01:59 PM EST, 12/17/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were lower Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) each decreasing 0.2%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) eased 0.1%.

In corporate news, Vistagen Therapeutics ( VTGN ) shares tumbled 80% after Maxim downgraded the company to hold from buy.

The White House is set to announce deals with Novartis ( NVS ) and Roche on drug pricing, Bloomberg reported Wednesday. Other drugmakers may be included in the announcement, the report said. Novartis ( NVS ) shares rose 0.4%.

Medline (MDLN) shares surged 30% in their trading debut on Nasdaq Wednesday after the company priced an upsized IPO of about 216 million class A shares at $29 per share.