New York, February 27, 2026, 09:43 (ET) — Regular session
- The stock slid roughly 4.7% early Friday, following a surge of over 11% the previous day.
- The Fly picked up a Betaville blog post, and that set takeover chatter swirling again for the gene-editing firm.
- Investors look to early-March conferences for more specifics around the Casgevy launch.
CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) dropped 4.7% to $58.82 early Friday on the Nasdaq, giving back some of Thursday’s jump that traders had tied to takeover speculation swirling around the gene-editing outfit. 1
This is significant—CRISPR lands in that tricky middle ground for biotech. There’s a commercial product, actual revenue coming in, but clarity on what’s next is still lacking. All that leaves the stock twitchy whenever deal chatter or strategic shifts crop up.
Rumors move Vertex Pharmaceuticals shares more than most other names. Vertex, alongside CRISPR, co-markets Casgevy—a launch that’s still fueling debate among investors about how fast it might really translate into recurring sales and cash flow.
TipRanks, referencing The Fly, noted that Ben Harrington’s Betaville blog—known for its M&A coverage—has resurfaced with fresh takeover rumors about CRISPR. The chatter revives talk that originally made the rounds back in early December. 2
Shares climbed Thursday, jumping over 11% in mid-day action after finishing at $55.20 in the previous session, according to MarketBeat. The stock hit an intraday high of $61.15. 3
CRISPR turned in its quarterly numbers earlier this month, highlighting a pick-up in Casgevy sales—the gene-editing therapy for sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia. Casgevy brought in $54 million for the fourth quarter and $116 million for 2025, according to the company. “CRISPR Therapeutics continues to make steady progress across a broad and increasingly mature pipeline,” CEO Samarth Kulkarni said in the update. 4
Sami Corwin at William Blair pointed to the jump in first cell collections, now at 147, as a reason for increased confidence that bigger initiation numbers could bring significantly more revenue in 2026, according to Benzinga. The publication also highlighted short interest sitting at roughly 26% of available shares, reflecting the percentage of stock borrowed by traders expecting a drop in price. 5
High short interest often sits like dry tinder. If a stock pops, short sellers might rush to cover, fueling the move. But once the momentum dies off, that support can disappear in a hurry.
Investors are watching to see if buyers step in after Friday’s early slide, once volume picks up. Attention also turns to whether either company comes out and responds to the takeover rumors.
The risk swings both ways. Takeover chatter is easy to come by—and frequently off base. CRISPR’s outlook still hinges on how well it pulls off a tricky therapy launch, plus actual headway in programs that aren’t far along yet. If the rollout lags, or regulators push back, there isn’t much to soften the blow if things turn south.
The next shot at management commentary lands at the TD Cowen Health Care Conference on March 2, then again at the Leerink Global Healthcare Conference on March 11. Traders are expected to tune in, looking for any new details on Casgevy starts and updates on how quickly the rollout is moving.
