09:14 AM EDT, 03/19/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were leaning lower pre-bell Thursday, with the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLV ) declining by 0.3% and the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) down 0.6%.

Novo Nordisk ( NVO ) is looking to expand access to obesity treatments, like GLP-1 drugs, in Japan by targeting self-funded patients, Bloomberg News reported, citing a company executive. Shares of Novo Nordisk ( NVO ) were down more than 3% premarket.

Guardian Pharmacy Services ( GRDN ) shares were down more than 5% after the company priced an upsized underwritten public offering of 6 million class A shares at $31 per share.

Elliott Investment Management has amassed a sizable stake in Align Technology ( ALGN ) and plans to engage with the dental device company to encourage it to consider ways to boost its stock price, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Shares of Align Technology ( ALGN ) were up more than 5% premarket.