We recently published a list of 10 Most Promising Gene Editing Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Silence Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:SLN) stands against other most promising gene editing stocks to buy according to hedge funds.
The pharmaceutical industry remains a hub of patent innovation, driven by evolving treatment paradigms, unmet medical needs, and the rising influence of technologies like pharmacogenomics, digital therapeutics, and artificial intelligence. At the forefront of modern biotechnology are gene therapy and gene editing. Gene therapies correct genetic defects by introducing new genetic material at the cellular level, often by adding a functioning copy of a gene.
Genome editing began making its way into clinical trials in the mid-2000s. In 2014, CRISPR and CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins were still primarily research tools generating excitement in academic circles. Their medical potential was evident, though the path to real-world treatments seemed distant. Six years later, after a Nobel Prize, CRISPR technology is now being tested in over 20 clinical trials.
The cell and gene therapy sector has faced significant investment challenges since the boom years of 2020 and 2021. However, signs of recovery are emerging, according to data shared by the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine at the 2024 Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mesa. Investment in the first half of 2024 reached $10.9 billion, surpassing 2019’s total of $9.8 billion. Nevertheless, these figures are still far below the $19.9 billion and $22.7 billion invested in 2020 and 2021, respectively, with funding levels dropping to $12.6 billion in 2022 and $11.7 billion in 2023. ARM CEO Tim Hunt acknowledged that the industry has been “very challenging” for the past few years. Hunt highlighted that most of the nearly $11 billion raised in early 2024 went to “later-stage companies” with advanced clinical trials and human data. Morgan Stanley also noted that the Federal Reserve’s September interest rate cut could have positive implications for riskier assets, like cell and gene therapy, aligning with broader trends in biotech.
However, Mizuho Securities analyst Jared Holz cautioned that those expecting a rapid surge in fundraising and IPOs due to the rate cut might be disappointed, suggesting that a gold rush is unlikely:
“I don’t see the floodgates opening necessarily, because the last time that we were kicking out 50 or more IPOs a year, the broader sector was negatively impacted by that.”
That said, the industry is still poised for significant growth. According to a report by Precedence Research, the global genome editing market, valued at $7.98 billion in 2023, is expected to grow to $9.33 billion in 2024 and reach around $38.19 billion by 2033. This represents a robust CAGR of 16.95% over the forecast period from 2024 to 2033. The market’s expansion is fueled by the increasing prevalence of conditions such as Down syndrome and cystic fibrosis globally. Moreover, the ex-vivo segment led the market in 2023, driven by the rising trend of gene harvesting for treating blood disorders and advancements in CAR-T cell therapies. Adding on to this, ongoing research into ex-vivo gene therapies for conditions like fatty liver disease and obesity is further accelerating market growth.
Our Methodology
For our list of the 10 most promising gene editing stocks, we began by examining companies in the sector through ETF holdings and media reports. We then filtered out notable stocks that had an average analyst upside of at least 10% and positive analyst ratings. From this pool, we selected the top companies with the highest number of hedge fund investors, based on Insider Monkey’s database of 912 hedge funds as of the end of Q2 2024.
At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
Is Silence Therapeutics plc (SLN) a Promising Gene Editing Stock?
Close up of a scientist wearing a lab coat and safety glasses, examining a sample under the microscope.
Silence Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:SLN) is a biotechnology company focused on developing innovative RNA-based therapeutics for hematology, cardiovascular diseases, and other rare and metabolic conditions. The company uses its proprietary mRNAi GOLD platform to address gene editing through a technique called gene silencing. This method utilizes the body’s natural ability to suppress gene expression to target and treat diseases. Silence’s pipeline includes two candidates currently in clinical trials and three additional candidates in the pre-clinical stage. In July, the company reported positive Phase 2 clinical trial results for its lead drug candidate, zerlasiran (SLN360), aimed at patients at high risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
At the beginning of September, Jefferies initiated coverage on Silence Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:SLN) with a Buy rating and a $40 price target, citing the strong potential of its lead siRNA candidate, which has demonstrated over 90% reduction in Lp(a), a key cardiovascular risk factor. The company’s second candidate, targeting Polycythemia Vera (PV), a blood disorder affecting roughly 100,000 people in the U.S., also showed promising results in Phase 1 trials. Continued progress in both the Lp(a)-lowering program and PV treatment is expected to serve as key growth drivers for the company in 2024.
At the end of Q2 2024, 27 elite hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey held positions in Silence Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:SLN), with total stakes exceeding $234 million.
Overall, SLN ranks 5th on our list of most promising gene editing stocks to buy according to hedge funds. While we acknowledge the potential of SLN, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than SLN but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
