03:46 PM EDT, 08/21/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Health care stocks edged higher late Wednesday afternoon with the NYSE Health Care Index and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) both up 0.1%.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) rose 0.5%.

In corporate news, Cosmos Health ( COSM ) said its Cana Laboratories unit secured a manufacturing deal with Provident Pharmaceuticals for 4.3 million units of the DE3-SOLE vial. Separately, Cosmos said it continues to hold the distribution rights for the mpox virus real-time PCR detection kits under a deal with Virax Biolabs ( VRAX ) . Cosmos shares jumped 15%, and Virax surged 48%.