March 25, 2026 4:37pm

Come back of cell and gene therapy equities; the risk appetite got gobbled; the real question will it stay digested?

Hopes for a conceivable end to the war with Iran pushed stocks higher, while oil prices ease -for now?

Pre-open Indications: 6 Hits and 1 Miss

News: Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT +$6.16 or +34.98% to $23.77) stock is up approximately 20% on Wednesday after SRPT released its first-ever clinical data from 2 siRNA programs targeting rare neuromuscular diseases with no currently approved treatments. siRNA programs: SRP-1001, target facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy type 1 (FSHD1), and SRP-1003, targeting myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Both are progressive, rare neuromuscular diseases. Approximately 16,000 individuals in the U.S. are diagnosed with FSHD1, and approximately 40,000 are diagnosed with DM1. Neither has a cure or an approved disease-modifying treatment.

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 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; Waiting for a tailwind … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/14360

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

 

What happened and some of the whys with the numbers behind …

It’s NOT always about BUYs/SELLs … it’s about knowing when and what!

 

Wednesday: The Dow closed UP +305.43 points or +0.66%, the S&P closed UP +35.53 points or +0.54% while the Nasdaq closed UP +167.931 points or +0.77%

  • Theme of the session: oil falls after U.S. reportedly sends Iran peace plan

Wednesday’s (my) 40-company covered sector’s advance/decline line opened positive with 38 incliners, 0 decliners and 2 flats, ending with a positive close of 30 incliner, 5 decliners and 5 flats

  • Transitory as algos will do their harm after having helped share pricing

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

  • Import prices rose 1.3% in February, more than expected and the biggest monthly gain in nearly four years as a notable increase in nonfuel goods costs suggested underlying pressures were building ahead of the energy spike, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
  • Export prices jumped 1.5%, well ahead of the 0.6% increase in January. Economists had been looking for import prices to rise just 0.6%.
  • Oil prices were under pressure Wednesday following those developments. West Texas Intermediate futures lost 3% to around $89 per barrel. International Brent also fell 3% to around $100. Treasury yields also tumbled with oil prices and the prospect for peace.
  • Iran has received a 15-point proposal from the U.S. to end the war. The New York Times had first reported that the U.S. sent Iran a peace plan. The plan was delivered by way of Pakistan, that outlet said, citing two unnamed officials.

The CBOE Fear (VIX) index, Wednesday closed at 25.40, after Tuesday’s 26.94, Monday’s 26.46, Friday’s 26.78, Thursday’s 24.36 and after Wednesday’s 24.68

Metrics: Wednesday …

  • The RUT was up +30.52 points or +1.22%,
  • The XLV was up +1.47 points or +1.02%,
  • The NBI was up +147.26 points or +2.64%;
  • The XBI was up +4.39 points or +3.67%
  • The IWM was up +3.13 or +1.26%;
  • The IBB was up +4.11 points or +2.54%,
  • The VIX was down -1.55 points or -5.74% at to 25.40

 

Q1/26 – March – 8 positive and 10 negative closes

  • February – 1 holiday, 8 negative and 11 positive sessions
  • January – 2 holidays, 2 neutral, 9 negative and 9 positive closes

 

Wednesday Closing UP (10 of 30) 

  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY +$20.65 after Tuesday’s +$1.39 after Monday’s -$5.51),
  • Vertex (VRTX +$6.35 after Tuesday’s -$2.61 after Monday’s +$2.85),
  • Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT +$6.16),
  • Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR +$4.50),
  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$3.01 after Tuesday’s -$1.11 after Monday’s -$0.20),
  • Moderna (MRNA +$2.20 after Tuesday’s +$0.06 after Monday’s -$0.10),
  • BioNTech (BNTX +$1.96 after Tuesday’s -$1.60 after Monday’s -$0.86),
  • Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE +$1.35 after Tuesday’s -$1.77 after Monday’s +$0.40)
  • Mesoblast (MESO +$1.33 after Tuesday’s +$0.30 after Monday’s -$0.34),
  • uniQure NV (QURE +$1.18 after Tuesday’s -$0.74),

Flat (5)

  • Agenus (AGEN)
  • Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI)
  • Harvard Apparatus RT (OTCQB: HRGN)
  • Generation Bio (GBIO) – acquired
  • Sangamo therapeutics (SGMO)

Wednesday’s Closing DOWN (5 of 5): 

  • Vericel (VCEL -$1.64 after Tuesday’s +$0.63),
  • Beam Therapeutics (BEAM -$0.83 after Tuesday’s -$1.22 after Monday’s +$0.54),
  • IQVIA Holdings (IQV -$0.43 after Tuesday’s +$0.74 after Monday’s +$0.93),
  • MiMedx (MSXG -$0.03)
  • Precigen (PGEN -$0.03),

 

The Bottom Line: More of the … WHY

Sector experiences a new high (37 of 40 covered positives) by mid-day (32) and closing  with 30 positive ...

  • “Uncle algo and his electronic trading dwarfs” are up to their necks on this but will they belch over next few days?

The price for a barrel of Brent crude fell 3.5% and dropped toward $96 on hopes that a cooldown in fighting could allow oil and natural gas to flow more freely

  • Many oil tankers are currently stuck outside the Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s coast, and the blockage has sent Brent crude to nearly $120 per barrel at times.

Treasury yields also eased.

  • The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.32% from 4.39% late Tuesday, though it remains well above its 3.97% level from just before the war.
  • That could help soften the rise in rates for mortgages and other kinds of borrowing since the beginning of the war. That in turn could lessen the pressure on the economy.

 

More good news for the biotech/C&GT sector: a validation of the science …

Terns Pharmaceuticals (TERN)rose 5.6% after Merck (MRK) said it would buy the oncology company in an all-cash deal valuing it at $6.7 billion. Merck rose 2.6%.

  • The news of MRK's acquisition of TERN, valued at $6.7 billion, led to a 5.6% increase in Terns Pharmaceuticals' stock price.
  • Merck's stock rose by 2.6% as well. This acquisition is part of MRK's strategy to enhance its oncology portfolio and expand its market presence in the oncology sector.
  • The deal is expected to provide TERNs with the necessary resources to advance its research and development efforts, potentially leading to new treatments for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

 

March – 4th week:

  • 3/25 – Wednesday closed positive with 30 incliners, 5 decliners and 5 flats
  • 3/24 – Tuesday closed negative with 11 incliner, 27 decliners and 2 flats
  • 3/23 - Monday closed positive with 26 incliners, 12 decliners and 2 flats

March – 3rd week

  • 3/20 – Friday closed negative with 6 incliner, 33 decliners and 1 flat
  • 3/19 – Thursday closed positive with 20 incliners, 18 decliners and 2 flats
  • 3/18 – Wednesday closed negative with 3 incliner, 35 decliners and 2 flats
  • 3/17 - Tuesday closed positive with 25 incliners, 14 decliners and 1 flat
  • 3/16 - Monday closed positive with 27 incliners, 10 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 – closed end funds” (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: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Vertex (VRTX) and Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT)
  • Tuesday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), AxoGen (AXGN) and Vericel (VCEL)
  • Monday: IQIA Holdings (IQV), Vericel (VCEL) and CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP)

The worst three (3) in the session: Losers

  • Wednesday: Vericel (VCEL), IQVA Holdings (IQV) and Beam Therapeutics (BEAM)
  • Tuesday: Lenz therapeutics (LENZ), Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE) and Vertex (VRTX)
  • Monday: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), uniQure NV (QURE) and Wave Life Sciences (WVE)

 

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.