02:06 PM EST, 01/15/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks advanced Wednesday 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) rose 1.5%.

In sector news, the US government is restricting exports of biotechnology equipment and related technology to China over national security concerns, Reuters reported.

In corporate news, Intuitive Surgical ( ISRG ) shares jumped 7.5%. The company reported preliminary Q4 revenue of $2.41 billion, compared with $1.93 billion a year earlier. Analysts expect $2.2 billion.

Lexaria Bioscience ( LEXX ) shares rose 2.7% after it said Wednesday that it received the independent ethics board approval to start a human pilot study to compare an oral version of liraglutide with the conventional injected method.

Keros Therapeutics ( KROS ) shares tumbled nearly 16%. The company said Wednesday it has voluntarily halted all dosing in a phase 2 trial for cibotercept in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension due to "new observations of pericardial effusion adverse events."