Sector Update: Healthcare

03:23 PM EDT, 09/02/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Healthcare stocks were higher late Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Healthcare Index and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) each adding 0.8%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) climbed 1.2%. In corporate news, Novartis (NVS) has signed an option and licensing agreement with South Korean biotech Alteogen to develop and sell subcutaneous versions of multiple Novartis drugs using its ALT-B4 technology, Alteogen said Wednesday. Novartis shares rose 0.4%.