer ( PFE ) shares were down 1%.

HCW Biologics ( HCWB ) shares surged 120% after it said Monday that it received US Food and Drug Administration clearance to launch a phase 1 trial to assess HCW9302 to treat alopecia areata.

GH Research ( GHRS ) said Monday that a phase 2b trial of GH001 for people with treatment-resistant depression met its primary endpoint. Its shares soared 70%.

Becton Dickinson ( BDX ) is considering a potential separation of its life science division, according to media reports. Becton Dickinson ( BDX ) shares were fractionally higher.