04:04 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) each adding about 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. Cosmos also said it continues to hold distribution rights for the mpox virus real-time PCR detection kits under a deal with Virax Biolabs ( VRAX ) . Cosmos shares jumped 18%, and Virax surged 80%.

Grifols ( GRFS ) shares popped 6.7%. Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) is seeking debt financing from banks totaling 9.5 billion euros ($10.6 billion) for a potential deal to take Grifols ( GRFS ) private, Bloomberg reported. Brookfield shares gained 0.8%.

Health care marketplace Sesame said it will offer compounded versions of Novo Nordisk's ( NVO ) weight-loss drug Wegovy to qualified customers for $249 per month as part of its new weight-loss program in the US. Novo shares were shedding 0.6%.

Procept BioRobotics ( PRCT ) shares surged 28% after the company said Wednesday it has secured clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration for the Hydros Robotic System.