Gene editing is revolutionizing medicine, creating substantial opportunities for some of the best gene editing stocks.
With the technology, we can fix faulty genes, or replace them with healthier genes in an attempt to cure diseases or help the body fight disease. It holds massive promise for treating cancer, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, hemophilia and AIDS. Better, the U.S. FDA has already approved gene therapy treatments for forms of cancer, muscular atrophy, hemophilia and sickle cell anemia.
But this is just the start. With about 7,000 diseases caused by genetic disorders, there’s still more work to be done and more opportunities for investors.
Even more exciting, gene editing may be able to help with aging, too.
According to Harvard Medical School professor Omar Abudayyeh, as quoted by Axios.com, “We’re very excited about how we can deliver nucleic acids to cells to rejuvenate them, find new rejuvenation pathways and make a new potential wave there.”
In short, gene editing is well worth investing in. Here are three ways.
Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA)
Let’s start with Intellia Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NTLA), a clinical-stage gene editing company focused on revolutionizing medicine with CRISPR-based therapies. While its chart hasn’t been too exciting, news that its treatment for hereditary angioedema — a rare genetic disorder that causes severe swelling in the body — reduced attacks on the body by about 98%.
“These unprecedented data strengthen our view that NTLA-2002 could be a groundbreaking treatment for people living with hereditary angioedema,” said Intellia President and Chief Executive Officer John Leonard, M.D.
In addition, the company presented new data demonstrating for the first time the potential for redosing with an investigational in vivo CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing therapy. That means a patient may be able to receive a second dose of a CRISPR-based medicine if the first dose wasn’t strong enough.
Editas Medicine (EDIT)
We can also look at Editas Medicine (NASDAQ:EDIT), another one of the top clinical-stage biotechnology companies developing therapies for rare diseases based on CRISPR gene editing technology.
While its chart is nothing to write home about either, analysts, including myself, like the stock.
For one, after falling on poor earnings, JPMorgan analysts upgraded the EDIT stock to an “underweight” rating, with a $7 price target. “Editas has a systemic, modular approach that may allow for differentiation over competitors,” they added, as quoted by Seeking Alpha. Morgan Stanley also upgraded the stock to equal weight with a price target of $7.
In addition, the company recently posted exciting news on sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT).
With sickle cell, Editas Medicine just announced new safety and efficacy data in 18 patients treated with renizgamglogene autogedtemcel (reni-cel). It noted that “In the RUBY trial to date, reni-cel was well-tolerated and continues to demonstrate a safety profile consistent with myeloablative conditioning with busulfan and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant by all patients.”
It also announced new safety and efficacy data in seven patients with transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT) treated with renizgamglogene autogedtemcel (reni-cel). This treatment was found to be “well-tolerated and continues to demonstrate a safety profile consistent with myeloablative conditioning with busulfan and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant by all patients,” added the company.
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF (GNOM)
Or, if you want to diversify on the cheap, buy the Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF (NASDAQ:GNOM). With an expense ratio of 0.5%, the ETF holds 42 genome and biotech stocks. All of which stand to “benefit from further advances in the field of genomic science, such as companies involved in gene editing, genomic sequencing, genetic medicine/therapy, computational genomics and biotechnology,” as noted by GlobalXETFs.com.
Trading at $10.34 a share, some of its top holdings include Natera (NASDAQ:NTRA), Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA), CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRSP), Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ:MYGN) and Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN).
Since the start of May, the GNOM ETF has been channel-trading between $9.50 and $11 a share. However, once the gene editing boom really starts to get going again, I’d like to see it retest $12.50 a share initially.
On the date of publication, Ian Cooper did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
On the date of publication, the responsible editor did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.
