09:16 AM EDT, 03/18/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were steady premarket Monday as the iShares Biotechnology ETF ( IBB ) was unchanged and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) was slightly higher recently.

Fennec Pharmaceuticals ( FENC ) was advancing by more than 8% after announcing an exclusive licensing agreement with Norgine to commercialize Pedmarqsi, which is intended for the prevention of hearing loss induced by cisplatin chemotherapy in patients one month to less than 18 years old with localized, non-metastatic solid tumors.

OptiNose ( OPTN ) was up more than 3% after saying the US Food and Drug Administration has approved Xhance nasal spray for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps in patients 18 years old and older.

Haleon ( HLN ) was 1.2% lower after saying Pfizer ( PFE ) is planning to sell about 630 million of its Haleon ( HLN ) ordinary shares through a global secondary offering.