Is gene editing a good investment?

Investing in gene editing offers a high-risk, but potentially high-reward, proposition. This could be a good investment for patient, long-term investors who are willing to take on greater risk.

Which company is the leader in gene editing?

CRISPR Therapeutics is the only gene-editing company with an approved product on the market.

What stock is the king of genetic sequencing?

Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN) most deserves the distinction of being called "the king of genetic sequencing." The company claims the top market share, by far, in genetic sequencing.

Do gene-editing companies typically pay dividends?

No, gene-editing companies typically don't pay dividends.

How do clinical trials affect gene-editing stock prices?

The results from clinical trials can significantly affect gene-editing stock prices. Positive results can cause a stock to soar, while negative results can cause shares to sink. However, sometimes clinical trial results don't cause gene-editing stocks to move much when the expected outcomes of the studies are already largely baked into the share price.

Should investors diversify when investing in gene-editing stocks?

Absolutely. Diversification helps reduce investing risk when investing in any type of stock. However, it's especially important when investing in gene-editing stocks because of the possibility of failure in clinical trials and in winning regulatory approvals.

Where can I find information and regular updates about the gene editing industry?

One source for staying informed about the gene-editing industry is to follow leaders such as Jennifer Doudna and Feng Zhang on X (formerly Twitter) and other social media platforms. You can also read articles available on websites such as CRISPR Medicine News, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, The American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy, and the Genetic Literacy Project Regulation Tracker.

Best Gene-Editing Stocks of 2026: Are They Right for Your Portfolio?

Gene-editing stocks are shares of biotechnology companies that focus on modifying DNA. How important are these stocks? A brief anecdote might explain it best.

In 2020, American biochemist Jennifer Doudna and French microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier were awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry for their discovery of the CRISPR gene-editing technology. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences summed up the significance of their discovery by saying, “This year’s prize is about rewriting the code of life.”

Gene-editing companies using CRISPR technology have the potential to treat and even cure diseases caused by genetic variants. CRISPR (pronounced “crisper”) is an acronym for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats. The gene-editing market is projected to reach $30.8 billion by 2032.

Top gene-editing companies to consider

These are some of the gene-editing companies investors should have on their watch list:

Ticker Information Table
Name and ticker	Market cap	Dividend yield	Industry
Intellia Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NTLA)	$1.6 billion	0.00%	Biotechnology
CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRSP)	$5.4 billion	0.00%	Biotechnology
Beam Therapeutics (NASDAQ:BEAM)	$2.7 billion	0.00%	Biotechnology
Caribou Biosciences (NASDAQ:CRBU)	$170.1 million	0.00%	Biotechnology
Sangamo Therapeutics (NASDAQ:SGMO)	$140.3 million	0.00%	Biotechnology

Data as of Mar 9, 2026. Showing 5 of 5 tickers.

1. Intellia Therapeutics

NASDAQ: NTLA

Intellia Therapeutics

Today's Change

(3.72%) $0.50

Current Price

$13.94

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$1.6B

Day's Range

$13.08 - $14.01

52wk Range

$5.90 - $28.25

Volume

46K

Avg Vol

4.8M

Gross Margin

76.43%

Intellia (NTLA +3.72%) was co-founded by Jennifer Doudna in 2014. Its mission is to “develop potentially curative gene editing treatments that can positively transform the lives of people living with severe and life-threatening diseases.”

In 2021, Intellia and its partner, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN +1.34%), announced the first clinical data supporting the use of in vivo (in the body) CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in humans. The two companies are now working together to evaluate nexiguran ziclumeran (formerly known as NTLA-2001) in a late-stage study targeting the rare genetic disease transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR).

Intellia also has a wholly owned late-stage candidate, NTLA-2002. It hopes to file for U.S. regulatory approval of the experimental therapy to treat hereditary angioedema (HAE) in the second half of 2026 and launch it commercially in the U.S. in 2027.

In addition, Regeneron is evaluating a hemophilia B therapy licensed from Intellia in phase 2 clinical testing. Intellia will be eligible for milestone payments and royalties if the experimental therapy advances through clinical development and ultimately wins regulatory approval.

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2. CRISPR Therapeutics

NASDAQ: CRSP

CRISPR Therapeutics

Today's Change

(2.64%) $1.49

Current Price

$57.99

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$5.4B

Day's Range

$55.45 - $58.08

52wk Range

$30.04 - $78.48

Volume

27K

Avg Vol

1.7M

Gross Margin

-653467.24%

CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP +2.20%) was co-founded by Emmanuelle Charpentier in 2013. The company’s mission is "developing transformative gene-based medicines for serious human diseases."

CRISPR Therapeutics and its big partner, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX +0.59%), became the first to win regulatory approval for a CRISPR gene-editing therapy in December 2023 for Casgevy in treating sickle cell disease. The two companies won U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval the following month for Casgevy in treating transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia.

The commercial launch of Casgevy continues to gain momentum, with Vertex leading the charge. Meanwhile, CRISPR Therapeutics is working to advance several other gene-editing programs.

The company's pipeline includes two allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapies in clinical testing -- CTX112 and CTX131. Allogeneic (which means involving genetically different tissues or cells) CAR-T therapies are often referred to as "off-the-shelf" because they don't require a patient's own cells to be genetically edited and instead use cells from healthy donors.

CRISPR Therapeutics is evaluating two in vivo gene-editing therapies (where gene editing is performed inside the body) in early-stage clinical studies. The company is also conducting clinical testing of an experimental therapy for treating Type 1 diabetes.

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3. Beam Therapeutics

NASDAQ: BEAM

Beam Therapeutics

Today's Change

(2.75%) $0.73

Current Price

$27.27

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$2.7B

Day's Range

$25.94 - $27.43

52wk Range

$13.53 - $36.44

Volume

18K

Avg Vol

1.8M

Gross Margin

84.05%

Beam (BEAM +2.28%) was co-founded by David Liu and Feng Zhang in 2017 with a vision of “providing lifelong cures to patients suffering from serious diseases.” It is pioneering the use of base editing -- a potential new class of precision gene editing described as a “molecular pencil” that is able to erase and rewrite a mutation rather than slicing it out.

In March 2025, the company announced positive initial results from a Phase 1/2 study evaluating BEAM-302 in treating alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD). AATD is a genetic disorder that affects the lungs and/or liver and can lead to emphysema and liver disease.

Beam is evaluating risto-cel (previously known as BEAM-101) in a Phase 1/2 study targeting sickle cell disease. The company hopes to file for U.S. approval of the therapy as early as late 2026. It also expects to report results from a Phase 1/2 study of BEAM-301 in the treatment of glycogen storage disease 1a, a rare disease where a sugar called glycogen builds up and affects organs, and BEAM-302 in the treatment of liver disease alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) in 2026.

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4. Caribou Biosciences

NASDAQ: CRBU

Caribou Biosciences

Today's Change

(8.52%) $0.15

Current Price

$1.98

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$170M

Day's Range

$1.79 - $1.98

52wk Range

$0.66 - $3.54

Volume

49K

Avg Vol

1.2M

Gross Margin

67.34%

Intellia Therapeutics isn't the only gene-editing company co-founded by Jennifer Doudna. The Nobel Prize winner also co-founded Caribou Biosciences (CRBU +8.52%) in 2011, along with CRISPR gene-editing pioneers James Berger and Martin Jinek, as well as Caribou's CEO, Rachel Haurwitz.

Caribou has developed Cas12a chRDNA (which stands for CRISPR hybrid RNA-DNA and is pronounced "chardonnay") technology, a next-generation version of CRISPR gene editing. The company's approach uses hybrid RNA and DNA guides for editing DNA, rather than relying solely on RNA guides. This technology reduces the chances of off-target edits.

The gene-editing company's pipeline features two experimental allogeneic (off-the-shelf) cancer cell therapies in early-stage clinical trials. Vispa-cel (formerly CB-010) targets relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. CB-011 targets relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

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5. Sangamo Therapeutics

NASDAQ: SGMO

Sangamo Therapeutics

Today's Change

(5.40%) $0.02

Current Price

$0.40

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$140M

Day's Range

$0.38 - $0.40

52wk Range

$0.34 - $1.05

Volume

18K

Avg Vol

5.7M

Gross Margin

76.11%

Sangamo Therapeutics (SGMO +7.79%) is one of the earliest leaders in gene editing. Edward Lanphier II founded the company in 1995 and served as its CEO until he retired in 2016.

The company initially focused on gene editing using zinc-finger proteins to target and bind to DNA sequences. It later developed another protein-guided gene-editing technology called modular integrase (MINT).

In December 2025, Sangamo initiated a rolling submission of a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the approval of ST-920 for the treatment of Fabry disease, a rare genetic disorder. The company is evaluating ST-503 in early-stage clinical studies as a potential treatment for chronic neuropathic pain. Sangamo also expects to file for FDA approval in mid-2026 to advance ST-506 into clinical testing for the treatment of prion disease, a rare neurodegenerative disorder.

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Investing in gene-editing stocks

Gene-editing stocks center on CRISPR, a technology adapted from a natural bacterial defense system that can precisely cut and modify DNA. In 2012, Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier showed how CRISPR-associated proteins, guided by lab-designed RNA, could target specific genes in virtually any cell. That breakthrough opened the door to potential “one-and-done” treatments for genetic diseases in humans, as well as applications in plants and animals. Since then, gene editing has been described as a transformative technology with the potential to reshape medicine.

Companies like Intellia, CRISPR Therapeutics, and Beam are racing to bring these therapies to market, often with the support of large pharmaceutical partners. Still, the space can be complex and volatile. Stock prices often swing on clinical trial results or research updates, and progress can take years. For many investors, a basket approach -- owning several gene-editing companies and holding for the long term -- can help manage risk. For patient, buy-and-hold investors, gene-editing stocks offer a way to participate in what could be a major genomic revolution and the creation of significant long-term value if these technologies successfully cure disease.

Risks and challenges of investing in gene-editing stocks

While investing in gene-editing stocks holds the potential for generative significant returns over the long term, it also comes with several risks and challenges. These include:

High volatility.
Capital requirements could lead to the dilution of the value of existing shares.
Risk of failure in clinical trials.
Risk of failure in securing regulatory approvals.
Potential reimbursement hurdles after approval.

How to buy gene-editing stocks

Open your brokerage app: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.

FAQ

Investing in gene-editing stocks FAQ

About the Author

Keith Speights is a contributing Motley Fool healthcare analyst covering publicly traded companies across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, technology, and marijuana. Prior to The Motley Fool, Keith was CEO of Constant Care Technology, a healthcare technology company; vice president of American HealthTech, a healthcare software company; and a director of operations for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi, a health insurer. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Mississippi State University.

TMFFishBiz

Keith Speights has positions in Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Beam Therapeutics, CRISPR Therapeutics, Intellia Therapeutics, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.