January 9, 2026 4:51pm

The biotech and C&GT sector spirals into negative trading with alternating and “spurious” multiples that present a popular “outing” as the JP Morgan healthcare Conference kicks-off while major risk LPS (loss-per-share) will factor-in before Q4 and FY25 earnings expectation

Pre-open Signal Results: 3 Hit and 1 Miss

RMi collects, curates, interprets and disseminates cell and gene therapy sector (C&GT) fact-based news, trustable and verified intel of share pricing data bridging the gap to an investment decision

Never leave a retail investor uninformed!  It’s not always time to buy or sell; but it is time to KNOW why!

I chose to speak-up when many analysts, brokers and commentators have shut-up!

TGIF, the stuffed olives have been marinating in a Belvidere solution as glasses ice!

Friday’s RMi Pre-opening: Another econ and a deferred tariff legal ruling …https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/14262

RMi Research Note: Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR) DUMP before the next big SLUMP! … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/14249

 

Friday: The Dow closed UP +237,96 points or +0.48%, the S&P closed UP +44.82 points or +0.65% while the Nasdaq closed UP +191.331 points or +0.82%

  • Theme of the session: the December jobs report showed nonfarm payrolls increasing

Henry’omics: We need to more than consider the macro-economic environment to comprehend the micro re “our” universe of cell and gene therapy (C&GT) sector

  • Nonfarm payrolls rose a seasonally adjusted 50,000 in December, lower than the downwardly revised 56,000 in November and short of the Dow Jones estimate for 73,000.
  • The unemployment rate fell to 4.4%, compared with the forecast for 4.5%. A more encompassing measure that includes discouraged workers and the underemployed dropped to 8.4%.
  • Average hourly earnings rose 0.3% for the month, in line with the forecast, although the annual increase of 3.8% was 0.2% point higher than expected.
  • Revisions were made to the payroll numbers for the prior 2 months, with October's report revised down by 68,000 from a loss of 105,000 to a loss of 173,000 jobs. Employment in October and November was 76,000 jobs lower than previously reported.

Friday’s (my) 40-company covered sector’s advance/decline line opened positive with 23 incliners, 15 decliners and 2 flats ending with a negative close of 10 incliners, 28 decliners and 2 flats

The CBOE Fear (VIX) index, Friday closed at 14.48, after Thursday’s 15.47, Wednesday’s 15.34, Tuesday’s 14.77, Monday closed at 14.91, Friday’s 14.46 and last Thursday being closed New Years Day

Metrics: Friday …

  • The RUT was up +20.32 points or +0.78%,
  • The XLV was down -0.81 points or -0.51%,
  • The NBI was up +10.22 points or +0.18%;
  • The XBI was up +0.79 points or +0.64%
  • The IWM was up +1.95 or +0.76%;
  • The IBB was up +0.13 points or +0.08%,
  • The VIX was down -0.97 points or -6.27% at to 14.48`

 

Q1/26 – 1 holiday, 3 negative and 3 positive closes

Q4/25 …

  • December – 1 holiday, 8 positive and 14 negative closes
  • November – 1 holiday, 8 positive and 11 negative closes
  • October -1 neutral, 11 positive and 12 negative closes

 

Friday Closing UP (10 of 10)

  • uniQure NV (QURE +$2.17 after Thursday’s +$0.07),
  • Mesoblast (MESO +$1.09 after Thursday’s +$0.61),
  • BioNTech (BNTX +$1.00 after Thursday’s -$1.23),
  • Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT +$0.68),
  • Moderna (MRNA +$0.44 after Thursday’s -$2.03),
  • Compass Therapeutics (CMPX +$0.18),
  • Agenus (AGEN +$0.16 after Thursday’s +$0.05),
  • AxoGen (AXGN +$0.14 after Thursday’s +$0.42 after Wednesday’s +$1.90 after Tuesday’s -$0.71 after Monday’s +$0.76),
  • Prime Medicine (PRME +$0.02),
  • Harvard Apparatus RT (OTCQB: HRGN +$0.01 after Thursday’s $0.00)

Flat (2)

  • Adverum Biotechnologies ADVM) – acquired
  • Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI)

Friday’s Closing DOWN (10 of 28): 

  • Vertex (VRTX -$5.82 after Thursday’s -$14.47 after Wednesday’s +$15.77 after Tuesday’s +$19.58 after Monday’s -$3.33),
  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP -$2.56 after Thursday’s -$1.59 after Wednesday’s -$0.20 after Tuesday’s +$3.03 after Monday’s +$1.38),
  • Vericel (VCEL -$2.17 after Thursday’s +$0.38),
  • Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR -$1.71 after Thursday’s -$0.76, Wednesday’s +$0.18. Tuesday’s +$0.32 and Monday’s -$3.50)
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS -$1.24 after Thursday’s -$1.63 after Wednesday’s +$1.68 after Tuesday’s +$2.96 after Monday’s -$1.14),
  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY -$1.11 after Thursday’s -$23.10 after Wednesday’s +$16.10 after Tuesday’s +$8.57 after Monday’s -$2.34),
  • Wave life Sciences (WVE -$0.99),
  • IQIA Holdings (IQV -$0.75 after Thursday’s -$1.14 after Wednesday’s +$3.70 after Tuesday’s +$5.91 after Monday’s +$9.27),
  • Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE -$0.70 after Thursday’s -$0.99 after Wednesday’s +$1.66 after Tuesday’s -$0.57 after Monday’s -$0.49),
  • Entrada Therapeutics (TRDA -$0.50)

 

The Bottom Line: More of the … WHY

The Dow, S&P and Nasdaq rose Friday after the jobs report as the Trump tariff ruling was postponed

  • The nonfarm payrolls report, which returned to its normal cadence following disruptions from the government shutdown, showed the US added 50,000 jobs in December.
  • Payroll growth fell short of economists' expectations of about 70,000 positions added, sealing bets that the Fed will stand pat on interest rates in less than 3 weeks.
  • The unemployment rate declined to 4.4%, from 4.6% in November, carrying 2025's labor market theme of a “no-hire, no-fire” economy through the end of the year. <Yahoo Finance>

A surprise drop in the unemployment rate in December is likely to keep the Fed on course to take a breather from cutting interest rates later this month.

  • Treasury yields were mixed following the jobs update, which may delay another cut to interest rates by the Federal Reserve but does not slam the door on it. The U.S. Labor Department said employers hired fewer workers than economists expected, but the unemployment rate was better than expected.

For the week:

  • The S&P 500 is up 107.81 points, or 1.6%.
  • The Dow is up 1,121.68 points, or 2.3%.
  • The Nasdaq is up 435.72 points, or 1.9%.
  • The Russell 2000 is up 116.00 points, or 4.6%.

 

For all my … <some say> … RANTINGS, I say TRUTH … Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR) closed DOWN Friday -$1.71 or -6.69% to $23.84 after Thursday’s -$0.76 or -2.89% to $25.55 after Wednesday’s +$0.20 …

  • Does CAPR’s I-Banks "seem" to be executing the “PUMP” to protect the offering share pricing – LOT of daily volume, institution driven … DON’T be distracted – Make a buck, CONTINUE the SELL of the overbought.
  • Right again after again and yet another again … downward!

 

The recent profit-taking could also foreshadow some of the volatility ahead and …

  • RISK is always a factor remaining and … will boil-up under the surface until or as slight shocks rock the C&GT sector and markets!

As I had also written, cash is king for investors who want to keep some liquidity and avoid having to sell in a down market,

  • I would be following share pricing’s ascension on current biotech, cell and gene therapy sector upsides; so, some profiteering can be “situated” while maintaining a position, less elevated!

 

January – 2nd week’s session

  • 1/9 - Friday closed negative with 10 incliners, 28 decliners and 2 flats
  • 1/8 – Thursday closed negative with 7 incliners, 30 decliners and 3 flats
  • 1/7 – Wednesday closed positive with 33 incliners, 4 decliners and 2 flats
  • 1/6 – Tuesday closed positive with 27 incliners, 11 decliners and 2 flats
  • 1 /5 - Monday closed negative with 18 incliners, 21 decliners and 1 flat

January’s 1st week:

  • 1 /2 - Friday closed positive with 18 incliners, 17 decliners and 5 flats
  • 1/1 -Thursday was a holiday, New Years Day

Last week of December, Q4 and FY25

  • 12/31 -Wednesday closed negative with 18 positive, 22 negative and 5 flats
  • Tuesday closed negative with 7 positive, 31 negative and 2 flats
  • Monday closed negative with 12 positive, 24 negative and 4 flats

 

As the leading voice of cell and gene therapy investors; I am NOT always a doom and gloom analyst/journalist but a man who has been “there” (BUY, SELL, VC and multiple operating roles) with the gray hair and a readership following with real numbers to prove it!

 

Why do I keep repeating, framed in a different para, so investors can make the connection

The top three (3) performing in the session:    Winners

  • Friday: uniQure NV (QURE), Mesoblast (MESO) and BioNTech (BNTX)
  • Thursday: Mesoblast (MESO), AxoGen (AXGN) and Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA)
  • Wednesday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Vertex (VRTX) and IQVIA Holdings (IQV),
  • Tuesday: Vertex (VRTX), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR)
  • Monday: IQVIA Holdings (IQV), BioLife Solutions (BLFS), and Vericel (VCEL)

The worst three (3) in the session: Losers

  • Friday: Vertex (VRTX), CRISPR Therapeutics CRSP) and Vericel (VCEL)
  • Thursday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Vertex (VRTX) and Moderna (MRNA)
  • Wednesday: Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR), BioLife Solutions (BLFS) and LENZ Therapeutics (LENZ)
  • Tuesday: AxoGen (AXGN), Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE) and Entrada Therapeutics (TRDA)
  • Monday: Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR), Vertex (VRTX) and Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR)

 

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.