Freedom Broker on biotech company Scribe Therapeutics’ Nasdaq debut

Scribe Therapeutics is going public with an IPO price range of $13–15 per share and plans to raise nearly $100 million. The biotech company develops CRISPR therapies to address key drivers of cardiovascular disease, and its lead program has already advanced to clinical trials in humans. A separate recommendation and target price from Freedom Broker analysts for Scribe Therapeutics are not provided in this review, so upside potential versus the IPO is not yet being calculated.

CRISPR therapies to reduce cardiovascular risks

Scribe Therapeutics (SCTX) is a biotech company developing gene-editing and epigenetic silencing approaches to treat diseases associated with lipid metabolism disorders. Its programs target three key risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), lipoprotein(a), and triglycerides.

The company’s flagship candidate, STX-1150, is designed to reduce “bad” cholesterol (LDL-C). It targets the PCSK9 gene while avoiding irreversible changes to the DNA sequence. The drug is already in a first-in-human clinical study in Australia, with initial data expected in the first half of 2027.

A $100 million IPO and Eli Lilly’s participation

Scribe Therapeutics plans to offer about 7.15 million shares at $13–15 per share. At the midpoint of $14, the company would raise nearly $100 million, implying a valuation of about $226.5 million. Trading on Nasdaq under the ticker SCTX is expected to begin on July 24.

The offering is led by Leerink Partners, Goldman Sachs, Guggenheim Securities, and Wells Fargo Securities. A key signal for investors is the participation of Eli Lilly (LLY), which is already a partner of Scribe Therapeutics and intends to purchase additional shares in the IPO. After the offering, its total stake is expected to be about 10.9%.

The core investment thesis

Scribe Therapeutics’ central idea is to change the very approach to treating chronic risk factors. Instead of years of daily pills or regular injections, the company is developing therapies that could deliver a long-lasting effect after a single intervention.

For STX-1150, researchers use ELXR technologies without irreversible DNA modification. This approach is intended to provide a durable effect from one injection without the risk of permanent mutations in the genome. The next programs, STX-1200 and STX-1400, use the XE gene-editing technology.

First clinical data expected in 2027

STX-1150 is undergoing a study enrolling up to 64 adult patients with elevated LDL-C and a high risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The program received clearance from Australia’s TGA, and the first clinical data are expected in the first half of 2027.

Two other programs are in the preclinical stage. In animal studies, prototypes of STX-1200 and STX-1400 demonstrated more than a 90% reduction in expression of the target genes responsible for producing substances linked to cardiovascular disease.

Advancement of these programs is partly funded by a $25 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). The company expects to begin clinical trials for one program in 2027 and the other in 2028.

IPOs are returning to the market

Scribe Therapeutics’ market debut comes amid a rebound in activity in the IPO market. In July, Italian tech company Bending Spoons (BSP) debuted on Nasdaq, pricing shares at $29 and ending its first trading day with a market cap of about $19.7 billion. Other notable deals include the IPO filing by sandwich chain Jersey Mike’s, which reported revenue growth to $724 million and net profit to $55 million for 2025.

Not an individual investment recommendation.