01:29 PM EDT, 07/31/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Healthcare stocks were lower Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Healthcare Index shedding 0.8% and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) decreasing 0.5%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) fell 2.2%.

In corporate news, Novo Nordisk ( NVO ) shares fell 9% after it said Friday its drug candidate ziltivekimab did not reduce major adverse cardiovascular events in people with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and inflammation compared with a placebo in a phase 3 trial.

AbbVie ( ABBV ) lowered its full-year earnings guidance on Friday to account for the expected dilution from its planned acquisition of Apogee Therapeutics (APGE), despite reporting stronger-than-expected Q2 results. AbbVie ( ABBV ) shares were down 2%.

Merck's ( MRK ) Ebola vaccine Ervebo may be evaluated to help protect frontline healthcare workers against the Bundibugyo strain driving the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bloomberg reported. Merck ( MRK ) shares added 0.7%.