Top Health Care Stocks

JNJ +0.45%

PZE +0.97%

MRK +0.82%

ABT +0.55%

AMGN +1.38%

Health care stocks were broadly higher today with the NYSE Health Care Sector Index jumping almost 0.8% and shares of health care companies in the S&P 500 rising 0.9% as a group.

In company news, Conatus Pharmaceuticals ( CNAT ) extended gains Friday after the biotech company said Thursday that its emricasan drug candidate met its primary goal of reducing three biomarkers signaling liver damage during Phase II testing in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 38 patients receiving either 25 milligrams of emricasan or a placebo twice daily. According to the company, 30% of the patients in emricasan arm demonstrated declines in the three enzymes compared with just a 4% drop in the placebo arm.

The drug also was safe and well tolerated during the latest trial, with no dose-limiting toxicities and no drug-related serious adverse events observed. CNAT plans to present detailed trial results at the International Liver Congress beginning April 22 in Vienna, Austria.

Read more:

Health Care Sector Update for 03/27/2015: CNAT,BMRN,OHRP