01:58 PM EDT, 03/17/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks were higher Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index rising 1.4% and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) up 1.3%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) added 1.3%.

In corporate news, AstraZeneca ( AZN ) on Monday agreed to buy Belgian biotech company EsoBiotec in a deal worth up to $1 billion as it looks to boost its cell therapies portfolio. AstraZeneca ( AZN ) shares were 0.1% higher.

Hyperfine (HYPR) shares surged 35% after the company said Monday it is collaborating with Nvidia (NVDA) to enhance its portable imaging technology.

Fortress Biotech ( FBIO ) shares popped 4.8%. The company and Partex said Monday that they're collaborating to identify and evaluate biopharmaceutical compounds using AI for potential acquisition or licensing by Fortress.