When the coronavirus news first broke in 2020, scientists thought it would take years to develop a vaccine.
But it took just weeks. That’s because they used advanced genetic editing and sequencing technologies… as well as artificial intelligence.
The key driver behind this acceleration in the pace of innovation in healthcare is one of the top trends on my radar for 2022: Transformative Technology.
Regular readers will know that I’m tracking five key profit themes for 2022. These are all set to benefit from the distortion between the real economy and the markets.
This distortion is fueled by the huge volume of cheap money central banks are unleashing into their markets under the guise of helping their economies.
Transformative Technology is just one of the areas that will profit from the grand transformation I wrote to you about earlier this week.
Below, I’ll show you one simple way to take advantage of these monumental changes in healthcare – so you can grow your wealth in the months and years ahead.
Living Better for Longer
For most of human history, few people lived past the age of 40.
Most of the world’s population lived in poverty. We didn’t know much about disease or medicine.
But around the early 19th century, things started to change. We have made huge leaps in medicine and healthcare since then. These have helped us to live much longer lives, as this chart shows.
Since the early 1900s, the global average life expectancy has more than doubled. Back then, it was less than 30 years. Today, it is 73 years. And the life expectancy in developed countries can be over 80.
Technological progress is a prime reason for the increase in life expectancy. It’s happening in many areas. But biological gene engineering is perhaps the most critical one.
Yes, you heard it right. The key to extending your life is not finding the Fountain of Youth. It’s reengineering your genetic makeup. Let me explain…
Breaking Life’s Code Is Cheaper Than Ever
You can think of your DNA as the software that runs your body. And your genome is the blueprint.
For example, a person’s genome shows which illnesses they are susceptible to. It shows which medicines may work best for them and which ones to avoid.
This only scratches the surface of the information contained in the human genome.
A person’s genome can identify their unique characteristics. This will allow scientists and doctors to come up with completely personalized treatments for each patient.
The first step will be to get a blueprint of your DNA. That’s where genome sequencing comes in.
In 2003, the Human Genome Project finished sequencing the entire human genome for the first time.
Back then, it was one of the most significant revolutions in technology and medical care ever.
It took over 13 years and cost $2.7 billion.
But the cost has fallen dramatically since then. It fell to around $10 million in 2006. By 2012, the cost was just $5,000. Today, it costs about $450.
According to the leading experts, soon, it will cost just $100. And it will take only one hour.
This means gene sequencing is now a possibility for the average person like you and me.
The Key to Life Extension
Gene sequencing is revolutionary. No doubt about it. But it’s just the first step to an even more radical technology.
Gene editing – or genomics – involves removing or replacing defects in DNA that cause illness and disease.
Gene editing may be able to end thousands of genetic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, sickle cell disease, hemophilia, and blindness.
It could also unlock the secrets of age reversal.
For example, an international team of researchers recently extended the life expectancy of mice by 23%. It did this by editing just one gene.
An equivalent jump in human life expectancy in the developed world would have us living past 100.
What This Means for Your Money
Here’s the bottom line… Thanks to developments in genomics, scientists will be able to cure these conditions by simply “tweaking” human genes.
This will save millions of lives. It will also save the hundreds of billions of dollars typically spent on chronic medical care each year.
And investors in companies at the heart of this revolution stand to profit immensely.
I’m watching the ARK Genomic Revolution ETF (ARKG).
ARKG has about $5 billion under management. And it has 53 stock holdings. This gives you broad exposure to companies at the cutting edge of the genomics revolution.
This includes molecular diagnostics companies like Exact Sciences (EXAS), and leading biotech firms like Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX).
ARKG has been trending downward for some time amid investor concerns about the Federal Reserve’s plans to hike interest rates. Certain larger positions within the fund have also dragged it down. It’s currently trading at less than half its all-time high.
This spells opportunity. We believe ARKG hit an interim bottom and is poised for a rebound. It’s a good entry point for those looking for exposure to this lucrative space.
Happy investing… and I’ll be in touch again soon.
Regards,
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Nomi Prins
Editor, Inside Wall Street with Nomi Prins
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