February 16, 2022 5:03pm

Volatility, geo-politic, plain old-fashion risk, Fed’s faster pace of increases, suffers the market and resulting sector slips

Pre-open Indications: 8 HIT and 3 MISS

News: Sage Therapeutics’ (SAGE -$7.59) stock falls -17.45% on new clinical data for its partnered experimental depression drug

RegMed/Cell and Gene Therapy Earnings Scorecard Q4/21 and FY21 Results … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/11628

If I have learned one thing as a former research analyst, venture and public fund investor now a journalist; it is that your life and your bank account are largely tied to your knowledge of price movements and questioning pricing targets.

Who else is tracking a broad grouping of cell and gene therapy equities – with facts supported by real numbers?

The Dow closed DOWN -54.57 points (-0.16%); the S&P closed UP +3.94 points (+0.09%) while the Nasdaq closed DOWN -15.66 points (-0.11%)

 

Henry’omics:

The major averages cut some losses following the release of the minutes from the Federal Reserve’s January meeting. The minutes affirmed that the central bank is ready to raise interest rates and begin shrinking its balance sheet “soon.”

The Cboe Volatility Index — known as the “fear gauge” rose 1.32%, sitting above the 25 level.

The Nasdaq sold off 1.2% as the cell and gene therapy sector suffered losses yet again.

 

News:   Shares of Sage Therapeutics (SAGE) tumbled Wednesday after analysts raised questions about the durability of the experimental treatment for major depressive disorder that SAGE is developing with Biogen (BIIB). Biogen's stock was up 0.7% in premarket trading.

  • The companies had announced Monday morning that zuranolone met the primary endpoint in a P3 clinical trial; however, some analysts still have concerns about the commercial appeal of the drug, if it is appropriate.

 

Economic Data Docket: retail sales surged 3.8% in January, the Census Bureau reported Wednesday. Economists expected the report to show sales rose 2.1% in January after a 1.9% decline in December.

 

RegMed Investors’ (RMi) pre-open: “what’s sustainable share pricing in our universe of cell and gene therapy? Are the algorithmic “scalp hunters” eyeing Tuesday’s upsiders?” … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/12303

 

RegMed/Stem/Cell and Gene therapy’s 35 covered equities’ Advance/Decline (A/D) lines: what happened …

  • Wednesday opened negative at 7 up/25 downs, 2 flats and 1 acquired, stayed negative at the mid-day at 5/27, 2 flats and 1 acquired, ending with a negative close of 8/2, 4 flats and 1 acquired;

 

Pre-open indications: 8 Hit < CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP +$1.00), Sage Therapeutics (SAGE -$7.59), Ultragenyx (RARE -$2.38), bluebird bio (BLUE -$0.29), UniQure NV (QURE -$0.29), Regenxbio (RGNX -$0.37), Biostage (BSTG -$0.06), Verastem (VSTM -$0.03)> 3 MISS < MiMedx (MDXG +$0.02), Editas Medicine (EDIT -$0.01), Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA -$2.66)>

 

The Biostage (BSTG) Chronicles: shows how the “pimp/pump and promote” works with the shares trading down -$0.06 (after being down -$0.98) with 420 shares traded after Tuesday’s flat again with 200 shares traded after Monday’s flat with 1,899 shares traded after

Last Friday’s -$0.02 with 1,739 shares traded after Thursday’s +$0.60 with 2,841 shares traded after Wednesday’s down -$0.61 (was as low as -$1.09) with 4,030 shares traded after Tuesday’s +$0.05 with 1,293 shares traded after Monday’s +$0.55 with 2,311 shares traded,

  • The previous Friday’s +$0.22 with 305 shares traded, Thursday’s flat ($0.00) with 3 shares traded, Wednesday’s down -$0.53 with 502 shares traded, Tuesday’s +$0.40 with 1,088 shares after Monday’s 11 shares traded after Friday’s +$0.05 with 3,225 shares traded after Thursday’s +$0.24 with 10,073 - double the mornings 5,030 shares traded after last Wednesday’s diving to -$0.00 with 7,796 shares trading after appreciating +$0.35 (after dropping mid-day -$0.07 – such sarcasm after miraculous jump) and the previous Tuesday’s +$0.31 with 2,794 shares traded.

 

Key Metrics:

  • Wednesday - Sector volume was LOW with 1 of the 8-upside having higher than the 3-month average volume with LOW volume of 2 of 22-downside having higher than the 3-month average volume

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

  • Wednesday the IBB closed down -0.05% and XBI closed down -1.04%

The CBOE Volatility Index (VVIX: INDEX) tracked:

  • Wednesday was down -1.41 points or -5.49% at 24.29

 

Jumping with share pricing momentum (8 of 8):

  • Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT +$2.41 after Tuesday’s +$1.58 and Monday’s -$0.35),
  • CRISPR Therapeutic (CRSP +$1.00 after Tuesday’s +$2.36 and Monday’s -$0.79),
  • Bellicum Pharmaceuticals (BLCM +$0.14),
  • Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI +$0.10),
  • Mesoblast (MESO +$0.06),
  • Homology Medicine (FIXX +$0.03),
  • MiMedx (MDXG +$0.02),
  • Cellectis SA (CLLS +$0.01),

Hammered in today’s market (10 of 22):

  • Sage Therapeutics (SAGE -$7.59 after Tuesday’s +$1.21 and Monday’s -$0.75),
  • Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA -$2.66 after Tuesday’s +$8.21 and Monday’s -$1.11),
  • Ultragenyx (RARE -$2.38 after Tuesday’s +$2.30 and Monday’s -$1.66),
  • Fate Therapeutics (FATE -$1.87 after Tuesday’s +$1.49 and Monday’s -$1.41),
  • BioLife Solutions (BLFS -$1.17),
  • Regenxbio (RGNX -$0.37 after Tuesday’s +$1.86),
  • uniQure NV (QURE -$0.29),
  • bluebird bio (BLUE -$0.29),
  • Chinook Therapeutics (KDNY -$0.26),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS -$0.26 after Tuesday’s +$1.07),

Closing Flat:

  • 4 –ReNeuron (RENE.L), Voyager Therapeutics (VYGR), Applied Genetic Technologies (AGTC), Adverum Biotechnologies (ADVM) and 1 - -Stemline Therapeutics (STML) – acquired

 

February, Q1/2022:

  • Wednesday closed negative with 8 incliner, 22 decliners, 4 flats and 1 acquired
  • Tuesday closed positive with 31 incliners, 1 decliner, 2 flat and 1 acquired
  • Monday (2/14) closed negative with 4 incliners, 28 decliners, 2 flats and 1 acquired

 

The BOTTOM LINE: Cell and gene therapy sector stocks dived, twisting and turned-on Wednesday’s headlines after jumping a day earlier after an apparent or superficial de-escalation of Russian advances in Ukraine.

We are just going with the flow as we trip and fall to the weekend …

Wednesday’s down “sliders’ were Sage Therapeutics (SAGE), Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA), Fate Therapeutics (FATE) and Ultragenyx (RARE) with a few “upsiders” being Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT), Bellicum Therapeutics (BLCM), Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI), Mesoblast (MESO) and a surprise - Applied Genetic Technologies (AGTC)

Tuesday’s “sprinters” were Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP) and Ultragenyx (RARE) with only 1 loser Applied Genetic technologies (AGTC) with ReNeuron (RENE.L) and Biostage (BSTG) flat

Monday closed down with just a few ups … Vericel (VCEL), Voyager therapeutics (VYGR), uniQure NV (QURE) and Caladrius Biosciences (CLBS) while the downs were numbered at 28.

Investors will be watching earnings reports this week; Q4 and end-of-year earnings are about to be made aware of” more than even I thought.          

  • AxoGen AXGN) –Tuesday, 2/22
  • Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT) - Wednesday, 2/23
  • Editas Medicine (EDIT) - Thursday, 2/24
  • Vericel (VCEL) –Thursday, 2/24,
  • MiMedx (MDXG), Monday, 2/28
  • Fate therapeutics (FATE) - Monday, 2/28
  • Athersys (ATHX), Tuesday, 3/15

WHY do I keep analyzing Biostage (BSTG): I WAS there to experience the lack of investor prerogatives and saw the decay of transparency and more; it takes courage, resolve and patience to stay the course of asking the questions without response!

Who is defining the metrics for investors and keeping you notified of the sector and market fluctuations?  What I provide is a trusted source of share pricing intelligence – it’s more than opinion, I deal in the facts and numbers that back them up.

 

 

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.