December 9, 2019 6:01pm

Pre-open indications: 5 HITs <RENE.L (-$3.50), SAGE (-$1.80), GBT (-$4.24), CRSP (-$4.92) and QURE (-$3.05)> and 1 MISS <SGMO (-$1.35)>

News: Fate Therapeutics (FATE +45.65 or +41.33%) on promising data from 1 clinical and 1 pre-clinical study for its experimental cancer immunotherapy treatments. bluebird bio (BLUE -$2.82 with an aftermarket of +$0.49 or +0.64% ) announced new data from ongoing studies of LentiGlobin™ gene therapy for β-thalassemia (betibeglogene autotemcel) in pediatric, adolescent and adult patients and results from its P3 Northstar-3 (HGB-212) study in patients with a β0/β0 genotype or IVS-I-110 mutation, and the P3 Northstar-2 (HGB-207) study in patients who do not have a β0/β0 genotype. <read more>

Share pricing declines in a volatile cell and gene therapy universe


 

My interest in writing is separating actionable numbers or intelligence and news into a short-term investment thesis to tackle the “unknown unknowns”

 

The Dow closed DOWN -105.46 points (-0.38%), the S&P closed DOWN -9.95 points (-0.32%) and the NASDAQ closed DOWN -34.70 points (-0.40%)

 

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

  • Monday the IBB closed down -0.62% while the XBI closed up +0.10%
  • Friday the IBB closed up +1.17% while the XBI closed up +1.15%

 

The advance/decline line scenario of 45 covered companies:

  • Monday the close was negative with an A/D line of 9/31, 1 flat, 1 reversed merged (HSGX), 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired;
  • Friday the close was positive with an A/D line of 29/9, 3 flats, 1 reversed merged (HSGX), 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired;

 

Henry’omics:

Indexes fell for the first time in four sessions on Monday as investors took a pause after a sharp rally in the previous Friday’s session.

As I stated in Friday evening’s post, “Think fear as a sector risk, as momentum grows and wanes affecting the ability and capacity to be deluded into NOT selling into strength by end-of-month and year roller-coaster sector “rides” while strength lies in alternating volume and percentage moves – check the Advance/Decline lines.”

In our biotech universe news, Sanofi SA (SAN-FR: Euronext Paris) will acquire California biotech company Synthorx (THOR +$42.68) for $2.5 billion, or $68 per share. The acquisition price represents a 170.52% premium from THOR’s close of $25.03 on Friday. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of next year.

  • Sanofi is stepping up a push in the lucrative field of cancer drugs

 

From today’s news …

  • Fate Therapeutics (FATE +45.65 or +41.33%) jumped on promising data from 1 clinical and 1 pre-clinical study for its experimental cancer immunotherapy treatments. FATE is testing two therapies, FT516 and FT500, in a very small P1 trial as treatments for acute myeloid leukemia and as a combination therapy for advanced B-cell lymphoma. FATE’s preclinical data for FT596 was also positive, and it will begin enrolling patients in its first human trial early next year.
  • bluebird bio (BLUE -$2.82 with an aftermarket of +$0.49 or +0.64% ) announced new data from ongoing studies of LentiGlobin™ gene therapy for β-thalassemia (betibeglogene autotemcel) in pediatric, adolescent and adult patients who have transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDT), including results from the P3 Northstar-3 (HGB-212) study in patients with a β0/β0 genotype or IVS-I-110 mutation, and the P3 Northstar-2 (HGB-207) study in patients who do not have a β0/β0 genotype.

 

Decliners:

  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP -$4.92 after Friday’s +$1.66, Thursday’s -$1.39 and Wednesday’s -$1.03);
  • Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT -$4.24 after Friday’s +$3.20, Thursday’s +$1.97 and Wednesday’s +$1.69);
  • ReNeuron (RENE.L -$3.50 after Friday’s +$14.92, Thursday -$2.00 and Wednesday’s -$6.00);
  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY -$3.05 after Friday’s -$0.47 and Thursday’s +2.25);
  • uniQure NV (QURE -$3.05 after Friday’s +$1.47);

Incliners:

  • Fate therapeutics (FATE +$5.65);
  • Spark Therapeutics (ONCE +$0.49);
  • ThermoGenesis (KOOL +$0.35);
  • Intrexon (XON +$0.28);
  • Cellectis SA (CLLS +$0.21);

 

The percentage (%) indicators:

  • Monday’s range of the 9 upside was +0.12% (BOLD) to +41.33% (FATE) while the 31 downside ranged from -0.12% (ONVO) to -11.58% (SGMO); 
  • Friday’s range of the 29 upside was +0.07% (BOLD) to +11.66% (RENE.L) while the 9 downside ranged from -0.20% (BMRN) to -3.68% (AGTC); 

 

Upside volume stats:  to compare

  • Monday: 3 out of the 9 upside had higher than the 3 month average volume;
  • Friday: 7 out of the 29 upside had higher than the 3 month average volume;

Downside volume stats:

  • Monday: 13 out of the 31 downside had higher than the 3 month average volume;
  • Friday: 5 out of the 9 downside had higher than the 3 month average volume;

 

1 flat – BSTG with 1 reverse merged (HSGX), 1 dropped (BTX), 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and Spark Therapeutics’ (ONCE) acquisition by Roche could be soon according to rumors from FTC by year’s end.

 

December’s sessions:

Monday closed NEGATIVE with 31 decliners, 9 advancers, 1 flat, 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

Friday closed POSITIVE with 9 decliners, 29 advancers, 3 flats, 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

Thursday closed NEGATIVE with 31 decliners, 9 advancers, 1 flat, 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

Wednesday closed POSITIVE with 13 decliners, 25 advancers, 4 flats, 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

Tuesday closed POSITIVE with 12 decliners, 25 advancers, 4 flats, 1 dropped (BTX) and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

Monday closed NEGATIVE with 26 decliners, 19 advancers, 2 flats and 2 acquired (AST & OSIR) and 1 reversed (HSGX);

 

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.