Health-care companies were more or less flat as Novo Nordisk's robust obesity-drug sales offset weakness elsewhere.

Shares of Novo Nordisk soared after the Danish drug giant said sales of Biogen is pulling the plug on its ill-fated Alzheimer's disease drug Aduhelm, shifting resources to the development of Leqembi, a separate Alzheimer's treatment it 's developing with Aduhelm partner Esai.

Novartis shares dropped after the Swiss pharmaceutical company reported fourth-quarter earnings and sales that missed consensus expectations.

Shares of Boston Scientific rallied after the stent-maker posted stronger-than-anticipated fourth-quarter sales and forecast more growth ahead. Health-insurance giant Cigna agreed to sell its Medicare business to rival Health Care Service for $3.3 billion.


Write to Rob Curran at rob.curran@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

01-31-24 1727ET