In this week’s edition of InnovationRx, we look at biotech M&A, the rise of India’s Anthem Biosciences, and more. To get it in your inbox, subscribe here.
Pharmaceutical M&A reached $65 billion in the first quarter, its highest number since 2020, according to new data from PwC.
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Healthcare M&A is surging. The pharma industry saw $65 billion in deals for the first quarter of 2026, the highest figure since 2020, with 16 of them for $1 billion or more, according to new data from accounting giant PwC.
One big reason for all the dealmaking is the looming patent expirations for blockbuster drugs, among them Merck’s Keytruda and Bristol Myers Squibb’s Opdivo, that will cut into pharma companies’ revenue. The desire to fill that gap helps explain why many of this year’s acquisitions so far–including Gilead’s $8.2 billion acquisition of cancer biotech Arcelix, Lilly’s $7.8 billion buy of neurology-focused Cantesa Pharmaceuticals and Merck’s $6.7 billion deal for oncology startup Terns Pharmaceuticals–involve next-generation modalities that would be expected to have a long patent runway.
Despite political pushback, big pharma’s rush to license therapies from China keeps going as that country’s biotechs have moved from fast followers to increasing innovation. As the report notes, these companies “are looking to China for truly innovative molecules across oncology, immunology, and metabolic disease.” Large buyers can also get more favorable deal terms from Chinese startups than from American and European ones, the report’s authors note.
Expect more M&A activity over the next six months. Not only do the big pharma companies have reason to buy, but increasingly biotechs may be looking to sell because the IPO window remains tight, and mostly confined to those startups with drugs that are either approved or nearly through the clinical process.
Inside The Rise Of India’s Anthem BiosciencesAnthem Biosciences founder Ajay Bhardwaj
HARSHITH DAMBEKODI FOR FORBES ASIA
Over a two-decade career at Indian biopharma firm Biocon, Ajay Bhardwaj had climbed the ranks to become a key member of the senior management team, overseeing marketing. His boss was the company’s founder and chairman, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, a pioneer in Indian biotech and the country’s first self-made woman billionaire.
But when he was passed over for a promotion, he quit. At age 46 and with two children to put through university, Bhardwaj ploughed all of his savings into Anthem Biosciences, a provider of outsourcing services to pharma companies for all stages of drug development, in 2006.“It was a huge gamble,” says Bhardwaj in a March interview at company headquarters in an industrial hub near Bangalore’s outskirts.
It was also a timely one. Confronted by spiraling costs and declining success rates of bringing a new drug to market, pharma companies had turned to outsourcing as a cost-effective way to speed up the process. According to an Anthem-commissioned 2024 report from research firm Frost & Sullivan, only one in 10,000 to 15,000 compounds in preclinical trials gets FDA approval, while the time it takes to develop a new drug has more than doubled to over 13 years since the 1970s. For American pharma companies, outsourcing to Indian firms can save 75% on R&D costs and 55% on manufacturing.
Bhardwaj's $9 million (at historical exchange rates) wager, funded by selling his 1% stake in Biocon and taking out a bank loan, has paid off several times over. Today, Anthem is one of India’s most valuable listed companies in the sector with a recent market cap of $4.5 billion. Its July 2025 IPO landed the 65-year-old founder on Forbes’ Billionaires list for the first time, with a net worth of $2.4 billion.
Now Bhardwaj is aiming for expansion, including earmarking funds to build a new factory near Bangalore, in an effort to nearly quintuple sales to $1 billion. Analysts estimate he could reach that goal in around seven years.
Read more here.
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The White House wants more doctors, but its immigration policies block them.
Fertility specialists and bioethicists are divided over a new approach to precisely edit the genes of human embryos and whether its result will be medical cures or designer babies.
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When looking only at the past 12 months, Editas Medicine (EDIT 1.61%), a small-cap biotech company, seems to be doing well. The drugmaker's shares have soared by 80% over this period. However, zooming out gives a different picture: Editas Medicine has lost more than 90% of its market value in the past five years. Is the company's recent run sustainable, or will the stock -- whose price is just under $3 -- continue to fall until investors are left with worthless shares?
Image source: Getty Images.
A terrible track record Editas Medicine is a clinical-stage biotech. Pre-commercial drugmakers carry higher-than-average risk, as they routinely encounter significant clinical or regulatory roadblocks that sink their stock prices. Further, Editas Medicine specializes in gene editing. Although this technology is showing incredible promise in helping researchers find cures for previously untreatable conditions, it still has a long way to go before widespread adoption by the healthcare community, including health insurance companies that have to foot the bill.
That's because gene editing therapies tend to be complex to administer and very expensive (often costing more than $1 million per treatment course), making them a commercial nightmare, even when they earn approval. Could Editas Medicine overcome these challenges? Unlikely. Over the past five years, the biotech has faced several setbacks, forcing it to undergo pipeline resets and abandon the development of some of its leading candidates. Let's consider three examples.
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First, there was an otherwise promising medicine called EDIT-101, with which Editas Medicine was targeting a rare eye disease called Leber Congenital Amaurosis 10. Editas Medicine decided to put the development of EDIT-101 on hold until it could find a partner with deep pockets to help foot the R&D bill. That was in 2023. It has yet to find that partner. The same thing happened with EDIT-103, another potential therapy for another rare eye disease called rhodopsin-associated autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa.
Then, in 2024, Editas Medicine announced it was abandoning the development of reni-cel, an investigational gene-editing therapy for transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia, also because it could not find a commercial partner. Now, of course, these past failures don't mean that Editas Medicine is doomed, but they aren't irrelevant to our analysis either. Given this track record and the fact that most new drug candidates in the biotech industry fail, why think that Editas Medicine's future clinical progress will be any different?
Perhaps if the company had produced strong phase 3 study results in the meantime, but Editas Medicine's remaining programs are all in the early stages of their development. It currently has no programs in late-stage clinical trials. Again, any biotech that fits that description is risky, let alone one with a recent track record of failures in a challenging-to-navigate gene editing market. In my view, Editas Medicine's shares are likely to continue moving in the wrong direction -- that is, toward $0 -- over the next five years. Investors should stay far away from this company.
Shares of Editas Medicine, Inc. (NASDAQ: EDIT - Get Free Report) have been given a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" by the eight analysts that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Editas Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDIT), a pioneering gene editing company focused on developing transformative medicines for serious diseases, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reaffirmed the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s (PTAB’s) previous decision favoring the Broad Institute in the U.S. patent interference involving specific patents for CRISPR/Cas9 editing in human cells between the University of California, the University of Vienna, and Emmanuelle Charpentier (collectively, CVC) and the Broad Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Harvard University (collectively, Broad).
The patent interference was on remand from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) following the CAFC’s May 2025 decision to affirm-in-part and vacate-in-part the PTAB’s prior decision. This action by the PTAB is its third favorable decision determining that Broad was the first to invent the use of CRISPR/Cas9 for gene editing in eukaryotic cells, including human cells. CVC retains the right to appeal the decision to the CAFC.
“We are pleased with decision reaffirming Broad’s inventorship priority for CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing,” said Gilmore O’Neill, M.B., M.M.Sc., President and Chief Executive Officer, Editas Medicine. “This outcome reinforces our confidence in our intellectual property as we continue to leverage the power of in vivo gene editing to create transformative medicines for people living with serious diseases. This includes the development of EDIT-401, an experimental, potential best-in-class, one-time therapy that has achieved an unprecedented greater than 90 percent mean LDL cholesterol reduction in non-human primates.”
The CRISPR/Cas9 patents at issue are exclusively licensed to Editas Medicine for the development and commercialization of CRISPR/Cas9-based medicines.
Other in-licensed patents from the Broad Institute, Harvard University, MIT, and other institutions covering CRISPR/Cas9, as well as those in-licensed patents from the Broad Institute and collaborators covering CRISPR/Cas12a, are not at issue in the interference and are unaffected by this decision.
Editas Medicine’s foundational intellectual property includes issued patents covering fundamental aspects of both CRISPR/Cas12a and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in all human cells. Additionally, the Company holds a wide range of fundamental intellectual property directed to all the components of its gene editing platform including product-enabling and product-specific intellectual property covering the use of CRISPR/Cas12a and CRISPR/Cas9 for gene editing of human cells in the United States, Australia, Europe, Japan, China, and other jurisdictions.
About Editas Medicine
As a pioneering gene editing company, Editas Medicine is focused on translating the power and potential of CRISPR genome editing systems into a robust pipeline of in vivo medicines for people living with serious diseases around the world. Editas Medicine aims to discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialize transformative, durable, precision in vivo gene editing medicines for a broad class of diseases. Editas Medicine is the exclusive licensee of Broad Institute’s Cas12a patent estate and Broad Institute and Harvard University’s Cas9 patent estates for human medicines. For the latest information and scientific presentations, please visit www.editasmedicine.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words ‘‘anticipate,’’ ‘‘believe,’’ ‘‘continue,’’ ‘‘could,’’ ‘‘estimate,’’ ‘‘expect,’’ ‘‘intend,’’ ‘‘may,’’ ‘‘plan,’’ ‘‘potential,’’ ‘‘predict,’’ ‘‘project,’’ ‘‘target,’’ ‘‘should,’’ ‘‘would,’’ and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: uncertainties inherent with litigation, including patent interference proceedings; and uncertainties inherent in the initiation, timing, progress, and results of preclinical studies and clinical trials. These and other risks are described in greater detail under the caption “Risk Factors” included in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as updated by the Company’s subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in other filings that the Company may make with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the future. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise.
This press release contains hyperlinks to information that is not deemed to be incorporated by reference in this press release.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut its holdings in Editas Medicine, Inc. (NASDAQ:EDIT – Free Report) by 23.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 820,667 shares of the company’s stock after selling 245,055 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. owned approximately 0.84% of Editas Medicine worth $2,848,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC boosted its position in shares of Editas Medicine by 122.2% during the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 2,600,000 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,016,000 after purchasing an additional 1,430,000 shares in the last quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. increased its holdings in Editas Medicine by 761.7% in the third quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. now owns 800,023 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,776,000 after purchasing an additional 707,181 shares in the last quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP lifted its stake in Editas Medicine by 63.3% in the third quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 1,584,155 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,497,000 after buying an additional 614,229 shares during the period. Acadian Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Editas Medicine by 288.5% in the first quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 752,162 shares of the company’s stock valued at $869,000 after buying an additional 558,567 shares during the period. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. bought a new position in shares of Editas Medicine during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $653,000. 71.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (e+)” rating on shares of Editas Medicine in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Chardan Capital reissued a “buy” rating and set a $3.50 target price on shares of Editas Medicine in a research note on Monday, March 9th. Robert W. Baird set a $6.00 price target on shares of Editas Medicine in a report on Monday, March 9th. JonesTrading raised shares of Editas Medicine from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $8.00 price target for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. Finally, TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Editas Medicine in a research report on Monday, March 9th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Editas Medicine currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $5.30.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on EDIT
Editas Medicine Price Performance Shares of NASDAQ:EDIT opened at $2.67 on Monday. Editas Medicine, Inc. has a twelve month low of $0.91 and a twelve month high of $4.54. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $2.14 and its 200-day moving average is $2.54. The firm has a market capitalization of $261.31 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.41 and a beta of 2.04.
Editas Medicine (NASDAQ:EDIT – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, March 9th. The company reported ($0.06) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.27) by $0.21. The business had revenue of $24.74 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.77 million. Editas Medicine had a negative net margin of 395.02% and a negative return on equity of 389.73%. Equities research analysts anticipate that Editas Medicine, Inc. will post -2.71 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
About Editas Medicine (Free Report)
Editas Medicine is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on translating the power of gene editing into a new class of transformative genomic medicines. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company leverages proprietary CRISPR/Cas9 and CRISPR/Cas12a (Cpf1) platforms to develop therapies aimed at correcting disease-causing genetic mutations. Editas Medicine’s research and development efforts span multiple therapeutic areas, including inherited retinal diseases, hemoglobinopathies, and oncology.
The company’s pipeline includes EDIT-101, a lead candidate designed to treat Leber congenital amaurosis type 10 (LCA10), which has entered early-stage clinical trials, and EDIT-301, targeting sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia using an ex vivo editing approach.
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A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Editas Medicine (EDIT - Free Report) . Shares have added about 3.8% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.
Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Editas due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.
EDIT Reports Narrower-Than-Expected Q4 Loss, Revenues Rise Y/YEditasreported a loss of 6 cents per share in the fourth quarter of 2025, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 27 cents. The company had incurred a loss of 55 cents per share in the year-ago quarter. The comprehensive beat was mainly due to lower operating expenses.
Collaboration and other research and development (R&D) revenues, which comprise Editas’ top line, were $24.7 million in the reported quarter, down 19% from the year-ago quarter’s figure. The reported figure, however, comprehensively beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7 million. The year-over-year decrease is primarily due to the recognition of revenues related to milestones achieved under EDIT’s collaboration agreement with Bristol Myers in the year-ago quarter.
EDIT’s Q4 Results in DetailIn the fourth quarter of 2025, R&D expenses decreased 44% to $27.4 million compared with $48.6 million reported in the year-ago period. The decline in R&D expenses is primarily due to lower clinical and manufacturing costs following the abandonment of the reni-cel program in December 2024, partly offset by in vivo research and discovery costs.
General and administrative expenses were $11.4 million in the reported quarter, down 31% year over year, due to a decrease in employee-related expenses because of reduced workforce and reduced professional service expenses following the abandonment of the reni-cel program.
Restructuring and impairment charges fell by $18.5 million to a $6.3 million benefit in the fourth quarter from $12.2 million a year earlier, mainly due to favorable adjustments to previously estimated contract costs tied to the discontinuation of the reni-cel program.
Editas had cash, cash equivalents and investments worth $146.6 million as of Dec. 31, 2025, down from $165.6 million as of Sept. 30, 2025. The company expects that its existing cash position will fund operating and capital needs into the third quarter of 2027.
EDIT’s Full-Year ResultsIn 2025, Editas recorded total revenues of $40.5 million, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $21.4 million. The recorded figure increased 25% from the $32.3 million reported in 2024.
EDIT reported a loss per share of $1.80 in 2025, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $2.03 per share. In 2024, the company reported a loss per share of $2.88.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?In the past month, investors have witnessed a upward trend in estimates revision.
The consensus estimate has shifted -29.21% due to these changes.
VGM ScoresCurrently, Editas has a subpar Growth Score of D, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with an F. Following the exact same course, the stock has a grade of F on the value side, putting it in the fifth quintile for value investors.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
OutlookEstimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of this revision looks promising. Notably, Editas has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.
Performance of an Industry PlayerEditas is part of the Zacks Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry. Over the past month, Puma Biotech (PBYI - Free Report) , a stock from the same industry, has gained 15%. The company reported its results for the quarter ended December 2025 more than a month ago.
Puma Biotech reported revenues of $75.5 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +27.7%. EPS of $0.29 for the same period compares with $0.43 a year ago.
For the current quarter, Puma Biotech is expected to post a loss of $0.13 per share, indicating a change of -230% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Puma Biotech. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of B.
Shares of Editas Medicine, Inc. (NASDAQ:EDIT – Get Free Report) have received an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the eight brokerages that are covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $5.30.
A number of brokerages recently commented on EDIT. TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Editas Medicine in a research report on Monday, March 9th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (e+)” rating on shares of Editas Medicine in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Robert W. Baird set a $6.00 target price on shares of Editas Medicine in a research report on Monday, March 9th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Editas Medicine from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday. Finally, Chardan Capital reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $3.50 target price on shares of Editas Medicine in a research report on Monday, March 9th.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on EDIT
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Editas Medicine A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Renaissance Technologies LLC increased its position in shares of Editas Medicine by 138.0% in the fourth quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 3,039,778 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,232,000 after acquiring an additional 1,762,378 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its position in shares of Editas Medicine by 122.2% in the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 2,600,000 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,016,000 after acquiring an additional 1,430,000 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Editas Medicine by 12.0% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,284,740 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,685,000 after acquiring an additional 244,574 shares during the period. State Street Corp increased its position in shares of Editas Medicine by 2.6% in the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,974,931 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,049,000 after acquiring an additional 49,887 shares during the period. Finally, Two Sigma Investments LP increased its position in shares of Editas Medicine by 63.3% in the third quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 1,584,155 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,497,000 after acquiring an additional 614,229 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 71.90% of the company’s stock.
Editas Medicine Price Performance Shares of NASDAQ:EDIT opened at $2.94 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $287.74 million, a PE ratio of -1.56 and a beta of 2.04. The company’s fifty day moving average is $2.22 and its 200 day moving average is $2.53. Editas Medicine has a 52 week low of $1.08 and a 52 week high of $4.54.
Editas Medicine (NASDAQ:EDIT – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, March 9th. The company reported ($0.06) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.27) by $0.21. The company had revenue of $24.74 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $8.77 million. Editas Medicine had a negative net margin of 395.02% and a negative return on equity of 389.73%. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Editas Medicine will post -2.71 EPS for the current year.
About Editas Medicine (Get Free Report)
Editas Medicine is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on translating the power of gene editing into a new class of transformative genomic medicines. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company leverages proprietary CRISPR/Cas9 and CRISPR/Cas12a (Cpf1) platforms to develop therapies aimed at correcting disease-causing genetic mutations. Editas Medicine’s research and development efforts span multiple therapeutic areas, including inherited retinal diseases, hemoglobinopathies, and oncology.
The company’s pipeline includes EDIT-101, a lead candidate designed to treat Leber congenital amaurosis type 10 (LCA10), which has entered early-stage clinical trials, and EDIT-301, targeting sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia using an ex vivo editing approach.
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Quarterly financial reports play a vital role on Wall Street, as they help investors see how a company has performed and what might be coming down the road in the near-term. And out of all of the metrics and results to consider, earnings is one of the most important.
We know earnings results are vital, but how a company performs compared to bottom line expectations can be even more important when it comes to stock prices, especially in the near-term. This means that investors might want to take advantage of these earnings surprises.
Hunting for 'earnings whispers' or companies poised to beat their quarterly earnings estimates is a somewhat common practice. But that doesn't make it easy. One way that has been proven to work is by using the Zacks Earnings ESP tool.
The Zacks Earnings ESP, ExplainedThe Zacks Earnings ESP is more formally known as the Expected Surprise Prediction, and it aims to grab the inside track on the latest analyst estimate revisions ahead of a company's report. The idea is relatively intuitive as a newer projection might be based on more complete information.
Now that we understand the basic idea, let's look at how the Expected Surprise Prediction works. The ESP is calculated by comparing the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, with the percentage difference between the two giving us the Zacks ESP figure.
Bringing together a positive earnings ESP alongside a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better has helped stocks report a positive earnings surprise 70% of the time. Furthermore, by using these parameters, investors have seen 28.3% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.
Stocks with a ranking of #3 (Hold), or 60% of all stocks covered by the Zacks Rank, are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. Stocks with rankings of #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy), or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market; Strong Buy stocks should outperform more than any other rank.
Should You Consider Editas Medicine?The last thing we will do today, now that we have a grasp on the ESP and how powerful of a tool it can be, is to quickly look at a qualifying stock. Editas Medicine (EDIT - Free Report) holds a #3 (Hold) at the moment and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at -$0.16 a share 28 days away from its upcoming earnings release on May 11, 2026.
EDIT has an Earnings ESP figure of +45.76%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the -$0.16 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of -$0.3. Editas Medicine is one of a large database of stocks with positive ESPs. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
EDIT is just one of a large group of Medical stocks with a positive ESP figure. Regeneron (REGN - Free Report) is another qualifying stock you may want to consider.
Regeneron, which is readying to report earnings on April 29, 2026, sits at a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) right now. Its Most Accurate Estimate is currently $9.23 a share, and REGN is 16 days out from its next earnings report.
For Regeneron, the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.42 is +9.51%.
Because both stocks hold a positive Earnings ESP, EDIT and REGN could potentially post earnings beats in their next reports.
Find Stocks to Buy or Sell Before They're ReportedUse the Zacks Earnings ESP Filter to turn up stocks with the highest probability of positively, or negatively, surprising to buy or sell before they're reported for profitable earnings season trading. Check it out here >>
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Editas Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDIT), a pioneering gene editing company focused on developing transformative medicines for serious diseases, today announced that five abstracts have been accepted for presentation, including one oral presentation and two poster presentations at the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) 2026 Annual Meeting, one oral presentation at TIDES USA 2026: Oligonucleotide and Peptide Therapeutics Conference, and one oral presentation at the 94th European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) Congress. The Company is presenting new preclinical data, including data to support the potential of EDIT-401, its lead in vivo development candidate, to be a transformative therapy for people living with hyperlipidemia.
The complete list of Editas Medicine presentations is below.
American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) 2026 Annual Meeting, May 11-15
Oral Presentation:
Title: Preclinical Development of EDIT-401, a Durable In Vivo CRISPR Gene Editing Therapy That Upregulates LDLR Protein to Lower LDL-C
Session Date and Time: Thursday, May 14, 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. EDT
Session Title: Gene Therapy for Cardiovascular Diseases
Presentation Room: 206AB
Final Abstract Number: 380
Poster Presentations:
Title: Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of In Vivo Gene Editing Therapy for Lowering LDL-C in Mice
Session Date and Time: Thursday, May 14, 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. EDT
Session Title: Thursday Poster Reception
Presentation Room: Exhibit and Poster Hall
Final Abstract Number: 3423
Title: In Vivo CRISPR-based Disruption of an Important Gene Repressor Element Upregulates a Compensatory Protein to Normalize Disease-Associated Biomarkers in a Knockout Mouse Disease Model
Session Date and Time: Wednesday, May 13, 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. EDT
Session Title: Wednesday Poster Reception
Presentation Room: Exhibit and Poster Hall
Final Abstract Number: 2324
TIDES USA 2026: Oligonucleotide and Peptide Therapeutics Conference, May 11-14
Oral Presentation:
Title: Transformative LDL Cholesterol Lowering In Vivo CRISPR Gene Editing Approach for Hyperlipidemia and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease
Session Date and Time: Wednesday, May 13, 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. EDT
Session Title: mRNA & Genome Editing: Technology & Applications
94th European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) Congress, May 24-27
Oral Presentation:
Title: A Transformative In Vivo CRISPR Gene Editing Medicine Upregulates LDLR and Meaningfully Reduces LDL-C in Non-Human Primates
Session Date and Time: Monday, May 25, 3:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. EET/9:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. EDT
Session Title: New Pathways for Lipid and Lipoprotein Metabolism
Presentation Room: Nana Hall
Final Abstract Number: 159
Abstracts can be accessed on the conference websites as they become available, and the presentations will be posted on the Editas Medicine website during the conferences.
About Editas Medicine
As a pioneering gene editing company, Editas Medicine is focused on translating the power and potential of CRISPR genome editing systems into a robust pipeline of transformative in vivo medicines for people living with serious diseases around the world. Editas Medicine aims to discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialize durable, precision in vivo gene editing medicines for a broad class of diseases. Editas Medicine is the exclusive licensee of Broad Institute’s Cas12a patent estate and Broad Institute and Harvard University’s Cas9 patent estates for human medicines. For the latest information and scientific presentations, please visit www.editasmedicine.com.
EDIT-401, which demonstrated >90% mean LDL-C reduction in preclinical studies, on track to achieve early human proof-of-concept data by year-end 2026 Company to present new EDIT-401 preclinical data at upcoming scientific meetings, including data showing significant reductions in Lp(a) and ApoB in non-human primates at the 94th EAS Congress U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reaffirmed prior decision in favor of the Broad Institute in CRISPR/Cas9 interference CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Editas Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDIT), a pioneering gene editing company focused on developing transformative medicines for serious diseases, today reported financial results for the first quarter 2026 and provided business updates.
Editas Medicine (EDIT - Free Report) came out with a quarterly loss of $0.26 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.3. This compares to a loss of $0.43 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +11.86%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this genome editing company would post a loss of $0.27 per share when it actually produced a loss of $0.06, delivering a surprise of +77.78%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.
Editas, which belongs to the Zacks Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry, posted revenues of $2.83 million for the quarter ended March 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 67.07%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $4.66 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Editas shares have added about 46.3% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 5.2%.
What's Next for Editas?While Editas has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Editas was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is -$0.29 on $9.51 million in revenues for the coming quarter and -$1.12 on $34.85 million in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Medical - Biomedical and Genetics is currently in the bottom 42% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Another stock from the same industry, X4 Pharmaceuticals (XFOR - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026.
This company is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.20 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -600%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
X4 Pharmaceuticals' revenues are expected to be $4.05 million, down 85.9% from the year-ago quarter.
Key Takeaways Editas reported a narrower Q1 loss of 26 cents, beating estimates on lower expenses.EDIT revenues fell 39% to $2.8M, missing estimates due to fewer milestone payments from partners.Editas advances EDIT-401 with human trials planned later in 2026. Editas Medicine (EDIT - Free Report) incurred a loss of 26 cents per share in the first quarter of 2026, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 30 cents. The company had reported a loss of 43 cents per share in the year-ago quarter. Loss narrowed year over year, primarily driven by lower operating expenses.
Collaboration and other research and development (R&D) revenues, which comprise Editas’ top line, totaled $2.8 million in the reported quarter, down 39.2% from the year-ago quarter’s figure. The reported figure fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9 million. The year-over-year decrease was primarily due to the recognition of revenues related to milestones achieved under EDIT’s collaboration agreement with a strategic partner in 2025.
Year to date, shares of Editas have risen 48.3% against the industry’s 2.4% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
EDIT’s Q1 Results in DetailIn the first quarter of 2026, R&D expenses decreased 34% to $17.6 million compared with $26.6 million reported in the year-ago period. The decline was primarily driven by lower headcount and reduced clinical and manufacturing costs following the abandonment of the reni-cel program in December 2024, partly offset by in vivo research and discovery costs.
General and administrative expenses were $10.2 million in the reported quarter, down 23.5% year over year, due to a decline in employee-related expenses resulting from a reduced workforce and lower professional service expenses following the abandonment of the reni-cel program.
Editas did not record any restructuring and impairment charges in the first quarter of 2026 compared with $40.9 million in the year-ago quarter.
Editas had cash, cash equivalents and investments worth $123.6 million as of March 31, 2026, compared with $146.6 million as of Dec. 31, 2025. The company expects its existing cash position to fund operating and capital needs into the third quarter of 2027.
EDIT’s Key Pipeline UpdateEditas has no approved products in its portfolio at the moment. Therefore, pipeline development remains the key focus of the company.
In late 2024, Editas discontinued the reni-cel program after failing to secure a commercial partner and cut its workforce by about 65%. This move returned the company to a pre-clinical stage, shifting its focus to in vivo (within the living organism) pipeline development.
Last year, Editas nominated EDIT-401 as its lead in vivo development candidate. This experimental, potential best-in-class, one-time gene editing therapy is designed to significantly reduce LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, marking a key milestone in the company’s efforts to advance in vivo programmable gene editing.
Editas has already reported compelling preclinical results for EDIT-401, showing rapid and durable ≥90% LDL-C reductions in both non-human primates and mouse models with only moderate LDLR editing.
The company is advancing the preclinical development of EDIT-401, including conducting good laboratory practice toxicology studies in non-human primates to support its progression into a first-in-human clinical study. Editas plans to initiate the study in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia later this year, targeting initial proof-of-concept data by the end of 2026 and top-line results in 2027.
EDIT’s Zacks Rank & Stocks to ConsiderEditas currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the biotech sector are Castle Biosciences (CSTL - Free Report) and Indivior Pharmaceuticals (INDV - Free Report) , each currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and Catalyst Pharmaceuticals (CPRX - Free Report) , which carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Over the past 60 days, estimates for Castle Biosciences’ 2026 loss per share have narrowed from $1.42 to $1.40. Over the same period, loss per share estimates for 2027 have also narrowed from 79 cents to 78 cents. CSTL shares have lost 36.7% year to date.
Castle Biosciences’ earnings beat estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed in the remaining one, with the average surprise being 34.69%.
Over the past 60 days, estimates for Indivior Pharmaceuticals’ 2026 earnings per share have increased from $3.03 to $3.26. Over the same period, EPS estimates for 2027 have risen to $3.57 from $3.40. INDV shares have risen 10.3% year to date.
Indivior Pharmaceuticals’ earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 65.44%.
Over the past 60 days, estimates for Catalyst Pharmaceuticals’ 2026 earnings per share have declined from $2.82 to $2.79. Over the same period, EPS estimates for 2027 have surged from $3.20 to $3.28. CPRX shares have gained 32.3% year to date.
Catalyst Pharmaceuticals’ earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 35.19%.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Editas Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDIT), a pioneering gene editing company developing transformative medicines for serious diseases, shared new preclinical data supporting the continued advancement of Editas’ lead in vivo development candidate, EDIT-401, and its potential as a one-time treatment for hyperlipidemia, as well as the broader potential of the Company’s differentiated upregulation strategy. The data is being presented this week at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) in Boston, including one oral presentation and two poster presentations, as well as one oral presentation at TIDES USA 2026: Oligonucleotide and Peptide Therapeutics Conference.
Key EDIT-401 data presented include:
In an oral presentation at ASGCT, Editas reported that a single dose of EDIT-401 achieved ≥90 percent mean LDL-C reduction across all dose groups in non-human primates (NHPs). ≥90 percent mean LDL-C reduction was achieved with only moderate levels (10-40 percent) of functional editing of LDLR alleles and ≥6-fold mean increase in hepatic LDLR protein.LDL-C lowering was rapid and remained durable across evaluated dose levels (1.5 mg/kg-3.0 mg/kg) through ~6 months.Promising preclinical safety profile with no adverse clinical observations at therapeutically relevant dose (1.5 mg/kg).The highest delivery of EDIT-401 was observed in the hepatocytes as compared to other non-target tissues with undetectable oocyte delivery. In an oral presentation at TIDES, Editas presented data demonstrating EDIT-401 dose-dependent LDL-C reduction in NHPs.In a poster presentation at ASGCT, Editas reported that data evaluating pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a single dose of EDIT-401(mu) across multiple dose levels in heterozygous Ldlr loss-of-function mice and wildtype mice support that dose adjustments may not be needed to achieve LDL-C lowering in Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) patients.
Additional in vivo upregulation findings from a poster presentation at ASGCT include:
Data support leveraging DNA large language prediction models (DNA-LLM) to accelerate and streamline the pursuit of gene editing-based strategies designed to mitigate disease through augmentation of alternate or compensatory pathways and further highlight the broader potential of Editas’ in vivo gene upregulation platform.
“These new EDIT-401 preclinical data, including durability of LDL-C reduction across a range of doses through ~6 months demonstrated in NHPs, strengthen our confidence in EDIT-401 as a potential one-time treatment to deliver meaningful and durable LDL-C lowering and support its continued advancement toward first-in-human clinical development,” said Linda C. Burkly, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Editas Medicine. “Further, the data presented also highlight the broader potential and differentiation of our upregulation strategy to generate new medicines across multiple disease areas.”
The presentation details are listed below. Abstracts can be accessed on the ASGCT website, and the presentations will be posted on the Editas Medicine website during the conferences.
American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) 2026 Annual Meeting, May 11-15
Oral Presentation:
Title: Preclinical Development of EDIT-401, a Durable In Vivo CRISPR Gene Editing Therapy That Upregulates LDLR Protein to Lower LDL-C
Session Date and Time: Thursday, May 14, 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. EDT
Session Title: Gene Therapy for Cardiovascular Diseases
Presentation Room: 206AB
Final Abstract Number: 380
Poster Presentations:
Title: Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of In Vivo Gene Editing Therapy for Lowering LDL-C in Mice
Session Date and Time: Thursday, May 14, 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. EDT
Session Title: Thursday Poster Reception
Presentation Room: Exhibit and Poster Hall
Final Abstract Number: 3423
Title: In Vivo CRISPR-based Disruption of an Important Gene Repressor Element Upregulates a Compensatory Protein to Normalize Disease-Associated Biomarkers in a Knockout Mouse Disease Model
Session Date and Time: Wednesday, May 13, 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. EDT
Session Title: Wednesday Poster Reception
Presentation Room: Exhibit and Poster Hall
Final Abstract Number: 2324
TIDES USA 2026: Oligonucleotide and Peptide Therapeutics Conference, May 11-14
Oral Presentation:
Title: Transformative LDL Cholesterol Lowering In Vivo CRISPR Gene Editing Approach for Hyperlipidemia and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease
Session Date and Time: Wednesday, May 13, 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. EDT
Session Title: mRNA & Genome Editing: Technology & Applications
About Editas Medicine
As a pioneering gene editing company, Editas Medicine is focused on translating the power and potential of CRISPR genome editing systems into a robust pipeline of transformative in vivo medicines for people living with serious diseases around the world. Editas Medicine aims to discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialize durable, precision in vivo gene editing medicines for a broad class of diseases. Editas Medicine is the exclusive licensee of Broad Institute’s Cas12a patent estate and Broad Institute and Harvard University’s Cas9 patent estates for human medicines. For the latest information and scientific presentations, please visit www.editasmedicine.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “should,” “would,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding the progress and results of the Company’s preclinical studies and planned clinical trials, including the Company’s expectation to initiate a first-in-human clinical trial of EDIT-401; and the potential of, and expectations for, EDIT-401. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: uncertainties inherent in the initiation, timing, progress, and results of preclinical studies and clinical trials; uncertainty regarding availability and timing of results from preclinical studies and clinical trials; uncertainties relating to planned regulatory submissions to initiate clinical trials, including that results of preclinical studies will warrant such submissions or that regulatory agencies may require additional preclinical studies, that regulatory submissions shall occur on the expected timelines and that regulatory authorities will provide clearance for trials to be initiated; and that the Company will not be able to raise funding sufficient for its foreseeable and unforeseeable operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements. These and other risks are described in greater detail under the caption “Risk Factors” included in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as updated by the Company’s subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in other filings that the Company may make with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the future. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent the Company’s views only as of the date hereof and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Except as required by law, the Company explicitly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
Single dose of EDIT-401 achieved ~90% or greater mean reductions in LDL-C, Lp(a), and ApoB in non-human primates
Data reinforce differentiated LDLR upregulation approach with rapid, dose-dependent effects on multiple atherogenic lipoproteins
Company on track to submit CTN by mid-2026 for EDIT-401 and achieve early in vivo human proof-of-concept data by the end of 2026
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Editas Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDIT), a pioneering gene editing company focused on developing transformative medicines for serious diseases, presented new preclinical data for EDIT-401, its lead in vivo development candidate, in an oral presentation at the 94th European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) Congress in Athens, Greece on May 25, 2026. In the data presented, EDIT-401 achieved robust reductions in LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) in non-human primates (NHPs), supporting its potential as a best-in-class medicine for hyperlipidemia.
Key EDIT-401 preclinical data in NHPs presented include:
A single dose of EDIT-401 achieved ≥90% mean reduction in LDL-C, with rapid and dose-dependent effect.EDIT-401 achieved rapid, dose dependent ~90% mean reduction in Lp(a), an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).EDIT-401 achieved rapid, dose-dependent ~90% mean reduction in ApoB, a key measure of total plaque-causing cholesterol particles and predictive measure for ASCVD.Reductions in LDL-C, Lp(a), and ApoB were highly correlated, supporting a unified mechanism facilitated by LDLR upregulation. “The consistent reductions of ~≥90 percent with EDIT-401 in LDL-C, Lp(a), and ApoB observed in these preclinical studies highlight the transformative potential of our LDLR upregulation approach to address multiple drivers of cardiovascular risk, including residual risk beyond LDL-C alone,” said Linda C. Burkly, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Editas Medicine. “These robust and consistent reductions across multiple atherogenic lipoproteins with a single dose further support EDIT-401 as a potentially best-in-class in vivo gene editing medicine for people living with hyperlipidemia.”
The abstract can be accessed on the EAS website, and the presentation is available on the Editas Medicine website.
Editas continues to advance preclinical studies for EDIT-401, including an ongoing Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) toxicology study in NHPs. Interim results from this study demonstrated EDIT-401 was well-tolerated with no adverse clinical observations, no notable treatment-related liver enzyme elevations, and no liver histopathology findings in non-GLP toxicology at the therapeutically relevant dose of 1.5 mg/kg.
The Company also received positive pre-IND feedback from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on its nonclinical package, CMC plans, and study design to support an Investigational New Drug Application (IND). The Company plans to submit a Clinical Trial Notification (CTN) in Australia to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) by mid-2026 to initiate a first-in-human clinical trial of EDIT-401 in patients with Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) later this year, and is on track to have early in vivo human proof-of-concept data for EDIT-401 by the end of 2026.
About Editas Medicine
As a pioneering gene editing company, Editas Medicine is focused on translating the power and potential of CRISPR genome editing systems into a robust pipeline of transformative in vivo medicines for people living with serious diseases around the world. Editas Medicine aims to discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialize durable, precision in vivo gene editing medicines for a broad class of diseases. Editas Medicine is the exclusive licensee of Broad Institute’s Cas12a patent estate and Broad Institute and Harvard University’s Cas9 patent estates for human medicines. For the latest information and scientific presentations, please visit www.editasmedicine.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words ‘‘anticipate,’’ ‘‘believe,’’ ‘‘continue,’’ ‘‘could,’’ ‘‘estimate,’’ ‘‘expect,’’ ‘‘intend,’’ ‘‘may,’’ ‘‘plan,’’ ‘‘potential,’’ ‘‘predict,’’ ‘‘project,’’ ‘‘target,’’ ‘‘should,’’ ‘‘would,’’ and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding the initiation, timing, progress and results of the Company’s preclinical studies and its research and development programs, including initiating a first-in-human study for EDIT-401 in 2026 and achievement of early in vivo human proof-of-concept data for EDIT-401 by the end of 2026; the potential of, and expectations for, EDIT-401; and the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, including submitting a CTN in Australia by mid-2026 for EDIT-401. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: uncertainties inherent in the initiation and completion of preclinical studies and clinical trials; availability and timing of results from preclinical studies and clinical trials; uncertainties relating to planned regulatory submissions to initiate clinical trials, including that results of preclinical studies will warrant such submissions or that regulatory agencies may require additional preclinical studies, that regulatory submissions shall occur on the expected timelines and that regulatory authorities will provide clearance for trials to be initiated; that the results and outcome of preclinical studies may not be predictive of the results of clinical trials; and the availability of funding sufficient for the Company’s foreseeable and unforeseeable operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements. These and other risks are described in greater detail under the caption “Risk Factors” included in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as updated by the Company’s subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in other filings that the Company may make with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the future. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent the Company’s views only as of the date hereof and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Except as required by law, the Company explicitly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Editas Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDIT), a pioneering gene editing company developing transformative medicines for serious diseases, today announced that it has commenced an underwritten public offering of its common stock (or pre-funded warrants to purchase shares of common stock in lieu thereof) and accompanying warrants to purchase shares of common stock (or pre-funded warrants in lieu thereof). All of the securities in the offering are to be sold by Editas Medicine.
Cantor and Wells Fargo Securities are acting as joint book-running managers for the proposed offering. The proposed offering is subject to market and other conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the offering may be completed or as to the actual size or terms of the offering.
The securities are being offered pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-277471) that was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 28, 2024, as amended by Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Form S-3 Registration Statement and Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Form S-3 Registration Statement, each filed with the SEC on March 5, 2025, and declared effective on March 21, 2025. The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus that form a part of the registration statement. A copy of the preliminary prospectus supplement relating to and describing the terms of the offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available for free on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the securities being offered may also be obtained, when available, by contacting Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., Attention: Capital Markets, 110 East 59th Street, 6th Floor New York, New York 10022, Email: [email protected]; or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Attention: Equity Syndicate Department, 90 South 7th Street, 5th Floor, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, at (800) 645-3751 (option #5) or email a request to [email protected].
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About Editas Medicine
As a pioneering gene editing company, Editas Medicine is focused on translating the power and potential of CRISPR genome editing systems into a robust pipeline of transformative in vivo medicines for people living with serious diseases around the world. Editas Medicine aims to discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialize durable, precision in vivo gene editing medicines for a broad class of diseases. Editas Medicine is the exclusive licensee of Broad Institute’s Cas12a patent estate and Broad Institute and Harvard University’s Cas9 patent estates for human medicines.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about the proposed offering, the anticipated terms of the proposed offering, market and other conditions relating to the offering. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including: the uncertainties related to whether or not the Company will be able to raise capital through the sale of shares of common stock, pre-funded warrants and common stock warrants, the final terms of the proposed offering, market and other conditions, the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the proposed public offering and the impact of general economic, industry or political conditions in the United States or internationally. These and other risks are described in greater detail under the captions “Risk Factor Summary” and “Risk Factors” included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 filed with the SEC on March 9, 2026 and in the Company’s subsequent filings with the SEC, the Company’s preliminary prospectus supplement to be filed on the date of this press release, and other filings the Company may make with the SEC in the future. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Editas Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDIT), a pioneering gene editing company developing transformative medicines for serious diseases, today announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 55,555,556 shares of its common stock and accompanying common stock warrants to purchase an aggregate of 55,555,556 shares of common stock (or pre-funded warrants in lieu thereof). Each share of common stock and accompanying common stock warrant are being sold together at a combined public offering price of $2.25. The aggregate gross proceeds from the offering are expected to be approximately $125.0 million (assuming no exercise of the common stock warrants), before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. If all of the common stock warrants are exercised at their exercise price, the Company would receive additional gross proceeds from the offering of approximately $194.4 million before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses.
Each common stock warrant will be exercisable for shares of common stock (or pre-funded warrants in lieu thereof), will have an exercise price of $3.50 per share (or $3.4999 per share if exercised for pre-funded warrants), will be exercisable immediately and will expire on the earlier of (i) the date that is thirty (30) days following the first public announcement by the Company of Phase 1 clinical data for the Company’s product candidate, EDIT-401, that discloses at least three patients in the trial that each demonstrated greater than 80% reduction in LDL-cholesterol as compared to baseline with at least one (1) month of follow-up and (ii) three years from the date of issuance. Any pre-funded warrants issued upon the exercise of common stock warrants will have an exercise price of $0.0001 per share of common stock, will be immediately exercisable and will expire on the date the pre-funded warrant is exercised in full.
All of the securities in the offering are being sold by Editas Medicine. The offering is expected to close on or about May 27, 2026, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
Cantor and Wells Fargo Securities are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering.
The securities are being offered pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-277471) that was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 28, 2024, as amended by Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Form S-3 Registration Statement and Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Form S-3 Registration Statement, each filed with the SEC on March 5, 2025, and declared effective on March 21, 2025. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus that form a part of the registration statement. A preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to and describing the terms of the offering have been filed with the SEC and are available at www.sec.gov. A final prospectus supplement relating to the offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available for free on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the final prospectus supplement may be obtained, when available, by contacting Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., Attention: Capital Markets, 110 East 59th Street, 6th Floor New York, New York 10022, Email: [email protected]; or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Attention: Equity Syndicate Department, 90 South 7th Street, 5th Floor, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, at (800) 645-3751 (option #5) or email a request to [email protected].
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About Editas Medicine
As a pioneering gene editing company, Editas Medicine is focused on translating the power and potential of CRISPR genome editing systems into a robust pipeline of transformative in vivo medicines for people living with serious diseases around the world. Editas Medicine aims to discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialize durable, precision in vivo gene editing medicines for a broad class of diseases. Editas Medicine is the exclusive licensee of Broad Institute’s Cas12a patent estate and Broad Institute and Harvard University’s Cas9 patent estates for human medicines.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about the anticipated closing of the offering. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including: the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the public offering and the impact of general economic, industry or political conditions in the United States or internationally. These and other risks are described in greater detail under the captions “Risk Factor Summary” and “Risk Factors” included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 filed with the SEC on March 9, 2026 and in the Company’s subsequent filings with the SEC, the Company’s preliminary prospectus supplement filed with the SEC on May 26, 2026, and other filings the Company may make with the SEC in the future. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Editas Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDIT), a pioneering gene editing company focused on developing transformative medicines for serious diseases, today announced that it will now present at the 2026 Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference at 2:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 4, 2026.
Gene-editing technology has moved from science fiction to clinical reality, forcing investors to choose between commercial leaders and early-stage innovators. Deciding between CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP +1.60%) and Editas Medicine (EDIT 1.61%) requires weighing current sales against long-term potential.
CRISPR Therapeutics focuses on high-profile hemoglobinopathy treatments through a major partnership, while Editas is strategically targeting in vivo gene editing. Both represent the cutting edge of genomic medicine, but they offer vastly different financial profiles and risk levels for individual investors in 2026.
The case for CRISPR TherapeuticsCRISPR Therapeutics is a gene-editing biopharmaceutical company focused on developing transformative medicines like CASGEVY for sickle cell disease. It serves markets in hemoglobinopathies and oncology while centering its research and development operations in Massachusetts. Because Vertex Pharmaceuticals handles all commercialization activities for CASGEVY, the company's revenue is entirely tied to this single partner. Customer concentration like this adds a layer of risk to the business.
In its 2025 fiscal year, revenue generated from grants totaled $3.5 million, compared to the $35 million in upfront payments provided by Vertex in the prior year. This contributed to a net loss of $581.6 million, and the company reported a net margin of negative 16,570% for the period. The year-over-year trend reflects the transition toward commercializing its lead therapy rather than relying on one-time milestone payments.
As of the December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio was approximately 0.2x. This ratio compares total debt to the value of shareholder equity, indicating a conservative amount of leverage. The current ratio, which measures a company's ability to cover short-term debts with assets like cash, was nearly 13.3x. Free cash flow for the year was negative $345.9 million, representing the cash burned to support ongoing research and commercialization.
The case for Editas MedicineEditas Medicine is focused on translating CRISPR technology into in vivo medicines, which are therapies delivered directly into the patient's body. The company operates within the market for biotech stocks and relies on collaborations with Bristol Myers Squibb and Vertex Pharmaceuticals for funding. Because these licenses represent its only committed potential source of funds, this high concentration of revenue sources increases risk for investors.
During the 2025 fiscal year, revenue was $40.5 million, representing growth of approximately 25.4% compared to the previous year. Despite this growth, the company reported a net loss of $160.1 million and a net margin of negative 395%. This figure highlights the high costs associated with developing complex genomic therapies before they reach the commercial market.
The company ended the December 2025 period with a debt-to-equity ratio of approximately 2.8x. This ratio compares total debt to the value of shareholder equity. Its current ratio was roughly 3.5x, suggesting it maintains enough liquid assets to meet its immediate financial obligations. Free cash flow for the fiscal year was negative $165.8 million, which is the net cash used in operations after spending on physical equipment.
Risk profile comparisonCRISPR Therapeutics faces significant dependency on Vertex Pharmaceuticals for the commercial success of its lead product, which limits its control over the timing of revenue. The company also deals with ongoing legal challenges, including a 2025 patent infringement lawsuit. Furthermore, the novel nature of its gene-editing platform introduces risks of clinical holds or regulatory denials if safety issues arise.
Editas Medicine is heavily reliant on a single preclinical candidate, meaning any setbacks in early testing could severely impact its valuation. It also faces intense competition from larger firms in the crowded cell therapy space. Additionally, a lack of internal manufacturing facilities forces the company to depend on third-party providers, creating potential for supply chain disruptions.
Valuation comparisonEditas Medicine looks cheaper based on its P/S ratio, which compares market value to sales, while CRISPR Therapeutics has a Forward P/E measuring price against future earnings estimates.
MetricCRISPR Therapeutics AGEditas MedicineSector BenchmarkForward P/E23.4xn/a27.5xP/S ratio5,190x8xn/aSector benchmark uses the SPDR XLV sector ETF. Valuation metrics sourced from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) and may differ from other data providers.
Because CRISPR Therapeutics and Editas Medicine are both early-stage healthcare companies, they hold a lot of risk for investors. At this point, deciding which gene editing stock to invest in comes down to the individual investor’s risk tolerance.
CRISPR Therapeutics’ CASGEVY solution was the the first-ever FDA-approved CRISPR therapy. This gives it a leg up on Editas, which has yet to achieve FDA approval on its offerings. Without the FDA’s blessing, no sales can happen.
Moreover, CRISPR Therapeutics reported cash of $423.3 million at the end of the first quarter and $2.7 billion in total assets. Its 13.3x current ratio is strong, and positions the company to get to the point where its therapies can begin to collect sales.
Editas has the potential for greater share price upside. Its far lower P/S ratio indicates its stock valuation is reasonable, while CRISPR Therapeutics is far too expensive. That said, its balance sheet is not as strong with cash of $146.6 million and total assets of $186.5 million compared to total liabilities of $159.2 million. The company announced the issuance of more stock on May 26 as a way to raise funds, which dilutes shareholder equity.
Examining the pros and cons of these two gene therapy companies, my pick would be CRISPR Therapeutics because it is in a financially stronger position, and further along in getting its solutions to market.
