Is CRISPR Therapeutics Stock a Buy Now?

Over the past five years, CRISPR Therapeutics' (NASDAQ: CRSP) shares have significantly lagged broader equities. That's despite the company earning approval for its first commercialized medicine, Casgevy, in 2023. If this milestone did not help the biotech reverse course, is there still hope that CRISPR Therapeutics can turn things around? Let's find out whether it is worth buying the company's shares today.

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Why the stock has not performed well

The biggest catalysts for smaller, clinical-stage biotechs tend to be clinical progress. By the time they launch their first medicines, long-term shareholders are already taking some profits. That partly explains why CRISPR Therapeutics' stock has been southbound, but there is more to the story. A strong commercial uptake for a new drug can also push a biotech's shares in the right direction. Unfortunately, Casgevy's progress so far hasn't exactly been impressive, even with help from Vertex Pharmaceuticals, with which CRISPR Therapeutics developed this therapy.

Casgevy treats two rare blood disorders: Sickle cell disease (SCD) and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT). Although these are severe blood-related health conditions with few safe and effective treatment options, Casgevy is a gene editing therapy that is very expensive (it costs $2.2 million in the U.S.) and complex to administer. Between getting third-party payers on board and activating qualified treatment centers (QTCs) where the medicine can be administered, it has generated fairly modest profits, which CRISPR Therapeutics must share with its partner on a 40%-60% split (the smaller biotech gets the former).

In 2025, CRISPR Therapeutics' total revenue was $3.5 million, down from $37.3 million in 2024. The higher number in 2024 came not from Casgevy-related sales, but from the collaboration revenue it earned from Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Meanwhile, CRISPR Therapeutics remains deeply unprofitable, with its net loss per share in 2025 worsening to $6.47, down from $4.34. Here's one more reason CRISPR Therapeutics has not performed well: The company has failed to make enough clinical progress over the past few years to impress investors, although there have been occasional encouraging results.

CRISPR Therapeutics might be worth a look

Casgevy may be about to take off. The medicine generated $116 million in revenue last year (recorded by Vertex), and with insurers and QTCs already in place, CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex Pharmaceuticals have done much of the early work necessary for it to be successful over the next five to 10 years. This could help improve CRISPR Therapeutics' prospects. However, the company's pipeline progress will be even more important. CRISPR Therapeutics has several highly promising candidates, and their clinical results over the next few years could jolt the stock. Let's consider two of them.

First, there is CTX310, a medicine under development to help lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (TGs), both of which increase the risk of significant cardiovascular issues, including heart attacks and strokes, at high levels. CTX310 has shown promise in early stage clinical trials, but more work remains to be done. If approved, it could target a large patient population.

Over 40 million patients in the U.S. alone have high LDL or TG levels. And while there are treatments available -- as well as non-pharmaceutical ways to deal with the issue, such as diet and exercise -- CTX310 could be a one-and-done option, which would be significantly more attractive to many patients. CRISPR Therapeutics is also developing SRSD107, an investigational anticoagulant that could disrupt this vast market. Unlike many other anticoagulants, SRSD107 could be a long-acting option (administered once every six months) while avoiding some of the well-known drawbacks of similar medicines, such as heavy bleeding.

CRISPR Therapeutics also has plenty of work left with this program, but progress here and elsewhere will help jolt the stock. Now, CRISPR Therapeutics is a fairly risky stock. Clinical setbacks with its leading pipeline candidates will sink its share price even more. However, there is also significant upside if Casgevy can make progress and launch newer products that become standards of care in their niches. So, CRISPR Therapeutics might be worth considering for investors with above-average risk tolerance.

Prosper Junior Bakiny has positions in Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.