February 18, 2026 5:05pm

Sector share pricing explodes … with Moderna’s (MRNA +$2.67 or +6.08%) experimental mRNA flu shot; has the FDA agreeing to review flu shot, reversing the agency’s earlier decision to refuse to accept the application

Reiterating, “Have “investors” trigger a contrarian sell signal?”

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

Pre-open Indications: 3 Hits and 1 Miss

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

 

I write this blog/newsletter to inform investors with facts and supporting numbers focused on what they need to hear that others will not say or write about – facts in evidence!  I’m NOT at all writing a doom-and-gloom predictions as I am more frequently right than consequentially wrong; I am mostly EARLY in my prognostications!

RMi Pre-opening: Stretched or a fetch? … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/14317

 

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

 

Wednesday: The Dow closed UP +129.47 points or +0.26%, the S&P closed UP +38.09 points or +0.56% while the Nasdaq closed UP +175.251 points or +0.78%

  • Theme of the session: Indexes although Fed minutes instill uncertainty

Wednesday’s (my) 40-company covered sector’s advance/decline line opened positive with 27 incliners, 9 decliners and 4 flats, ending with a positive close of 30 incliners, 8 decliners and 2 flats

  • Supported by gains in key technology and C&GT sector names

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

  • White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett said the authors of a recent NY Fed paper that found U.S. companies and consumers are shouldering most of the tariff burden should be “disciplined.” Hassett said the “central bank researchers ignored key aspects of how the duties worked and instead simply focused on prices. Hassett said the research also should have included the upward impact on wages and benefits that U.S. companies see by bringing more production onshore.”
  • Economic data on housing activity and orders for long-lasting goods came in better than expected. Housing starts totaled just over 1.4 M for December, better than the consensus estimate for 1.31 M. Building permits came in at 1.45 M, topping the forecast for 1.4 million.
  • The Census bureau also reported “durable goods orders fell 1.4%, also for December. That was better than the outlook for a 2% decline. When excluding transportation, orders rose 0.9%.”

The CBOE Fear (VIX) index, Wednesday closed at 19.64, after Tuesday’s 20.35, Monday was a market holiday, Friday’s 20.69, after Thursday’s 20.90, and Wednesday’s 17.71,

Metrics: Wednesday …

  • The RUT was up +12.02points or +0.45%,
  • The XLV was up +0.28 points or +0.18%,
  • The NBI was up +26.34 points or +0.44%;
  • The XBI was up +0.97 points or +0.78%
  • The IWM was up +0.99 or +0.38%;
  • The IBB was up +0.74 points or +0.43%,
  • The VIX was down -3.21 points or -0.65% at to 19.64

 

Q1/26 February – 6 negative and 6 positive sessions

  • January – 2 holidays, 2 neutral, 9 negative and 9 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

 

Wednesday Closing UP (10 of 30) Monday was a market holiday +$ after Tuesday’s

  • IQIA Holdings (IQV +$6.64 after Tuesday’s -$2.45 after Friday’s -$1.94),
  • Moderna (MRNA +$2.67 after Tuesday’s +$1.70 after Friday’s +$2.12),
  • Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR +$2.,50 after Tuesday’s +$0.58 after Friday’s -$1.22),
  • uniQure NV (QURE +$1.68 after Tuesday’s +$1.25 after Friday’s -$1.87),
  • BioNTech (BNTX +$0.96 after Tuesday’s +$1.12),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$0.86 after Tuesday’s +$0.76 after Friday’s -$1.18),
  • Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR +$0.69 after Tuesday’s -$0.13 after Friday’s +$1.44),
  • AxoGen (AXGN +$0.61 after Tuesday’s +$1.41 after Friday’s +$0.62),
  • Vericel (VCEL +$0.59 after Tuesday’s +$0.86 after Friday’s +$1.99),
  • Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT +$0.50),

Flat (2)

  • Generation Bio (GBIO) – acquired
  • Harvard Apparatus RT (OTCQB: HRGN $0.00),

Wednesday’s Closing DOWN (8 of 8): Monday was a market holiday -$ after Tuesday’s

  • Vertex (VRTX -$7.01 after Tuesday’s -$14.15 after Friday’s +$26.45),
  • Supernus Therapeutics (SUPN -$1.42 after Tuesday’s +$0.78 after Friday’s +$1.44),
  • Precigen (PGEN -$0.33),
  • Lenz Therapeutics (LENZ -$0.27),
  • Regenxbio (RGNX -$0.14),
  • Voyager Therapeutics (VYGR -$0.07),
  • Prime Medicine (PRME -$0.02),
  • Sangamo Therapeutics (SGMO -$0.0074 after Tuesday’s -$0.0169),

 

The Bottom Line: More of the … WHY

Indexes edged higher on Wednesday as AI fears waned … as pressure was easing, as investors weight whether AI investments will pay off - short/near and long-term.

  • While investors digested the release of the Fed minutes, showing rate cuts are possible if inflation declines.
  • The minutes of the Fed's January meeting minutes showed some policy makers leaning toward holding rates steady, though rate cuts could be in store if inflation comes down.

More earnings next week …

Earnings release dates:

  • Tuesday - 2/24 – AxoGen (AXGN)
  • Wednesday – 2/25 – MiMedx (MDXG), Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) and Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT)
  • Thursday – 2/26 – Vericel (VCEL) and BioLife Solutions (BLFS)

 

RISK is always a factor remaining below the surface …  boiled-up as slight shocks of profiteering on upsides shook but not rocked 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,

 

February – 3rd week

  • 2/18 - Wednesday closed positive with 30 incliners, 8 decliners and 2 flats
  • 2/17 – Tuesday closed positive with 27 incliners, 11 decliners and 2 flats
  • 2/16 – Monday was market holiday

February – 2nd week

  • 2/13 - Friday closed positive with 24 incliners, 14 decliners and 2 flats
  • 2/12 – Thursday closed negative with 7 incliners, 33 decliners and 2 flats
  • 2/11 - Wednesday closed negative with 12 incliners, 25 decliners and 3 flats
  • 2/10 - Tuesday closed negative with 19 incliners, 20 decliners and 1 flat
  • 2/9 -Monday closed positive with 23 incliners, 14 decliners and 3 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

  • Wednesday: IQIA Holdings (IQV), Moderna (MRNA) and Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR)
  • Tuesday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Moderna (MRNA) and AxoGen (AXGN)
  • Monday: holiday
  • Friday: Vertex (VRTX), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP) 

The worst three (3) in the session: Losers

  • Wednesday: Vertex (VRTX), Supernus Therapeutics (SUPN) and Precigen (PGEN)
  • Tuesday: Vertex (VRTX), IQIA Holdings (IQV) and Solid Biosciences (SLDB)
  • Monday: holiday,
  • Friday: Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE), and uniQure NV (QURE)

 

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.