-- Health care stocks edged up Wednesday afternoon with the NYSE Health Care Index little changed, paring earlier gains, and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) adding 0.2%.
The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) rose 0.2%.
In corporate news, Boston Scientific (BSX) shares jumped 9.1% after the company reported Q1 results exceeded Wall Street's estimates.
Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) shares climbed 7.7% after the company lifted the full-year procedure growth outlook of its Da Vinci robotic surgery system and reported better-than-expected Q1 results.
Merck (MRK), Germany's Merck KGaA and Japan's Ono Pharmaceutical expressed interest in Inhibrx Biosciences' (INBX) experimental cancer medicine that may be valued at more than $8 billion, Reuters reported. Merck shares rose 0.2%, and Inhibrx surged 42%.