6. Crispr Therapeutics Ag (NASDAQ:CRSP)
ARK’s Stake Value: $551.8 Million
Biotech company Crispr Therapeutics Ag (NASDAQ:CRSP) shares are up 16% over the past 12 months. Cathie Wood’s ARK increased its stake in the company by 8% in the fourth quarter, entering 2026 with a $10.5 million position.
Crispr Therapeutics Ag (NASDAQ:CRSP) has the first-mover advantage in the gene editing and gene therapy industries with its CRISPR-based treatment approved by the FDA. Its CASGEVY therapy for severe sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia is already generating revenue through its partnership with Vertex. Crispr Therapeutics Ag (NASDAQ:CRSP) has a strong pipeline and an advanced technology to edit cells both outside the body.
Crispr Therapeutics Ag (NASDAQ:CRSP) saw a sharp increase in hedge fund sentiment in the fourth quarter, as 32 funds ended the quarter with the stock in their portfolios, up from 31 funds in the prior quarter.
Contrarius Global Equity Fund stated the following regarding CRISPR Therapeutics AG (NASDAQ:CRSP) in its third quarter 2025 investor letter:
“In December 2023, after nearly 6 years of human clinical trials, the FDA approved the first CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing therapy. This therapy is CRISPR Therapeutics AG’s (NASDAQ:CRSP) treatment for sickle cell disease.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a debilitating hereditary blood disorder that results in periods of excruciating pain and ultimately a life expectancy that is more than 20 years below the average. CRSP’s therapy, called Casgevy, knocks out the BCL11A gene, the gene responsible for suppression of foetal haemoglobin (HbF). With the gene’s activity disrupted, the body begins producing HbF on its own again. HbF naturally prevents sickle cell complications, providing a functional cure.
Sickle cell disease occurs in about 1 out of every 365 Black or African American births and about 1 out of every 16,300 Hispanic American births. CRSP has partnered with Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a much larger pharmaceutical company, to aid in commercialisation and distribution. Casgevy is not cheap, at about $2.2 million per use currently, but it should be a ‘one-and done’ treatment, and compares favourably to the lifetime impact from reduced healthcare costs from disease flare-ups (estimated to be between $4 million and $6 million). As part of the partnership with Vertex, CRSP retains 40% of profits worldwide. A potentially huge market opportunity given the estimate of 100,000 SCD sufferers in the US alone. Vertex appears to agree, it paid nearly $900 million upfront, and a further $200 million at FDA approval in order to increase their stake from 50% to 60%…” (Click here to read the full text)
Click to continue reading and see the Cathie Wood 2026 Portfolio: 5 Best Stocks to Buy.
Disclosure: None. None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.
