May 31, 2024 5:17pm

Gains were made, erased and re-made finishing the week with 2 positive sessions in a row; however, with a barely and lean close as May ends

The Harvard Apparatus RT (OTCQB: HRGN) Chronicles: a flat pancake stock from a Ponzi Scheme, a Madoff look-a-life or just a Communist China rip-off? <see The Bottom Line>

Never leave an investor uninformed!

One can take a good or bad feeling, re-frame it, and suddenly that feeling is the solution. Not me, I don’t run from any feeling but, take that sensation itself as a sharpened stick to “poke’ mainstream thinking.

Week and month of May in review

I answer or qualify the sector’s equity’s share pricing mobility; with an emphasis on which company is gaining or losing stride in your portfolio for the short and near-term

It’s not hard to be right so often, it’s about refining expectation, defining insight and NOT being indentured to ANY financial institution!

 

Friday: The Dow closed UP +595.84 points or +1.51%, the S&P closed UP +42.03 points or +0.80% while the Nasdaq closed DOWN -2.06 points or -0.01%

 

Henry’omics:

We need to more than consider the economic environment - rising rates and inflation to comprehend the micro re “our” universe of cell and gene therapy companies …

Indexes were mixed …wrapping-up the month of May.

The S&P 500 slipped -0.51% and the Nasdaq -1.1% snapped 5-week win streaks. The blue-chip Dow slipped 0.98%, marking a second straight week of losses.

For the month, the Dow is up +2.3%, the S&P 500 +4.8% as the Nasdaq gained +6.8%.

Economic Data Docket: The core personal consumption expenditures price index increased 0.2% in April, the same figure that was anticipated by economists polled by Dow Jones. Core PCE rose 2.8% on an annualized basis, slightly above the 2.7% prediction from economists.

  • Business activity in the Chicago region hit its lowest level since November 2022 in April, from the Institute for Supply Management.The Chicago Business Barometer slid to 37.9 on the month, down 3.5 points from March and below the Dow Jones estimate for 41.1. Declines in new orders, production and employment, which hit its lowest since February 2023, led the move lower.
  • There was some bad news on inflation, with the prices paid index hitting its highest since August 2023.

 

Advance/Decline (A/D) Line:

  • Friday’s advance/decline line at the open was positive with 26 incliner, 6 decliners and 3 flats; ending with a positive close of 16 incliners, 14 decliners and 5 flats
  • Thursday’s advance/decline line at the open was positive with 20 incliner, 12 decliners and 3 flats; ending with a positive close of 22 incliners, 10 decliners and 3 flats
  • Wednesday’s advance/decline line at the open was negative with 1 incliner, 31 decliners and 3 flats; ending with a negative close of 5 incliners, 27 decliners and 3 flats
  • Tuesday’s advance/decline line at the open was neutral with 16 incliner, 16 decliners and 3 flats; ending with a negative close of 15 incliners, 16 decliners and 4 flats
  • Monday was a market holiday.

 

Ebb and flow of MY covered sector cell and gene therapy session daily “endings”:

  • May: 1 holiday, 11 positive and 11 negative closes
  • April: 16 negative and 6 positive closes

 

Key Metrics:

The iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology (IBB) and the SPDR S&P ETF (XBI) indicators:

  • Friday, the IBB was up +0.40% and the XBI was up +0.25%
  • Thursday, the IBB was up +0.63% and the XBI was up +1.69%
  • Wednesday, the IBB was down -1.17% and the XBI was down -1.85%
  • Tuesday, the IBB was down -1.17% and the XBI was up +0.34%

The CBOE Volatility Index (VVIX: INDEX) tracked:

  • Friday was down -1.54 point or -10.64% at 12.93
  • Thursday was up +0.19 point or +1.33% at 14.47
  • Wednesday was up +1.27 point or +9.84% at 14.19
  • Tuesday was up +0.53 point or +4.29% at 12.89

 

Friday’s Closing Down (10 of 14):

  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY -$1.60 after Thursday’s +$3.10, Wednesday’s -$3.13 and Tuesday’s +$2.30),
  • Blueprint Medicine (BPMC -$0.80 after Thursday’s +$5.79, Wednesday’s -$1.79 and Tuesday’s -$0.45),
  • Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA -$0.72 after Thursday’s +$0.43, Wednesday’s -$1.05 and Tuesday’s -$2.12),
  • Vericel (VCEL -$0.48 after Thursday’s +$1.44, Wednesday’s -$1.23 and Tuesday’s -$0.26),
  • Sage Therapeutics (SAGE -$0.39 after Thursday’s +$0.64, Wednesday’s -$1.07 and Tuesday’s +$0.15),
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP -$0.32),
  • Beam Therapeutics (BEAM -$0.27 after Thursday’s +$0.41 and Wednesday’s -$0.54),
  • BioLife Solutions (BLFS -$0.27),
  • Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ -$0.22),
  • AxoGen (AXGN -$0.17 after Thursday’s +$0.29, Wednesday’s +$0.07 and Tuesday’s +$0.37),

Flat (5):

  • Bellicum Pharmaceuticals (BLCM) – dropped)
  • Cellectis SA (CLLS)
  • Harvard Apparatus RT (OTCQB: HRGN)
  • Homology Medicine (FIXX) – under $1.00
  • Regenxbio (RGNX)

Friday’s Closing Up (10 of 16):

  • Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE -$1.49 after Thursday’s +$0.51, Wednesday’s -$1.20 and Tuesday’s -$1.00),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$1.02),
  • Solid Biosciences (SLDB +$0.62),
  • Agenus (AGEN +$0.58),
  • uniQure NV (QURE +$0.27),
  • Voyager Therapeutics (VYGR +$0.26),
  • Fate Therapeutics (FATE +$0.23),
  • Adverum Biotechnologies (ADVM -$0.11 after Thursday’s -$0.21, Wednesday’s +$0.36 and Tuesday’s +$0.06),
  • Precigen (PGEN +$0.07),
  • Verve Therapeutics (VERV +$0.05)

 

Q2/24 – May -End of Month:

Friday closed positive with 16 incliners, 14 decliners and 5 flats

Thursday closed positive with 22 incliners, 10 decliners and 3 flats

Wednesday closed negative with 5 incliners, 27 decliners and 3 flats

Tuesday closed negative with 15 incliners, 16 decliners and 4 flats

(5/27) Monday was a market holiday

Friday closed negative with 13 incliners, 19 decliners and 3 flats

Thursday closed negative with 5 incliners, 28 decliners and 2 flats

Wednesday closed positive with 18 incliners, 15 decliners and 2 flats

Tuesday closed negative with 9 incliners, 24 decliners and 3 flats

(5/20) Monday closed negative with 15 incliners, 16 decliners and 4 flats

Friday closed negative with 11 incliners, 22 decliners and 2 flats

Thursday closed negative with 13 incliners, 21 decliners and 1 flat <dropped>

Wednesday closed positive with 24 incliners, 6 decliners and 5 flats

Tuesday closed positive with 19 incliners, 13 decliners and 3 flats

(5/13) Monday closed positive with 22 incliners, 11 decliners and 2 flats

Friday closed negative with 10 incliners, 23 decliners and 2 flats

Thursday closed positive with 21 incliners, 11 decliners and 3 flats

Wednesday closed negative with 5 incliners, 27 decliners and 3 flats

Tuesday closed negative with 16 incliners, 18 decliners and 1 flat

(5/6) Monday closed positive with 17 incliners, 15 decliners and 3 flats

Friday closed positive with 22 incliners, 12 decliners and 1 flat

Thursday closed positive with 25 incliners, 9 decliners and 1 flat

Wednesday closed positive with 28 incliners, 6 decliners and 1 flat

 

The BOTTOM LINE:  Friday ended the month as the cell and gene therapy sector leanly improved its share pricing today and Thursday’s sessions.

Recapping May: 1 holiday, 11 positive and 11 negative closes – NOT a great direction showing.

Anyone who reads my posts, knows that I am about making money in a portfolio, no matter what happens in the sector

 

“The market is going to remain choppy,” said Quincy Krosby, chief global strategist at LPL Financial, citing variables like the upcoming election, Treasury yields and consumer spending. “There are questions as to: Where are we headed? Where’s the economy headed?”

I am still expecting a bumpy ride for cell and gene therapy equities as we enter and run-through the month of June.

 

The top three (3) performing in the session:  

  • Friday: Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE), Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) and Solid Biosciences (SLDB)
  • Thursday: Blueprint Medicine (BLMC), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and Vericel (VCEL)
  • Wednesday: Adverum Biotechnologies (ADVM), Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ) and AxoGen (AXGN)
  • Tuesday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Agenus (AGEN) and BioLife Solutions (BLFS)
  • Monday:  was a holiday

The worst three (3) in the session:

  • Friday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Blueprint Medicine (BLMC) and Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA)
  • Thursday: Mesoblast (MESO), Adverum Biotechnologies (ADVM) and Compass Therapeutics (CMPX)
  • Wednesday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Blueprint Medicine (BLMC) and Vericel (VCEL)
  • Tuesday: Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA), Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE) and Blueprint Medicine (BLMC)
  • Monday: was a market holiday

 

BEWARE… 

The Harvard Apparatus RT (OTC QB HRGN) Chronicles: shows how the share pricing … vacillates from its “pimp/pump and promote” share pricing

Question, what and where is the valuation model for newest PIPE financing priced at $4.03?

  • Yet a further SCREW-JOB for early and present investors ...

May share pricing closes:

  • 1 holiday, 4 ups, 2 down and 15 flats

April share pricing closes:

  • 5 ups, 5 downs and 11 flats

Also a question, has its former owner before spin-out, major shareholder and landlord, Harvard Bioscience (HBIO) just past an employee lay-off; been left holding a depreciating “bag” of shares (5% or 697,112 shares – SC 13G/A filing) from its $4 M share of the wrongful death lawsuit settlement having been issued 4,000 shares of series E 8% convertible Preferred stock at a price of $1,000 per share to satisfy the indemnification obligations (10-K)? 

  • 52 week range, share price DROP … $3.09 to $5.90 to today’s $3.17 (-41% YTD % change)
  • How will HBIO protect itself and its asset/balance sheet with debtor OTCQB: HRGN pig with its applied lipstick and lingering odor?

 

Welcome to my world of defining the “grey’ in our universe!

  • Right up front, “I also hate to be so negative or contrarian but, this is a NO spin zone and facts are its product; I can always be WRONG but … I am mostly EARLY!”

 

Opinions expressed are those of the author and are subject to change, and not intended to be a forecast of future events, a guarantee of future results, nor investment advice. Whether information or intelligence is good, bad, or somewhere in between; I put into context what is relevant and useful for investors.  All investments are subject to risks. Investors should consider investment objectives.

Henry McCusker, the editor, and publisher of RegMed Investors does not hold or have positions in securities referred to in this publication. Regulation Analyst Certification (Reg AC): The research analyst primarily responsible for the content of this report certifies the following under Reg AC: I hereby certify that all views expressed in this report accurately reflect my personal views about the subject company or companies and its or their securities.

I also certify that no part of my compensation was, is or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views expressed in this report.