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Mizrahi’s “World’s Top Billionaires Invest in the Biggest Cancer Breakthrough Since Chemo”

What's being teased by Park Avenue Investment Club for their special report, "How to Make 10 Times Your Money On The Single-Shot Cancer Blaster"

By Travis Johnson, Stock Gumshoe, January 8, 2018

There’s a clear winner in the “what readers are asking about” sweepstakes this morning, and it’s the latest pitch from Charles Mizrahi for his Park Avenue Investment Club (currently $99/yr) — so that ad must really be making the rounds, and we’ll fire up the Thinkolator to get you some answers today.

The pitch is clearly about cancer immunotherapy, broadly speaking — plenty of references are made to big immunotherapy drugs and advancements, and the somewhat generic quotes from lots of medical folks about the huge potential of immunotherapy. I’m no expert on medical matters (that’s why we have two other authors here who chime in often on the topic), but clearly there has been a huge push over the past decade to develop immunotherapies, and in many cases they are making a huge difference for patients…. and sometimes, to investors in the companies whose drugs have made good progress in clinical trials or, in the most advanced cases, been approved for sale.

So yes, cancer immunotherapy is big… we can just start with that as a “given” … though it doesn’t, of course, mean that every company pursuing therapies that use the body’s immune system to fight off cancer will make you gazillions of dollars — as with all new drugs and therapies, a lot of them will fail. That has started happening with some immunotherapy drugs as well, recently, despite the rush into the space (summed up pretty well here in a Medscape article, if you’d like some perspective).

And that’s about the extent of my understanding of this space, so let’s just jump in and ID the stock for you… ready?

Here are the clues:

“Recently, the FDA made what they called a historic decision.

“It agreed that the single-shot therapy developed by the $200 billion pharmaceutical giant Novartis should be approved for use outside of clinical trials.

“It became official on August 30, 2017.

“But everything is just getting started…

“‘This is a brand new way of treating cancer,’ says Dr. Stephan Grupp.

“‘No one ever thought it would be possible to commercialize a therapy like this,’ says Dr. Carl June.

“It’s expected that the $108 billion firm Gilead Sciences will receive approval in the coming months.

“And while there will be a number of ways to profit in the coming years, there will not be another opportunity like the one before you today.

“If you were to make only one biotech investment in the next decade, this small Boston-based company is it.

“I have never been more certain about anything in my entire life.”

First, we have to fight our brains a bit and set aside the hyperbole — pretty much every investment teaser ad includes a line like that last one… “I’ve never seen this kind of potential,” or “if I were to choose only one investment” or “this is the best opportunity of my career”… if you took them all seriously and went “all in” on each idea pitched with that kind of line, we’d all be broke by now.

But when it comes to fodder for the Thinkolator, “Boston-based” doesn’t really narrow it down so much when we’re talking biotech… what other clues do we get about this specific immunotherapy company?

“Dr. Kenneth Anderson of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston called the results of the treatment study ‘very remarkable.’

“And not just for how many patients responded but also for how well…

“As Dr. Carl June says, ‘it’s very rare’ to see everyone respond to a treatment….

“As JPMorgan says of this company in a recent report: ‘[It] is one of the more potentially transformative and disruptive companies we’ve come across in some time.’

“This tiny company’s revenue last year was only $26 million. But once its treatment hits the market, it could deliver a first-year revenue of $500 million.

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“So, we’re talking about an incredible revenue jump of 1,823%.

“But remember…

“That would still represent just a fraction of the market for this cancer therapy, which is projected to reach $202 billion.

“So, from year two on, revenue could soar many multiples higher as the company gets a larger piece of the pie.”

So who is this? Thinkolator sez they’re teasing bluebird bio (BLUE), a pretty high-profile member of the immunotherapy gang, with a big partnership deal with Celgene (CELG) for their lead drug (bb2121, targeting multiple myeloma), and an $8 billion market cap. And yes, like many biotechs they’re headquartered in Cambridge, not quite Boston, but we’ll forgive Mizrahi his imprecision.

They have other products in development as well, including several CAR-T immunotherapies and a product called Lenti-D for cereral adrenoleukodystrophy (of “Lorenzo’s Oil” fame), but I suspect that bb2121 will drive their results and their news flow for the immediate future… and it certainly has in the recent past.

The general pitch for these kinds of stocks tends to be optimistic at the extreme, of course, and Mizrahi has some rose-colored glasses for us as well…

“The FDA approving the single-shot treatment for use outside of clinical trials could set everything in motion — rapidly.

“Very soon, the 14 million people who are diagnosed with cancer each year may be able to walk into their doctor’s office, receive a simple shot, and walk out with the peace of mind knowing that they’ve conquered the disease.”

OK, so yes, FDA approval for bb2121 would be a big deal for bluebird (and possibly for Celgene, as it tries to replace their aging fleet of multiple myeloma therapies and maintain dominance in that disease), but it’s not going to happen next week or next month… and it will start, if it comes, with fourth-line approval for use in patients who have exhausted a bunch of other options, and try to move up the ladder like other drugs… start with the most-dire cases, and try to prove that your drug is also better than the current “standard of care” treatments.

So you would probably need to have a pretty generous definition of “very soon” to take that statement seriously. It’s possible, but it won’t even be used for all multiple myeloma patients within the next five years, let alone all cancer patients. Their other programs are also very advanced in some cases, though like many biotechs it looks like bluebird has started out with relatively small “orphan” or rare diseases, where they can prove efficacy and get to market relatively quickly and cheaply before trying to break into what we might crassly call a “mass market” disease.

The big deal for bb2121 recently, and for bluebird’s stock price, was the release of fantastic response rates in their ongoing clinical trial and their presentation that cited the “Rapid and expanding clinical program with Celgene for this potentially groundbreaking therapy.” You can review the investor presentation here, and there’s a quick note from the Motley Fool analyst here about that bb2121 news from mid-December. They’ll also be presenting at the JP Morgan Healthcare conference tomorrow, so that might gin up some more interest — though I don’t have any idea what they’ll say, and it certainly might not be new.

And that’s about all I can tell you. Dr. KSS, who follows biotech for the Irregulars, has written about bluebird in the past, noting at times how popular and news-driven the stock can sometimes be despite the very small size of its clinical trials to date, and it has come up on his discussion threads a few times (though not much recently), and I certainly don’t know whether BLUE will end up a success or not… all I can tell you is that this is the stock Mizrahi is pitching as his “Single-Shot Cancer Blaster,” and I’ll leave you to go forth, researchify, and fill in the blanks to decide whether it’s a fit for your portfolio.

If you’ve ever looked into bluebird, please comment below to let us know what you thought… and if you’ve tried out Park Avenue Investment Club, please click here to let your fellow investors know what you think of Mizrahi’s service. Thanks for reading!

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DrKSSMDPhD
January 8, 2018 12:52 pm

$BLUE is an interesting company, but extracts too much mileage from too little clinical data and has a long way to go proving long-term safety and efficacy. It’s overvalued by any sane reckoning now, and will likely be absorbed into $CELG in such a manner as to short-circuit any real “cashing out” by longs. I say watch with interest as proxy for sector but don’t dare invest. But, hey, no investing advice intended. No position long or short in $BLUE shares, though I was long the stock in its earlier years and did make money.

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Dr G Smith
Member
Dr G Smith
January 8, 2018 1:48 pm
Reply to  DrKSSMDPhD

Agreed. Single patient events drive the new cycle of this field but may not be predictive of the results of the overall clinical trial. This is one strong player in a group of companies in field, some strong and many innovative but limited in funding as well as clinical development and pricing/market access (PMA) experience. These companies tend to influence each others stock price. A few will break out with rare disease options at nearly the same time but first mover advantage may be secondary to PMA expertise.

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gstuartm19
gstuartm19
January 8, 2018 3:07 pm
Reply to  DrKSSMDPhD

I recommended BLUE in 2013 when it was around 30-i have no current position likeDr. Kss-have been off Gumshoe till I recently returned happily

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Fabian
Fabian
January 8, 2018 1:47 pm

Interesting, I have an appointment this afternoon to remove one of these dangerous melanoma cell cluster from my back, with a scalpel. Progress is too slow.

jackbo1
jackbo1
January 8, 2018 3:24 pm
Reply to  Fabian

Fabian, as a victim of Mult. myeloma I too find this interesting. I was diagnosed in 2011 an have undergone six different therapies in addition to a stem cell transplant and radiation. I turned 76 yesterday and appear to be in remission for now. Hopefully one of these new regimes will be the answer, altho, as Travis points out, timing is everything. My $ is in Cannibis these days like ken the jazzman below. Best to all

jazzman777
Guest
jazzman777
January 8, 2018 2:40 pm

most of us can’t buy into $170 stocks..and there’s much more money to be made in MSRT, AVXL( Alzheimer),CBWTF,SLB,UEIC and EMMBF Go Marijuana!

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Investor Clouseau
Investor Clouseau
January 8, 2018 3:22 pm

Great words to the wise., I really needed to see that in print on a page. I haven’t been investing for long, but I definitely suffer from the same mentality as Jazzman.

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swgoombah
swgoombah
January 8, 2018 3:57 pm

Its a common trap of green investors. I have found looking at it this way to help me:

What is a 50% gain on 1 stock you bought at $170.
What is a 50% gain on 170 stocks you bought at $1.

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backoffice
Irregular
January 10, 2018 10:54 am
Reply to  swgoombah

not only that, what’s the commission
on 1 stock $4.95 ? and 170 stocks? $703.80?

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Feddie
January 8, 2018 4:24 pm

I got into MELI at $170. Happy days!

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sandy_shore
January 8, 2018 5:03 pm

Doesn’t a pound of horseshoes weigh more than a pound of feathers?

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Charlesk
Guest
Charlesk
January 9, 2018 7:14 pm
Reply to  sandy_shore

But would you be rather hit by pound of feathers then pound of horse shoes?

Julette Gray
Guest
Julette Gray
January 10, 2018 2:47 am

Very informative!

OPInfo
Guest
OPInfo
January 11, 2018 10:22 am

agreed – I actually bought PCLN at around 30 when I was still a stupid immature kid back in ’05 so naturally I got very excited and cashed out at 80 bc it was all about making a little money to party with back then.. did the same thing w/ Amazon at 60 and sold it at 120. Had a friend tell me when I was 14 that I shouldn’t buy GOOG at 180 bc it was too high lol.. learned my lesson since then.. my family’s biggest investment is GOOG, foll0wed by AMZN and NVDA and then JD stock and options. % gain is % gain and trades are cheap.. around 4 bucks.. if you can buy one share of GOOG and it doubles you’ve still made about 1000 bucks.. and with long call options I’m basically betting that it will double in less than 10 years.. mostly holding just class C shares though

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takeprofits
Irregular
January 8, 2018 5:32 pm

I probably shouldn’t be commenting on a biotech stock because I seriously doubt that no matter how many billions of dollars invested in research ANY company will ever come up with a “magic pill” cooked up in some laboratory. that actually permanently cures the disease, people believing that fairy tale are dreaming in technicolor.

CANCER is a “lifestyle disease” pure and simple whose CAUSE has been known since the 1930’s based on the pioneering research of Dr. Otto Warburg, a Jewish doctor saved from the death camps on the orders of Hitler himself because he was absolutely paranoid about cancer because his mother had died of the disease, and he was afraid it would take him too.

Unpalatable as it may to be too some to believe, the fact is that the pharmaceutical industry has ZERO interest in finding a cure that would curtail their BILLIONS in profits TREATING the disease with their “cut burn and poison” approach. Does anybody really think they want to put themselves out of business ? In actual fact it is well documented that they go out of their way to viciously prosecute any doctor who deviates from the orthodox medical practices by actually curing cancer cases naturally. Currently there are any number of doctors using natural “no side effect” natural means with much better outcomes than standard medical treatments. They do everything possible to suppress natural cures that would diminish their profits.

Do some research, get the book World WITHOUT CANCER from G. Edward Griffin, author of The Creature from Jekyll Island for starters, then with an open mind google Dr. Mark Spengler and his natural protocol for treating cancer. Even better, get Health Sciences Institute Encyclopedia on Natural Cures to learn how to heal any disease naturally with lifestyle changes rather then using toxic side effect prone drugs that do nothing to deal with the root cause of ANY disease. Cancer dells can not survive in an oxygen rich environment and is often triggered by chemicals in our increasingly toxic world of polluted air, water and food grown with chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides to say nothing of self inflicted habits like smoking tobacco.

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JayBee
Guest
JayBee
January 8, 2018 7:08 pm
Reply to  takeprofits

I wonder if these comments are from the real Myron Martin or an impostor. I say that because I believe that I have read these exact comments from a Myron Martin previously. It seems to me that he can be quite long-winded with his comments from time to time, especially when writing about natural resources, but he doesn’t seem like the “cut and paste” type of person who would keep using the same comments for a particular topic, which in this case is immunotherapy.

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tfris
tfris
January 12, 2018 12:26 pm

Except insulin, which ironically enough, probably saves his life.

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Steve
Member
January 8, 2018 10:40 pm
Reply to  JayBee

A quick comment. Myron is essentially correct. I’ve been in the cancer research “biz” for over 40 years. The immune-boosting strategy has been known for eons. The current research in this area is still trying to marry the fundamentals with an ongoing drug scheme to maximize the revenue stream so it deeply compromises the prospects. True some of these prospects may make money with FDA approvals — but do not expect it to be all that much help if you actually have to treat your own cancer. If you ever do have a HUGE cancer break-through, the VERY first thing you had better do [before the patent and the visit with the venture capitalist] is to hire a young boy to start your car each morning.

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John
Guest
John
January 9, 2018 6:39 am
Reply to  Steve

There is no exogenous cure for any disease; just an abundance of suppressors of symptoms. Naturopathic approaches based on diet, water, air and lifestyle have produced stunning improvements in health, including recovery from cancer, but they can never claim to do so for fear of litigation. Animals are the best teachers, as we have now strayed too far from basic instinct. Watch what a dog does when it becomes ill: 1) eat grass to provoke vomiting to alleviate the stomach of the burden of digestion; 2) find a source of clean water; 3) sleep, drink water, sleep, drink water…Fasting is the universal cure for all that ails the body, so long as the cells possess sufficient vitality – usually indicated by an ability to raise the body’s temperature to that of a fever. It’s all very simple. But most people a) don’t trust their own endogenous ability to heal or b) haven’t the willpower.

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macklin59379
macklin59379
January 14, 2018 10:30 pm
Reply to  John

Your list of naturopathic approaches might well include faith in a Supreme Being. Mine is God, who started this whole thing and hasn’t left us out in the cold, as some might believe.

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4lllls
Guest
4lllls
January 15, 2018 12:21 am
Reply to  macklin59379

Amen

Larry707
Larry707
January 15, 2018 11:01 am
Reply to  John

Sounds good! Any recommendations for good naturopathic approach resources for improving my health?

John
Guest
John
January 16, 2018 9:54 am
Reply to  Larry707

An Australian fellow named Kenneth S. Jaffrey was the most convincing practitioner of Nature Cure that I ever met. A list of his books can be found here: https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Search/Home?lookfor=author:%22Jaffrey%2C%20Kenneth%20S%22&iknowwhatimean=1

I don’t know how many of his works are readily available, as he died several years ago, but some can probably be found as PDFs on the web. Alternatively, two of his former students have a practice in Australia and would be good sources of information: http://www.hintonhealth.com.au/nature-cure/natural-healing

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Larry
Guest
Larry
January 28, 2018 11:51 pm
Reply to  John

Suggest just doing some simple research online. The cures are out there.

macklin59379
macklin59379
January 14, 2018 10:26 pm
Reply to  Steve

IMHO, the FDA won’t ever let a REAL breakthrough cancer drug hit the market. It receives too much money from the pill pushers and the FDA would lose all that income because the pill-pushers would lose theirs. Which, of course, the FDA shouldn’t be receiving money from drug companies in order to keep their pills on the market anyway, but their first name IS “Federal”.

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catherine
catherine
January 9, 2018 12:03 am
Reply to  takeprofits

Myron, I believe you are referring to Dr. Mark Stengler in your last paragraph. Ordinarily I wouldn’t mention a typo, but since you suggest googling his name, I want to help others find him.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts – they’re presented well, and I haven’t read Without Cancer yet.

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Tarantula
Guest
Tarantula
January 11, 2018 10:34 am
Reply to  takeprofits

So true! And you can find even more information by watching the Truth About Cancer series that airs for free a couple of times a year. You don’t even need to pay for the videos …. just watch what you can, make a list of the speakers, research them and follow them online. All of the information is out there!
To get the concept of the depth of greed and deceit, watch Del Bigtree’s latest passionate “Truth About Cancer” speech regarding vaccines that is available online for free. Apply the same concepts to cancer treatment or any standard treatment for chronic illness.

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macklin59379
macklin59379
January 14, 2018 10:19 pm
Reply to  takeprofits

Thank-you, “takeprofits”. At last a fact-based introspect of a subject that stirs all our emotions.

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4lllls
Guest
4lllls
January 15, 2018 12:24 am
Reply to  macklin59379

You might like Dr. John Bergman on YouTube. I watch him a lot. Down to earth.

Michael Jorrin, "Doc Gumshoe"
January 8, 2018 5:33 pm

Dr KSS, as usual, is bang right. I wrote about bluebird back in February 2015 when they were first collaborating with Celgene & also Baylor, The prospects looked promising at that point. I had been in and out of Celgene in 2013 & did very nicely indeed. Celgene looked better than bluebird in 2015 also, but I held back & will do so at this point also. bluebird has other arrows in its quiver & may eventually be a gusher, but who knows when?

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gayle
gayle
January 9, 2018 3:44 pm

I also agree with Myron’s comments. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 and sought out natural treatment. I refused to do chemo, radiation or surgery. I believe those will only kill you quicker or at best slow the progression of the disease with a lot of pain and lack of quality of life included. In 2017 I was referred to a doctor named Jason Williams who uses cryotherapy and immunotherapy to effectively heal cancer. I am currently feeling great and this is only a month after I received the therapy. There are many fine and promising natural healing techniques available if you believe the body can heal with the proper help. But you have to be willing to go against the grain of traditional beliefs about cancer and all your families or friends opinions. I encourage anyone to explore the many possibilities there are for healing your body naturally. You can start by checking Dr. Williams website http://www.DrWilliams Institute.com. Gayle

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Larry707
Larry707
January 15, 2018 11:28 am
Reply to  gayle

Good info but your link doesn’t work. Can you post a corrected link?

Investor Clouseau
Investor Clouseau
January 10, 2018 4:29 am

Anyone know what the heck Bill Gates is doing in the dessert lately? I don’t subscribe (anywhere but here) or get email teasers but I’ve seen this Foolish headline a bunch lately on MSN.com;

Apparently 87% of people walking around have no idea what this technology is, and I’m clearly part of that majority. I was a little afraid to click any links or input my email, thought I might ask here to try and appease my growing curiosity. How many millions have I already missed out on??

https://www.fool.com/ext-content/bill-gates-secret-project-requires-a-blank-slate/847/?psource=erbmhp7410000012&utm_campaign=shark-gatesproject&campaign=rb-shark-tank&utm_source=msn&waid=8766&utm_medium=contentmarketing&paid=8766&wsource=erbmhpwdg0000013&cellId=0&testId=gates-project-advert

#Fool #Teaser

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Dr Strangelove
Dr Strangelove
January 10, 2018 11:37 am

I was in BLUE for awhile on the rumor and made some money on the news. I no longer have a position in BLUE. While I am hopeful for the research that BLUE is doing, BLUE stock is too pricey. I am, however, still interested in their licensing and partnering arrangements.

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Jill
January 12, 2018 12:00 pm

Well, regarding cancer therapies, I’m all for CBD (without THC). This is non-psychogenic cannabis from the hemp plant, which gives the benefits without getting “high”. I actually use CBD in honey and get mine from a place called Bumblebwell.com. I don’t want to wait around for BLUE to get approved for anything. I prefer this proactive way of avoiding getting cancer in the first place. I understand CoQ10 is also a very important supplement to take.

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4lllls
Guest
4lllls
January 15, 2018 1:23 pm

Pay d Arco and Epsom salts. Heals much. Animals also can be healed.

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MIKE
Guest
MIKE
July 2, 2018 12:35 pm

SO WHATS THE SYMBOL FOR THIS $1 POT USED FOR CANCER TREATMENT? ANYBODY

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