Top Health Care Stocks

JNJ +0.70%

PZE +0.29%

MRK +0.06%

ABT +0.55%

AMGN +0.50%

Health care stocks were notching strong gains Friday with the NYSE Health Care Sector Index climbing more than 0.9% and shares of health care companies in the S&P 500 also rising almost 0.9% as a group.

In company news, Celgene ( CELG ) shares climbed to an all-time high Friday after the drugmaker reported that patients with plaque psoriasis maintained improved symptoms over the long term.

The company said improvements in the severity of preexisting nail, scalp and palmoplantar psoriasis achieved at week 16 were maintained in Otezla responders through week 52. Long-term safety profile for up to 104 weeks in ESTEEM 1 was consistent with previously reported data from Otezla clinical trial programs, with no new safety signals and no clinically meaningful changes in laboratory values.

CELG was up 1.5% at $127.26 each in late trade, earlier topping out at a new all-time high of $129.06 a share.

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Health Care Sector Update for 03/20/2015: CELG,PRTA,THRX