Shares of ImmunityBio Inc. (IBRX) are moving higher Thursday after the company dropped some seriously impressive numbers from a key cancer trial. It's one of those moments where the data is so good, you almost have to read it twice.
The company has completed enrollment ahead of schedule in its pivotal randomized trial, called QUILT 2.005. They're testing their drug, Anktiva, in combination with the standard treatment Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) against BCG alone for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. The interim results are what's turning heads.
Here's the headline number: 85% of patients receiving the Anktiva-plus-BCG combo maintained a complete response at the six-month mark. For patients getting BCG alone, that number was 57%. That's not just a modest improvement; that's a dramatic leap in efficacy. The benefit held strong at nine months too, with 84% of the combo group maintaining a complete response versus 52% for BCG alone.
Based on this, ImmunityBio is planning its big move: submitting a biologics license application (BLA) to the FDA by the fourth quarter of 2026. It's a long runway, but in biotech, data this compelling is what builds the runway in the first place.
Commercial Momentum Is Already Building
While the trial news is forward-looking, the commercial story for Anktiva is happening right now. The drug is already approved in 33 countries for this type of bladder cancer, and sales are exploding.
The company recently reported a jaw-dropping year-over-year revenue increase, jumping from $7.56 million to $38.29 million, which even beat analyst expectations. The driver? A 750% increase in Anktiva unit sales volume. That's the kind of growth that makes you sit up and take notice, suggesting doctors are already embracing this therapy where it's available.












