March 27, 2025 5:41pm

Whether you realize it-or-not, n the skin of indexes and share pricing as sector reverses to close Thursday positive

News: Beam Therapeutics (BEAM +$0.28) the FDA) has cleared the IND application for BEAM-302 for the treatment of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD). AATD is an inherited genetic disorder that affects the lungs and/or liver, leading to early onset emphysema and liver disease, and for which there are no currently approved curative treatments.

I say today what others won't, so you can do what others can't!

Never leave an investor uninformed! 

 

On point, short on words, long on facts and being judicious!

My mission is to provide clear, actionable guidance on a regular basis to help investors and traders navigate the uncertain and often irrational financial markets. I put hours of effort to create reporting, while leveraging my 40 years of operating and research experiences to analyze the key market-moving events and distill that into a cogent outlook.

 

Thursday's RegMed Investors’ (RMi) pre-open: struggling … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/13856

Wednesday night’s RegMed Investors (RMi) Closing Bell:  flipping the bird … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/13854

RegMed Investors (RMi) Research Note: The clock continues to tick down on Harvard Apparatus GT (OTCQB: HRGN) formerly Biostage (OTCQB: BSTG) … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/13812

 

Thursday: The Dow closed DOWN -155.09 points or -0.37%, the S&P closed DOWN 18.89- points or -0.33% while the Nasdaq closed DOWN -94.98 points or -0.53%

  • Indexes dumped after Trump announced 25% tariffs on “all cars that are not made in the United States,” which will go into effect on April 2.
  • This week so far, indexes are clinging to marginal gains; the S&P 500’s up +0.8%, the Nasdaq has gained +0.5% and the Dow has added +1%.

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

  • Gross domestic product accelerated at a 2.4% pace for the October-through-December period. That was 0.2% points ahead of the previous estimate and came from an upward revision to consumer spending, which grew at a 4% rate in Q4/24.
  • Jobless claims totaled 224,000 for the week ending March 22, down 1,000 from the prior week and close to the estimate for 226,000. On a four-week rolling basis, claims moved lower to 224,000, down 4,750 from the prior period. Continuing claims, which run a week behind, also nudged down, falling to 1.856 million, a decrease of 25,000.

Thursday’s advance/decline line opened with a positive 20 incliner, 12 decliners and 3 flats ending with a positive close of 22 incliners, 10 decliners and 3 flats

Metrics:  Thursday, the IBB was up +0.44%, the XBI was up +0.45% while the VIX was UP +0.36 points or +1.96% at 18.69

 

As compared to … Wednesday: The Dow closed DOWN -132.71 points or -0.31%, the S&P closed DOWN -64.45 points or -1.12% while the Nasdaq closed DOWN -372.84 points or -2.04%

  • Investors are anticipating a rise in inflation
  • Also, stocks traded lower during midday trading after Bloomberg News reported that Trump is preparing an announcement on auto levies ahead of his wide-ranging tariff plans set for next week

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

  • Durable goods orders increased 0.9% for the month, down from the upwardly revised 3.3% level in January but much better than the consensus forecast for a 1% decline. Excluding transportation, orders rose 0.7%, while the increase was 0.8% when excluding defense. Non-defense capital goods order, a closely watched metric of demand, saw a 0.3% decline for the month, indicating softening capital spending plans.  

Wednesday’s advance/decline line opened with a negative 2 incliner, 31 decliners and 2 flats ending with a negative close of 3 incliners, 28 decliners and 4 flats

Metrics:  Wednesday, the IBB was down -1.83%, the XBI was down -2% while the VIX was UP +1.18 points or +6.88% at 18.33

 

Q1/25 – March, 10 positive and 10 negative closes

  • February – 12 holiday, 11 negative and 7 positive closes
  • January - 2 holidays, 1 market close, 10 negative and 10 positive closes

Q4/24 –

  • December - 1 holiday, 6 positive and 15 negative closes
  • November – 1 holiday, 10 negative and 10 positive closes              
  • October: 8 positive and 15 negative sessions

 

Thursday’s Closing UP (10 of 22) +$ after Wednesday’s

  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY +$1.81 after Wednesday’s -$11.75 after Tuesday’s -$9.74 after Monday’s +$7.36),
  • Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals RARE +$0.91 after Wednesday’s -$0.71 after Tuesday’s -$0.79),
  • BioLife Solutions (BLFS +$0.67),
  • Moderna (MRNA +$0.64 after Wednesday’s -$2.37)
  • Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ +$0.44),
  • Beam Therapeutics (BEAM +$0.28 after Wednesday’s -$1.31),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$0.23 after Wednesday’s -$0.78 after Tuesday’s -$1.18 after Monday’s +$0.54),
  • AxoGen (AXGN +$0.19),
  • Solid Biosciences (SLDB -$0.11),
  • Caribou Biosciences (CRBU +$0.1076),

Flat (3)

  • Cellectis SA (CLLS)
  • Harvard Apparatus RT (OTCQB: HRGN),
  • Homology Medicine (FIXX)

Thursday’s Closing DOWN (10 of 10): 

  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP -$1.14 after Wednesday’s -$1.71 after Tuesday’s -$1.73 after Monday’s +$1.40),
  • Blueprint Medicine (BPMC -$0.99 after Wednesday’s -$2.36 after Tuesday’s -$2.19 after Monday’s +$6.55),
  • Mesoblast (MESO -$0.55),
  • uniQure NV (QURE -$0.52 after Wednesday’s -$0.71),
  • Vericel (VCEL -$0.35 after Wednesday’s -$1.54 after Tuesday’s +$0.02 after Monday’s +$1.58),
  • Regenxbio (RGNX -$0.29),
  • Verve Therapeutics (VERV -$0.12 after Wednesday’s -$0.44 after Tuesday’s +$0.06),
  • Adverum Biotechnologies (ADVM -$0.08 after Wednesday’s +$0.11 after Tuesday’s +$0.47),
  • Brainstorm cell Therapeutics (BCLI -$0.05),
  • Agenus (AGEN -$0.01),

 

The BOTTOM LINE:  President Trump’s announcement of 25% tariffs on cars and car parts not made in the US, as well as the threat of additional tariffs on the EU and Canada, could have a significant impact on the US and global economies. <Yahoo Finance>

Investors NEED to REMEMBER the use of fundamentals to re-generate conviction in the face of declining share pricing.

New week, the 4th of March …Monday closed positive followed by negative closes on Tuesday and Wednesday after Thursday's positive close…

  • Friday and Thursday closed negative after Wednesday closed positive, Tuesday closed negative following Monday’s positive close
  • A positive Friday sector close following Thursday’s negative close after 2 positive (Wednesday & Tuesday) closes following Monday’s negative close.
  • The previous Friday, 3/7 – the 5th NEGATIVE session in the week intermingled by 1 POSITIVE (Wednesday) close in a new month of March … so, what moves stock pricing?

 

“I hate to be so negative or contrarian but, this is a NO spin zone and truth is its product; I can always be WRONG but, I am mostly EARLY!”

  • If I have learned one thing as a former research analyst in a venture and public fund, operating executive, x-FBI, x-military officer and an adjunct (MBA) business school professor now a journalist; my life and your portfolio are largely tied to knowledge of price movements and questioning pricing targets and more.

I don’t have much to write/say other than “electronic trading and uncle algo” slipped out the back door reaping sector disharmony and then popped right back for some profiteering.

  • What can I say, love ‘em, leave ‘em and welcome back to save the sector’s honor – “uncle algo and his electronic dwarfs.” <me>

Earnings are still coming, almost completed … for Q4/24 and FY24 … my view will follow, has been busy and personally eventful!

 

March ‘25: understand the “flow” …

  • 3/27 – Thursday closed positive with 22 positive, 10 negative and 3 flats
  • 3/26 – Wednesday closed negative with 3 positive, 28 negative and 4 flats
  • 3/25 - Tuesday closed negative with 7 positive, 25 negative and 3 flats
  • 3/24 - Monday closed positive with 31 positive, 3 negative and 1 flat
  • 3/21 – Friday closed negative with 17 positive, 16 negative and 2 flats
  • 3/20 – Thursday closed negative with 10 positive, 23 negative and 2 flats
  • 3/19 - Wednesday closed positive with 25 positive, 8 negative and 2 flats
  • 3/18 -Tuesday closed negative with 7 positive, 27 negative and 1 flat
  • 3/17 – Monday closed positive with 24 positive, 10 negative and 1 flat
  • 3/14 – Friday closed positive with 20 positive, 13 negative and 2 flats
  • 3/13 - Thursday closed negative with 4 positive, 30 negative and 1 flat
  • 3/12 – Wednesday closed positive with 25 positive, 9 negative and 1 flat
  • 3/11 – Tuesday closed positive with 23 positive, 11 negative and 1 flat
  • 3/10 – Monday closed negative with 3 positive, 31 negative and 1 flat
  • 3/7 - Friday closed negative with 14 positive, 17 negative and 4 flats
  • 3/6 – Thursday closed negative with 16 positive, 18 negative and 1 flat
  • 3/5 – Wednesday closed positive with 25 positive, 9 negative and 1 flat
  • 3/4 – Tuesday closed negative with 15 positive, 18 negative and 2 flats
  • 3/3 – Monday closed negative with 2 positive, 31 negative and 2 flats

 

Big Point to remember “Think about it; the biggest problem the cell and gene therapy sector it’s all to the future …  99% of them have no earnings!

  • If rates are higher for longer, that means that sector companies will continue to struggle or be unable to raise capital and therefore be subject to debt servicing firms!”
  • 2024 saw very little life IPOs (initial public offering) market and secondaries – I have seen private investments, mortgages, sell-offs, as companies deferred and struggle to gain further market access i.e., public. <Me>

What could 2025 have in store for the capital access space?

  • "You'll see a number of cell and gene therapy companies drive for secondaries – they’re desperate for cash, but I do think a lot of cell and gene therapy sector companies NEED to be focused on what is driving their own growth —they're focused on a lot of change BUT … that's happening in pipelines … capital expansion is second.

 

Why do I keep repeating, so investors can make the connection …

The top three (3) performing in the session:   

  • Thursday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE) and BioLife Solutions (BLFS)
  • Wednesday: Adverum Biotechnologies (ADVM), Sage Therapeutics (SAGE) and Sangamo Therapeutics (SGMO
  • Tuesday: AxoGen (AXGN), Sage Therapeutics (SAGE) and Verve Therapeutics (VERV)
  • Monday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Blueprint Medicine (BPMC) and Vericel (VCEL)
  • Friday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA) and Mesoblast (MESO)

The worst three (3) in the session: 

  • Thursday: CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP), Blueprint Medicine (BPMC) and Mesoblast (MESO)
  • Wednesday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Moderna (MRNA) and Blueprint Medicine (BPMC)
  • Tuesday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Blueprint Medicine (BPMC) and CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP
  • Monday: Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI), Caribou Biosciences (CRBU) and Generation Bio (GBIO)
  • Friday: Vericel (VCEL), Adverum Biotechnologies (ADVM) and Regenxbio (RGNX)

 

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 it’s 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.