TLDR
- ImmunityBio (IBRX) shares rose 15% Friday to $4.54, marking the eighth consecutive daily gain and pushing year-to-date returns to 130%
- Preliminary 2025 results showed ANKTIVA bladder cancer drug revenue hit $113 million, a 700% year-over-year jump
- Saudi Arabia granted ANKTIVA approval for non-small cell lung cancer treatment, marking the first international regulatory clearance
- Q4 revenue of $38.3 million beat expectations, up 20% quarter-over-quarter and 431% year-over-year
- Five analysts maintain a $10.40 average price target, suggesting 163% upside potential from Thursday’s close
ImmunityBio shares extended their winning streak Friday, climbing 15% to $4.54 in early trading. The biotech stock has now gained ground in every 2026 trading session.
The year-to-date return stands at approximately 130%. Shares touched a 52-week high of $4.68 during the session.
The rally accelerated following Thursday’s preliminary earnings release. The company reported $113 million in full-year ANKTIVA revenue. The bladder cancer immunotherapy drug posted a 700% increase from 2024 levels.
Fourth quarter revenue reached $38.3 million. This represented a 20% sequential increase from Q3. Year-over-year, the quarterly figure jumped 431%.
Saudi Approval Expands Market Access
ImmunityBio received regulatory approval in Saudi Arabia earlier this week. The Saudi Food and Drug Authority cleared ANKTIVA for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer treatment.
This marks the drug’s first regulatory win outside the United States. The approval creates a chemotherapy-free treatment pathway for patients in the region.
Trading volume surged to 13.19 million shares daily on average. The stock’s 52-week low was $1.83, highlighting the dramatic turnaround.
Analyst coverage remains thin with only five firms tracking the stock. Their consensus price target of $10.40 implies 163% upside from Thursday’s $3.95 close.
Pipeline Progress Continues
The company’s bladder cancer trial reached 85% enrollment. Management expects to file a biologics license application before year-end 2026.
Early data from the QUILT-106 trial showed promise. Patients with Waldenstrom’s lymphoma maintained complete remission for 15 months. The trial combined CD19 CAR-NK cell therapy with rituximab.
InvestingPro data shows a 99.49% year-to-date return through recent trading. Technical indicators suggest the stock has entered overbought territory based on RSI readings.
Wall Street expects continued revenue growth through 2026. However, analysts project the company will remain unprofitable in the near term.
ANKTIVA’s commercial performance exceeded initial projections. The drug’s adoption rate among oncologists drove the revenue surge across both treatment indications.
The market capitalization expanded as institutional interest picked up. Trading patterns suggest accumulation by larger investors during the recent rally.
