Sector Update: Healthcare Stocks Ease Late Afternoon

03:52 PM EDT, 09/15/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Healthcare stocks were edging lower late Tuesday afternoon, with the NYSE Healthcare Index and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) each easing about 0.2%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was shedding 1.5%. In corporate news, Contineum Therapeutics (CTNM) shares were down past 6% after the company said late Monday a phase 2 trial of JNJ-5120/PIPE-307 to treat major depressive disorder did not meet its primary efficacy endpoint. GSK (GSK) agreed to acquire global rights to an experimental T-cell engager therapy for multiple myeloma from Chinese biotechnology company Chimagen Biosciences in a deal worth up to $750 million, as the UK drugmaker aims to strengthen its blood cancer treatment portfolio. GSK shares were flat. Gilead Sciences (GILD) said Tuesday it entered into an agreement with the Pan American Health Organization to expand access to twice-yearly lenacapavir as pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention. Gilead shares added 0.1%. Ascendis Pharma (ASND) said it will regain exclusive rights to certain drug treatments for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, including obesity, having terminated a 2024 collaboration deal with Novo Nordisk (NVO). Ascendis shares fell 10%, and Novo was down 2.3%.