Health care stocks were lower Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) each falling about 0.9%.
The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was shedding 1.3%.
In corporate news, Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) agreed to buy privately-held Orbital Therapeutics in an all-cash deal worth about $1.5 billion to boost its cell therapy portfolio. Bristol shares were down 1.5%.
AstraZeneca (AZN) has agreed on a deal with President Donald Trump to lower drug prices in the US, and an agreement could be announced later in the day, MSNBC reported Friday, citing a White House official. AstraZeneca shares were down 0.4%.
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) is in talks to buy Protagonist Therapeutics (PTGX), The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. Johnson & Johnson eased 0.2%, and Protagonist surged 32%.
Usana Health Sciences (USNA) shares tumbled 21% after it reported late Thursday preliminary Q3 results, saying it swung to an adjusted loss from a profit a year earlier.