May 5, 2025 5:16pm

Yet again, the problem: we are always spectators … musical equity chairs, the music stopped and there were more seats in the red zone

“I also 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!”

Pre-open Indications: 3 Hits and 3 Miss

Coming Earnings: BLFS and NTLA  5/8, RGNX 5/12

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.

 

RegMed Investors’ (RMi) pre-open: Probably, maybe and so-forth… https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/13905

Friday night’s RegMed Investors (RMi) Closing Bell: Rippen with this a.m.’s answer, not econs today after past ticks exacerbated stocks … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/13904

 

RegMed Investors (RMi) Research Note: Harvard Apparatus GT (OTCQB: HRGN) Chronicles: Yet another "screw job" for/on investors ... "wanting to effect a reverse split of its outstanding common stock" in its recent proxy statement filing!! … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/13812

 

Monday: The Dow closed DOWN -98.60 points or -0.24%, the S&P closed DOWN -36.29 points or -0.64% while the Nasdaq closed DOWN -133.49 points or -0.74%

  • Indexes started the week to the downside and lacking strength

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

  • The Institute for Supply Management reflected stronger-than-expected service sector activity in April. The ISM services reading came in at 51.6, up 0.8 points from March and better than the estimate for 50.4. The index measure of 50 is considered a sign of growth.
  • U.S. credit card transactions data is showing month-on-month spending momentum is weaker compared to previous years. <Barclays analyst Renate Marold>             

Monday’s advance/decline line opened with a negative 7 incliner, 26 decline and 2 flats ending with a negative close of 9 incliners, 26 decliners and 3 flats    

Metrics:  Monday, the IBB was down -0.74%, the XBI was down -0.85% while the VIX was up +0.96 points or +4.23% at 23.64

 

As compared to … Friday: The Dow closed UP +564.47 points or +1.39%, the S&P closed UP +82.53 points or +1.47% while the Nasdaq closed UP +266.99 points or +1.51%

  • Indexes closed positive as cell and gene therapy sector also popped
  • This week, the S&P 500 rose +2.3%, the Dow +2.5% and Nasdaq was up 2.7%.

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

  • Payrolls grew by 177,000 in April, above the 133,000 that economists had anticipated; down sharply from the 228,000 added in March. The unemployment rate stood at 4.2%, in line with expectations.

Friday’s advance/decline line opened with a positive 30 incliner, 2 decline and 3 flats ending with a positive close of 24 incliners, 8 decliners and 2 flats        

Metrics:  Friday, the IBB was up +1.72%, the XBI was up +1% while the VIX was down -1.92 points or -7.80% at 22.68

 

Q2/25 – May – 2 negative and 1 positive closes

  • April – 11 positive and 10 negative closes

Q1/25

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

 

Monday’s Closing UP (9 of 9) 

  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY +$14.16 after Friday’s +$4.26),
  • uniQure NV (QURE +$1.12 after Friday’s -$0.23),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$0.87 after Friday’s +$1.07),
  • Vericel (VCEL +$0.31 after Friday’s +$1.03),
  • MiMedx (MDXG +$0.30 after Friday’s $0.00)
  • Moderna (MRNA +$0.23 after Friday’s +$0.58),
  • Adverum Biotechnologies (ADVM +$0.10),
  • bluebird bio (BLUE +$0.02 after Friday’s -$0.10)
  • Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI +$0.01),

Flat (3)

  • Cellectis SA (CLLS $0.00 after Friday’s -$0.0190),
  • Harvard Apparatus RT (OTCQB: HRGN $0.00 after Friday’s $0.00)
  • Homology Medicine (FIXX)

Monday’s Closing DOWN (10 of 23): 

  • Blueprint Medicine (BPMC -$2.81 after Friday’s +$5.39),
  • BioLife Solutions (BLFS -$1.07 after Friday’s +$0.67),
  • Mesoblast (MESO -$0.75),
  • Regenxbio (RGNX -$0.64 after Friday’s +$0.57),
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP -$0.63),
  • Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE -$0.43),
  • Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ -$0.42 after Friday’s +$0.64),
  • Beam Therapeutics (BEAM -$0.42),
  • Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA -$0.40),
  • AxoGen (AXGN -$0.38 after Friday’s +$0.65)

 

The BOTTOM LINE: Monday, the cell and gene therapy sector closed negative after Friday closed positive following Thursday pain. While …

  • The Fed's two-day policy meeting that kicks off on Tuesday; expecting to hold steady with current rates, even with Trump amping up pressure on chair Powell.

My perspective is retail investors should NOT be dipping their toes back into the cell and gene therapy sector until after LPS (loss-per-share) earnings report.

  • NO all ins – just add those with solid partners, lengthened runways and solid cash positions leveraged by solid management teams – there I see losses going forward!

“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” slips in and out, back doors reaping sector disharmony and then pops 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>

 

May ‘25: understand the “flow” …

  • 5/5 - Monday closed negative with 9 positive, 23 negative and 3 flats
  • 5/2 – Friday closed positive with 24 positive, 8 negative and 3 flats
  • 5/1 - Thursday closed negative with 14 positive, 19 negative and 2 flats

 

What could 2025 have in store for the capital access space – DESPERATE  

  • "You'll see a number of cell and gene therapy companies DESPARITE drive for financings – 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:   

  • Monday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) and uniQure NV (QURE)
  • Friday: Blueprint Medicine (BPMC), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS)

The worst three (3) in the session: 

  • Monday: Blueprint Medicine (BPMC), BioLife Solutions (BLFS) and Mesoblast (MESO)
  • Friday: Verve Therapeutics (VERV), uniQure NV (QURE) and Sage Therapeutics (SAGE)

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.