09:17 AM EDT, 03/20/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were steady pre-bell Friday, with the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) inactive and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLV ) down 0.1%.

Novo Nordisk's ( NVO ) weight-loss drugs in India are about to face steep price cuts after the introduction of generic versions this month with the expiration of patents, Bloomberg reported. Shares of Novo Nordisk ( NVO ) were down more than 1% premarket.

Novartis ( NVS ) stock was up more than 1% after the company said it agreed to buy Pikavation Therapeutics, a Synnovation Therapeutics unit, for $2 billion upfront and up to $1 billion in milestone payments.

Rhythm Pharmaceuticals ( RYTM ) shares were more than 8% higher after the company said the US Food and Drug Administration approved an expanded indication for Imcivree, or setmelanotide, for the treatment of acquired hypothalamic obesity.