Where to invest in CRISPR?

by Aksel Husebo

for Hacking Humans

CRISPR technology has become a popular buzzword for futurists and TED-speakers alike.
At Hacking Humans, being human augmentation geeks, we seek to cut through the buzz and identify actual business value in these emerging technologies. So, for the next three posts we will present three investments opportunities for investors looking to jump on this wave of innovation.

Today, we will be presenting Voyager Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VYGR) Voyager Therapeutics is a clinical stage gene-therapy company focusing on developing treatments for severe neurological diseases. Voyagers flagship development is a form of genetherapy called adeno-associated virus (AAV) using small viruses with a genome of a single stranded DNA. Recently, Voyager and AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) announced a collaboration where the companies would collaborate in the development and commercialization of antibodies against tau-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological diseases.

With a current stock price at $19,50, Voyager Therapeutics has a market capitalization of 626 million dollars (as of 12.04.2018). The recent months has seen spikes in volatility, as news from clinical trials has hit the market. However, with more positive feedback from their recently developed products, we expect the stock price to rally at much higher rates than today.

Voyager Therapeutics has an intense year ahead. The biggest challenge will come from a key phase 2-3 program that will begin dosing human patients in the second quarter of the year.

This study will be evaluating a recently acquired candidate treating Parkinson’s disease. As the partial results and developments from these studies will prove key to continuing Voyagers momentum gained after recovering from the breakup with Sanofi, we will be watching Voyager Therapeutics developments closely the coming months.