Reporting Period: October 22-29, 2025
🧬 CRISPR Therapeutics
Intellia's Clinical Trial Pause Sends Shockwaves Through Gene Editing Sector
Intellia Therapeutics halted dosing in its Phase 3 trials of CRISPR gene-editing therapy nex-z following a serious liver safety event, causing its stock to plummet 50%. The news also impacted CRISPR Therapeutics, with shares falling 10%, highlighting safety challenges facing the gene editing field.
CTX460 Gene Editing Breakthrough Data Drives Stock Rally
CRISPR Therapeutics announced significant progress with its CTX460 therapy, with shares posting a 10.6% return over the past month and a striking 62% year-to-date gain. Despite premium valuation, DCF models estimate fair value at $131.30, nearly double the current price.
Q3 Earnings Release Approaching
Wall Street expects CRISPR Therapeutics to report revenue growth in Q3 earnings, though EPS is projected at -$1.32, down 30.69% year-over-year. The company currently holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
🔬 Moderna
CMV Vaccine Fails Phase 3 Clinical Trial
Moderna announced its cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine mRNA-1647 failed to meet its primary efficacy endpoint in a Phase 3 trial, showing only 6%-23% efficacy—well below expectations. The company will discontinue the congenital CMV program but continue evaluating the vaccine in bone marrow transplant patients.
mRNA COVID Vaccines Show Unexpected Anti-Cancer Potential
Research published in Nature shows that advanced lung and skin cancer patients who received Moderna or Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccines lived significantly longer when taking immune checkpoint inhibitors. Lung cancer patients' survival nearly doubled.
FDA Approves Updated COVID-19 Vaccines
The FDA approved Moderna's updated COVID-19 vaccines Spikevax and mNEXSPIKE targeting the LP.8.1 variant for the 2025-2026 respiratory virus season. The vaccines are now available in the United States.
🧪 Ginkgo Bioworks
Joins ARPA-H's EMBODY Program to Develop In Vivo CAR Therapies
Ginkgo Bioworks announced a collaboration with STRM.BIO and the University of British Columbia as part of ARPA-H's EMBODY program. The partnership will apply Ginkgo's RNA construct design expertise to develop long-lived, tissue-specific in vivo CAR therapies for autoimmune diseases.
Analysts Divided on Company Outlook
Analysts maintain a $12.00 fair value target for Ginkgo Bioworks but remain divided on growth sustainability and profitability outlook. The company recently launched AI-driven partnerships including the Antibody Developability Consortium and AbDev AI Competition.
💊 Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Strong Q3 Earnings Performance Expected
Vertex is preparing to report Q3 earnings, with strong Trikafta/Kaftrio demand and contributions from Alyftrek, Casgevy, and Journavx expected to drive outperformance. Casgevy recorded $30.4 million in sales last quarter, up 114.1% sequentially.
CF Research Shows Sweat Chloride Correlation with Clinical Outcomes
Vertex presented multiple studies at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference showing that reduced sweat chloride levels are associated with improved clinical outcomes in CF patients, particularly in younger individuals.
Analysts Predict Market Cap to Surpass Pfizer by 2030
Analysts predict Vertex Pharmaceuticals will overtake Pfizer's market capitalization by 2030. The company maintains leadership in cystic fibrosis and has a strong late-stage pipeline including inaxaplin.
🔭 Illumina
Launches 5-Base Sequencing Technology
Illumina unveiled its proprietary 5-base sequencing solution at the American Society of Human Genetics meeting, enabling simultaneous detection of genomic variants and DNA methylation. Client GeneDx presented promising early results from piloting constellation mapped read technology for challenging genome regions.
Faces Patent Infringement Lawsuits from 10x Genomics
10x Genomics, along with Roche and Prognosys Biosciences, filed two federal lawsuits against Illumina alleging infringement of nine patents related to spatial biology and single-cell sequencing. The suits target Illumina's single-cell technology acquired from Fluent BioSciences and its yet-to-launch spatial transcriptomics product.
Plans to Acquire SomaLogic to Accelerate Proteomics Capabilities
Illumina announced plans to acquire SomaLogic for $350 million (plus up to $75 million in milestones) to accelerate its proteomics and multi-omics capabilities.
🧫 10x Genomics
Launches Next Generation Chromium Flex Platform
10x Genomics launched the next generation of Chromium Flex featuring the 384-plex Flex assay, empowering researchers to massively scale single-cell research. The new assay enables profiling of up to 384 samples and 100 million cells per week in a 96-well plate format.
Partners with Anthropic to Integrate AI Analysis Tools
10x Genomics announced a partnership with Anthropic to integrate its single-cell and spatial biology analysis tools into Claude for Life Sciences. Researchers can access advanced workflows through natural language, making complex data analysis more approachable.
Strategic Partnership with SPT Labtech
10x Genomics and SPT Labtech announced a strategic partnership to provide automated workflows for single-cell research, addressing specific challenges researchers face in this space.
🧬 Twist Bioscience
Expands Collaboration with Element Biosciences with New Workflow
Twist Bioscience and Element Biosciences announced the launch of the Trinity Freestyle Fast Hybridization workflow for AVITI sequencing platforms. The new workflow reduces sample-to-sequencer time to as little as five hours, significantly improving research efficiency.
Fiscal 2025 Q4 and Full Year Results Date Set
Twist Bioscience announced it will release fiscal 2025 fourth quarter and full year financial results on November 14, 2025, before market open. The company will host a conference call and webcast at 8:00 AM ET the same day.
Faces Softer Demand and Cash Burn Concerns
Conestoga Capital Advisors highlighted that Twist Bioscience faced softer demand for synthetic DNA products in biotech and academic research markets, impacting quarterly results. Investor concerns over profitability and cash burn have intensified.
🔬 Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Q3 Earnings Beat Expectations, Stock Soars 10%
Regeneron reported third quarter results that beat Wall Street estimates, with total revenues of $3.75 billion and non-GAAP EPS of $11.83, significantly exceeding analyst expectations of $9.64. Dupixent global net sales increased 27% to $4.86 billion, driving company growth. Shares rose 10% on the day.
Libtayo Receives FDA Approval for High-Risk Adjuvant CSCC
The FDA approved Libtayo as the first and only immunotherapy for high-risk adjuvant cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). The EMA's CHMP also adopted a positive opinion.
Multiple Phase 3 Trials Report Positive Results
Regeneron reported positive Phase 3 results from trials in generalized myasthenia gravis, fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), and cat and birch allergies. The company also updated positive data from a pivotal trial in children with profound genetic hearing loss.
Plans Over $7 Billion in U.S. Manufacturing Investment
Regeneron announced plans to invest over $7 billion in U.S. manufacturing to support its accelerating R&D and commercial product launches.
📊 Weekly Industry Trends
Gene Editing Safety Concerns Surface
Intellia's trial pause highlights safety challenges facing in vivo gene editing therapies, creating ripple effects across the CRISPR industry.
mRNA Technology Applications Expand
While Moderna's CMV vaccine failed, the unexpected discovery of mRNA COVID vaccines' anti-cancer potential opens new application avenues for the technology platform.
Patent Litigation Intensifies
10x Genomics' lawsuit against Illumina reflects fierce competition in single-cell and spatial biology, with intellectual property protection becoming an industry focal point.
Automation and AI Integration Accelerates
Multiple companies (10x Genomics, Twist Bioscience) launched automated workflows and AI-integrated tools aimed at improving research efficiency and accessibility.