#7 - Silence Therapeutics (NASDAQ:SLN)
Silence Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ: SLN) is another small-cap stock to consider in the gene editing sector. Like bluebird bio, SLN stock is down 21.45% in the last three months. However, it started from a stronger base and is still up 215% in the last 12 months.
With the company’s proprietary mRNAi GOLD platform, Silence Therapeutics is tackling gene editing through a process known as gene silencing. This is a way to use the body’s natural suppression of gene expression to treat diseases. Instead of introducing new genes into the body, it uses already-existing biological processes without permanently altering DNA. Silence’s pipeline includes two candidates in clinical trials and three that are in the pre-clinical stage.
SLN got a brief lift in June 2024 when it reported strong topline results for its lead candidate, Zerlasiran (SLN360), which is in Phase 2 clinical trials. However, the recent sell-off in the broader market has the stock almost where it began the year. Nevertheless, analysts give the stock a consensus Buy rating with a $61.50 price target, which would give investors a 265% upside.
About Silence Therapeutics
Silence Therapeutics plc, a biotechnology company, focuses on the discovery and development novel molecules incorporating short interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) to inhibit the expression of specific target genes in hematology, cardiovascular, and rare diseases. The company's mRNAi GalNAc Oligonucleotide Discovery platform consists of precision engineered product candidates designed to target specific disease-associated genes in the liver.
Read More - Current Price
- $18.31
- Consensus Rating
- Buy
- Ratings Breakdown
- 5 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- $57.20 (212.4% Upside)
Given the transformative potential of the technology, investing in gene editing stocks offers an opportunity for building generational wealth. However, it's important to understand the risks involved. Developing these therapies takes time. A single clinical trial stage can take between one and five years with many regulatory hurdles to clear.
It's also expensive. Many of these companies rely on partnerships with other companies to ensure they have enough cash on hand to get a treatment through clinical trials. It also means that many of these companies may fail.
And the handful of treatments that are commercially available are revealing a new concern. Health insurance companies are now deciding when - and at what price - to cover these treatments, which could have a profound impact on availability.
All of this means the payoff in gene editing stocks may still be years away. But investors with an appetite for speculative stocks with the potential for massive upside may want to start watching some of these companies. When you put your watchlist on MarketBeat, you'll get real-time updates on news that affects that stock.
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