December 3, 2018 8:36am
Some hot and a lot of presentations at the 60th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition focus the week
Pre-open indications: 5 BUYs
News: Editas Medicine (EDIT) experiments demonstrate expanded CRISPR genome editing strategies in hematopoietic stem cells for the treatment of sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia. bluebird bio (BLUE) announced new long-term data from the completed P1/2 Northstar (HGB-204) study of investigational LentiGlobin™ gene therapy in patients with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDT) and from the ongoing P1/2 HGB-206 study of LentiGlobin in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). bluebird bio (BLUE) and Celgene (CELG) announced initial data from the ongoing P1 clinical study of bb21217 (CRB-402), an investigational next-generation anti-BCMA CAR T cell therapy being studied in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Bellicum Pharmaceuticals (BLCM announced interim results from two multicenter trials of patients treated with rivo-celTM (rivogenlecleucel, formerly BPX-501) following a haploidentical stem cell transplant showing that rimiducid administration led to resolution of most cases of advanced Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD) or those who were refractory to standard of care treatment. Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT) will host a conference call to provide a regulatory update for voxelotor today, 12/3/18, at 8:30 a.m. ET. Voxelotor (previously called GBT440) is being developed as an oral, once-daily therapy for patients with SCD. Voxelotor works by increasing hemoglobin's affinity for oxygen. Since oxygenated sickle hemoglobin does not polymerize, GBT believes voxelotor blocks polymerization and the resultant sickling of red blood cells. uniQure N.V. (QURE) updated results from its ongoing P1/2 trial of AMT-060, and provided an update on AMT-061, the next-generation gene therapy candidate currently in late-stage clinical development for patients with hemophilia B. AMT-060 is a first-generation gene therapy consisting of an AAV5 vector carrying a gene cassette with the wild-type FIX gene. The data on AMT-060 includes up to 2 and ½ years of follow-up from the low-dose cohort and up to 2 years of follow-up from the second, higher-dose cohort.
I answer one question, in which company should investors put, keep and commit their money!
Anyone who reads my posts, knows that I am about making money, no matter what happens in the sector
U.S. stock index futures are jumping
Dow futures are UP +1.79% (+458 points) and NASDAQ futures are UP +2.22% (+155 points)
Dow futures jumped nearly 500 points; the U.S. and China agreed to hold off on additional tariffs on each other's goods at the start of the New Year to allow for talks to continue for 90 days.
European stocks rallied, after President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping negotiated a temporary truce
Asian markets saw gains after a temporary trade truce between the United States and China.
Data docket: a final reading of manufacturing PMI data for November at around 9:45 a.m. Construction spending figures for October and light vehicle sales data for November is expected to follow at 10 a.m.
Monday’s indications:
- The iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology (IBB) is indicating a POSITIVE +1.74% UPSIDE
- The SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) is NOT indicating
- The Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) is indicating a POSITIVE +0.02% UPSIDE
- The iShares Russell 2000 (IWM) is indicating a POSITIVE +1.28% UPSIDE
Henry’omics:
Friday night’s post, “ending an erratic month … sector equities closed a volatile month with a gain on Friday as traders wobbled on trading values. Heading into December, however, sector equities could be in for more volatility – more than November, October and September?”
Friday night’s percentage (%) indicators:
- Review the range of the 22 upside from +0.27% (FIXX) to +9.86% (BLCM) while the 18 downside ranged from -0.41% (OSIR) to -9.88% (HSGX) with a 5 flat close (MESO, CLBS, BSTG, ATHX and AGTC).
Volume stat:
- 7 out of the 22 upside had higher (than the 3 month average) volume
- 8 out of the 18 downside experienced higher volume (than the 3 month average).
Recounting the months:
- In 22 sessions in November – there were 1 holiday, 10 positive closes, 1 neutral and 10 negative closes
- In 23 sessions in October – there were 17 negative closes and 6 positive sessions;
- In 19 sessions in September – there were 10 negative closes and 9 positive sessions;
- In 21 August sessions – 6 had negative and 15 had positive closes
Companies in my headlights – It’s your decision; I provide an idea and context:
Editas Medicine (EDIT) closed up +$1.05 to $31.16 and announced on Sunday results from experiments to demonstrate expanded CRISPR genome editing strategies in hematopoietic stem cells for the treatment of sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia. In these experiments, the Company demonstrated HBG1/2 promoter-edited CD34+ cells robustly engrafted in mice without lineage skewing of red blood cell precursors. If these preclinical results translate to humans, gene editing hemoglobinopathies may yield a safer and more effective medicine. There is a positive +$0.13 or +0.42% pre-market indication – BUY;
bluebird bio, Inc. (BLUE) closed down -$2.25 to $122.89announced new long-term data from the completed P1/2 Northstar (HGB-204) study of investigational LentiGlobin™ gene therapy in patients with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDT) and from the ongoing Phase 1/2 HGB-206 study of LentiGlobin in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) today at the 60th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH). BLUE had a negative aftermarket -$5.40 or -4.29% - BUY;
Bellicum Pharmaceuticals (BLCM) closed up +$0.41 to $4.57 and announced (Sunday) interim results from two multicenter trials of patients treated with rivo-celTM (rivogenlecleucel, formerly BPX-501) following a haploidentical stem cell transplant showing that rimiducid administration led to resolution of most cases of advanced Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD) or those who were refractory to standard of care treatment – BUY;
Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT) will host a conference call to provide a regulatory update for voxelotor today, 12/3/18, at 8:30 a.m. ET. Voxelotor (previously called GBT440) is being developed as an oral, once-daily therapy for patients with SCD. Voxelotor works by increasing hemoglobin's affinity for oxygen. Since oxygenated sickle hemoglobin does not polymerize, GBT believes voxelotor blocks polymerization and the resultant sickling of red blood cells – BUY;
uniQure N.V. (QURE) closed a up +$0.08 to $29.28 and announced updated results from its ongoing P1/2 trial of AMT-060, and provided an update on AMT-061, the Company’s next-generation gene therapy candidate currently in late-stage clinical development for patients with hemophilia B. AMT-060 is a first-generation gene therapy consisting of an AAV5 vector carrying a gene cassette with the wild-type FIX gene. The data on AMT-060 includes up to two and a half years of follow-up from the low-dose cohort and up to two years of follow-up from the second, higher-dose cohort – BUY;
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.
