09:11 AM EDT, 08/23/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks rose premarket Friday, with The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLV ) up 0.3% and the iShares Biotechnology ETF ( IBB ) 0.2% higher.

Galapagos (GLPG) shares were up more than 4% after the company said the US Food and Drug Administration has approved an investigational new drug application for the study of its experimental therapy, GLPG5101, in patients with relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Moderna ( MRNA ) shares were over 1% higher after the company said it has secured the European Commission's marketing approval for its respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, vaccine, mRESVIA, to safeguard adults aged at least 60 years against lower respiratory tract disease resulting from the RSV infection.

Evolent Health ( EVH ) is holding talks with private equity firms and other companies over a potential sale after receiving interest, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Evolent Health ( EVH ) shares were up 0.7% pre-bell.