09:01 AM EDT, 04/25/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were leaning lower pre-bell Thursday, with the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLV ) unchanged and the iShares Biotechnology ETF ( IBB ) down 0.1%.

AstraZeneca ( AZN ) shares were up 4.9% after the company reported higher Q1 core earnings and revenue.

Sanofi ( SNY ) stock was 3.8% higher after the company reported Q1 results that topped Capital IQ analysts' estimates.

Viking Therapeutics ( VKTX ) shares were down nearly 1% after the company reported a Q1 net loss late Wednesday of $0.26 per diluted share, wider than a loss of $0.25 per share a year earlier.