The word "biotech" often gets used interchangeably with "biopharma," but that's not quite correct. Biopharmaceuticals are just one part of the broader sector, which also includes agricultural biotech, industrial biotech, and several other subsectors. It's an important distinction for investors to make if they want to clearly see all the available opportunities.
Take gene editing as a perfect example. The technology is often associated with CRISPR-based tools for human therapeutic applications, but CRISPR isn't the only gene-editing technology out there (it's probably not the best, either), and gene-editing tools can be used in various biotech applications.
Precision BioSciences (NASDAQ: DTIL) and Cellectis (NASDAQ: CLLS) are two pioneering gene-editing companies that don't use CRISPR and are making bold bets in agricultural biotech. It's an opportunity that doesn't seem to factor into the valuations of the pharma stocks today, but that could require attention in the near future.