Healthcare stocks rose Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Healthcare Index adding 1.6% and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) advancing 1.7%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) increased 0.8%.

In corporate news, Halozyme Therapeutics (HALO) shares rose 1.8% after the company said it has been awarded an injunction by the specialized Dutch patent court in The Hague that stops manufacture and sale of Merck's (MRK) Keytruda SC in multiple European markets. Merck shares were up 1%.