Since the year began, shares of CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CRSP) have been down about 4%. While it’s not a great start to the year, there are plenty of reasons to get bullish.
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For starters, Cathie Wood can’t get enough of the stock, picking up another 438,000 shares for about $7.7 million across the ARK Innovation ETF and ARK Genomic Revolution ETF. Second, oversold CRSP shares are just starting to pivot off double-bottom support.
Third, analysts at Piper Sandler just raised their price target on CRSP to $110, implying about 120% upside from current prices, with an overweight rating. That upgrade follows the company’s $600 million convertible note offering due March 2031, convertible at $76.56 with an effective coupon of 1.73%. With that, Piper Sandler now says CRSP holds pro forma cash of $2.56 billion, which will help it advance multiple pipeline programs through clinical development without having to raise capital.
That brings up another one of CRISPR’s key catalysts, which is Casgevy. This is the company’s FDA-approved CRISPR gene-editing therapy for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia, which generated $116 million in full-year 2025 revenue. Casgevy has received a pediatric label expansion covering ages 5-11, with regulatory submissions expected this year, which could meaningfully expand the addressable market.
Casgevy Continues to Expand Its Commercial Opportunity
According to CRISPR CEO and Chairman Samarth Kulkarni, Ph.D., the company is looking “to go beyond Casgevy,” as noted by MarketBeat.com, by expanding its cardiovascular, autoimmune, and oncological indications, as well.
For example, CTX310 is expanding into Phase 1b trials after showing strong early results, which were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In fact, at a therapeutic 0.8 mg/kg dose, CTX310 reduced cholesterol by an average of 49%, while cutting triglycerides by 55% over a 60-day period. It was also well tolerated with no toxicities found.
CTX112 is in active Phase 1 trials for SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus) and other autoimmune diseases, with updates expected in the second half of the year. Initial data is already showing promising results.
In addition, the company’s CTX611, a long-acting siRNA (small interfering RNA) targeting Factor XI (a liver-produced protein that plays a role in blood clotting), is in Phase 2 trials for patients with total knee arthroplasty. Updates are expected in the second half of the year. As noted in an earnings release, “The program has the potential to target a range of thromboembolic and clotting-related indications and represents a multi-billion-dollar market opportunity…”
Opportunity May Outweigh the Risks
Sure, CRISPR continues to generate a loss. In its first quarter, the company’s EPS loss of $1.28 missed by two cents. Revenue of $1.46 million, up 69.8% year over year, was in line.
In addition, “The first quarter reflected continued execution across CRISPR Therapeutics’ platform,” said Samarth Kulkarni, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CRISPR Therapeutics. “We expanded zugo-cel into new autoimmune indications and advanced multiple in vivo liver-directed programs toward the clinic, while CASGEVY continued its momentum. With a strengthened balance sheet and multiple upcoming milestones, we believe 2026 will be a defining year for CRISPR Therapeutics.”
Why Investors Are Watching 2026 Closely
In the end, while CRISPR Therapeutics remains a high-risk biotechnology investment, its long-term growth story continues to strengthen. Between the commercial expansion of Casgevy, a cash position exceeding $2.5 billion, and a growing pipeline of potentially game-changing gene-editing and RNA-based therapies, the company is positioning itself as a leader in next-generation medicine.
Add in recent analyst upgrades, continued institutional buying, and multiple clinical catalysts expected throughout 2026, and the opportunity may outweigh the risks for investors willing to tolerate volatility. If management continues to execute and key programs deliver positive data, CRISPR Therapeutics could be one of the most compelling biotech growth stories to watch over the next several years.
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