The market sold off and took a number of biotechs with it, although there were some that bucked the trend. I would not read anything into the selling today as it seemed more like a breather and macro related than something specific to biotech. In fact, it seemed much more akin to a buyer strike […]
December 2 Biotech Update- Getting Ready for ASH
Last week ended well for biotechs and today was a little more of the same with perhaps some consolidation. News has been relatively limited as most traders/investors/general biotech followers are gearing up for ASH. I will be heading down on Friday and staying through Tuesday, which means there will not be any updates this Friday, […]
November 26 Biotech Update- MACK fails … again and Strategic Buyers Opening Wallets … again?
We are drifting towards the holiday and there is really not much action and we are fairly quiet on the news front. As such, this will be the last update until next Monday (unless, of course, there is some spectacular news that happens between now and then). Next week will also be a day short […]
November 25 Biotech Update- What to Make of CLDX and CBST data and the new MRK trial
The market was a low volume chop fest (although with a fairly narrow range) for the most part and I do not think we should read too much into price movements unless they really take off on above average volume. We might be able to learn something about sentiment this week but I believe that […]
BMY – Quick Chart Update
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) -NYSE Interesting price action since September 9th after breaking out the downtrend line around $41.90, we kept watching the chart day after day during the preparation to AASLD reaching the high of $47.90, followed by a price consolidation and forming a flag pattern that we discussed several times through the private […]
November 22 Biotech Update- A Busy CHMP out with some Bullish News
You will notice that I am change the title to something more descriptive, hopefully you will still read the updates with this change. Sentiment is certainly shifting in the biotech sector and it seems to be doing so as quickly as it turned negative. What was my fear that the sector would be hit with […]
Week’s Option Activity (11/18~11/21)
The following stocks had notable activity in their options during the past week(s): $HZNP (11/18): 1,632 FEB14 6.0 strike Calls (stock at $4.47) were purchased for 0.95 or $155,040. Buyer makes money if stock trades north of $6.95 by expiration. $NWBO (11/18): 250 APR14 7.5 strike Calls (stock at $5.71) were sold for 1.05 or […]
Catalyst Watch – Vol. 1, Edition 8 (11/20/13)
Below are current tactical and strategic thoughts on approaching FDA and clinical trial catalysts for select names. Estimates, values and views are as of the date of publishing (or are noted) and are subject to potential future, pre-catalyst revision. Please read the site Disclaimer: Catalyst Watch List – Update: MACK: No change to strategy (see […]
November 20-EOD (or midday)
In terms of the sector it is more of the same with an inline to slight outperformance of the market writ large (when the market is treading water or going moderately higher). Despite this positive action I always get worried when I see reports that newsletter writer bearish sentiment is at multi-decade lows (often viewed […]
November 19- EOD
The sector was doing fine yesterday until Icahn dumped on the market and everything got caught in the crossfire. This morning they are doing fine again, so it seems that as long as there is not a larger market selloff biotechs might just get time to catch their footing. Of course, it is still an […]
November 18-EOD
Thankfully there was not a lot of news but biotechs did not just drift lower. I still worry about tax loss selling hitting the sector (or at least the small to mid caps) heading into the end of the year but it is nice to see that the sector can tread water on no news […]
November 15-EOD
It has been a relatively quiet day in biotech land, which is fine as it has been a busy week. I saw more of the same with a mixed performance and stocks reacting to news specific to the company and those with little news were drifting. 1. I have been spending a lot of time […]
November 14- EOD
It is a similar market day as earlier this week with some definite movers to the upside and downside but with nothing that is general to the sector. If anything it is slightly weaker than the market at large but not in any dramatic sense. Sector seems more driven by stock specific stories rather than […]
Week’s Option Activity (11/6~11/13)
The following stocks had notable activity in their options during the past week(s): $MACK (11/6): 600 MAR14 2.50 strike (stock at $2.28) Calls were purchased for 0.60 or $36,000 – buyer makes money if stock trades north of $3.10 by expiration. Another trade, 754 DEC 5.0 strike Calls were sold for 0.10 or (small) total […]
SRPT – FDA Says No To Sarepta AA
On Tuesday morning, Sarepta informed investors that in what appeared to be a change from its previous stance, the FDA was not supportive of the company’s planned Accelerated Approval filing for the DMD drug eteplirsen. Even more damaging, the agency not only called into question the legitimacy of dystrophin as a biomarker, but cast doubt […]
November 13-EOD
It is difficult to get a real sense of where the sector is going outside of down. Obviously one could draw the conclusion that sentiment is negative (and it is) but I am seeing more pockets of strength than the other days. What is difficult is that there does not really seem to be a […]
November 12- EOD
Well, I think it was more of the same in the sector writ large with the biggest news obviously being SRPT, which I will touch on below. I was surprised to see the small caps hold up as well as they did on the news and that is a slight positive for the sector going […]
Catalyst Watch – Vol. 1, Edition 7 (11/12/13)
Below are current tactical and strategic thoughts on approaching FDA and clinical trial catalysts for select names. Estimates, values and views are as of the date of publishing (or are noted) and are subject to potential future, pre-catalyst revision: Catalyst Watch List – Update: VNDA: The stock is up 80% on better than expected briefing […]
ONTX – Looking For The Reversal Pattern
Onconova Therapeutics, Inc. (ONTX) -Nasdaq Onconova has recently plunged about $19 from the 52-week high at $31.13, reached just a month ago to the current level in mid-$13s and reaching the low of $12.03 today. Surprising given the Phase 3 readout coming up and final results from the Phase-II trial of oral rigosertib in 1st-line Low-Risk […]
November 11- EOD
I am gone for a little while and the market goes crazy, bounces, and then we have today which has both sell offs and rallies. To be honest, it is difficult to get a good read on the sector sentiment writ large at this point and at those times it seems the best bet is […]
