How Genomics Is Improving Cancer Screening, Investing May 18, 2021
Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death around the world, but advancements in genomics are enhancing detection and screening capabilities.
For investors, that puts the
ARK Genomic Revolution Multi-Sector Fund (CBOE: ARKG) at the forefront of vital healthcare developments. Advancements in cancer screening are also part of the broader sustainable investing conversation, indicating the ARK exchange traded fund could check that box for investors too.
The early diagnosis of cancer can dramatically improve patient outcomes.
“If diagnosed early, cancer often is manageable. In the US, more than 80% of the deaths occur in patients whose cancer already has metastasized prior to the diagnosis,” writes ARK Invest Director of Research Brett Winton. “Researchers estimate that blood tests that diagnose early-stage cancer could reduce the overall cancer mortality rate by more than 25%.”
Is This Ark Invest ETF a Sustainable Investing Play?
The words impact investing typically bring to mind strategies that allocate funds to reflect strong environmental principles.
What they often miss is the intersection of disruptive technology with sustainable investing principles. Perhaps surprising to some is that the intersection includes genomics, making the
Noting that healthy economic growth is one of the core tenants of sustainability, genomics is positioned as a prime play on a new era of investing.
“We believe that historians will deem this era as one of unprecedented technological foment,” said ARK Investor Director of Research Brett Winton in a new report. “They will identify robotics, artificial intelligence, energy storage, DNA sequencing, and blockchain technology as transformative innovation platforms that entered critical inflection points during this decade.”
May 5, 2021
Within the fast-growing genomics universe, one of the more compelling themes is the evolution of gene therapies – a theme the
Relative to passive genomics exchange traded funds, the actively managed ARKG can more rapidly adjust gene therapy exposure. For investors, that’s an exciting prospects because gene therapies are the epicenters of improving patient outcomes and, in some cases, cures.
One way that ARKG fits into this equation is that more gene therapy research is indicating long-read sequencing could be a pivotal long-term solution.
“Recently, scientists at the Franics Crick Institute used CRISPR Cas9 to edit embryos and found off-target edits, or unintended changes to the genome, in 16% of them. These off-target edits suggest that more detailed sequencing techniques, perhaps long read sequencing, will be necessary to ensure the safety of gene-editing,” according to a recent note from ARK Investment Management.