TLDR
ImmunityBio stock tumbles 7.25% to $9.27 despite promising ANKTIVA trial data.
ANKTIVA delivers a 71% complete response rate in a 100-patient bladder cancer trial.
Bladder cancer responses last a median 26.6 months, with some beyond 53 months.
Three-year data show 84% cystectomy-free survival among responding patients.
FDA expands ANKTIVA use as trial reports no Grade 4 or 5 treatment-related events.
ImmunityBio, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBRX) stock dropped 7.25% to $9.27 on Friday, despite reporting significant progress in bladder cancer treatment. Shares lost $0.73 as a sharp mid-morning selloff pushed prices lower during volatile trading. Meanwhile, the company released long-term clinical results showing durable treatment responses among patients with difficult-to-treat bladder cancer.
ImmunityBio, Inc., IBRX
ImmunityBio Stock Falls Despite Positive Clinical Results
ImmunityBio shares faced selling pressure on October 16, despite the company’s announcement of encouraging clinical findings. The stock declined throughout the session after a sharp mid-morning drop accelerated its losses. However, the company reported new evidence supporting its ANKTIVA treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.
The company announced the publication of long-term findings from its Phase 2/3 QUILT-3.032 clinical trial. The Journal of Urology published the results, which covered 100 patients with BCG-unresponsive bladder cancer. Researchers evaluated ANKTIVA alongside Bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy in patients with carcinoma in situ and certain papillary tumors.
The study recorded a 71% complete response rate among patients receiving the combination treatment. Additionally, researchers reported a median complete response duration of 26.6 months, with some responses exceeding 53 months. These findings provide further evidence of sustained treatment benefits in patients with limited available options.
ANKTIVA Trial Shows Strong Long-Term Cancer Response
The clinical results showed that 63.8% of responding patients maintained complete responses for at least 12 months. Furthermore, 52.3% maintained their responses for 24 months, while 44.2% reached the 36-month milestone. More than half of responders in the FDA-reviewed population maintained complete responses beyond 45 months.
The trial also recorded 84% cystectomy-free survival among responders at 36 months. Meanwhile, disease-specific survival reached 98.2% after three years, while progression-free survival stood at 80.9%. Among patients whose cancer never responded to previous BCG treatmen t, researchers observed a 66% complete response rate.
Safety findings also supported the treatment’s clinical profile throughout the extended follow-up period. Researchers reported Grade 3 treatment-related adverse events in 4% of patients, without any Grade 4 or Grade 5 events. Most adverse reactions involved mild or moderate bladder symptoms associated with treatment delivery.
FDA Approvals Support ImmunityBio’s Bladder Cancer Treatment Expansion
ImmunityBio secured its initial FDA approval for ANKTIVA in 2024, establishing an additional treatment option for certain bladder cancer patients. The approval covered adults with BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer involving carcinoma in situ. Subsequently, the FDA expanded the treatment’s approved indication in October 2026 to include patients with papillary-only disease.
ANKTIVA activates natural killer cells and T cells, which help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. The therapy uses an interleukin-15 receptor agonist to strengthen immune activity and support lasting treatment responses. ImmunityBio administers the medicine directly into the bladder alongside BCG rather than through intravenous or subcutaneous injection.
Treatment delays can create serious risks when patients require surgical removal of the bladder. The prescribing information advises doctors to reconsider cystectomy when patients fail to respond after a second induction course. Despite the latest clinical progress, ImmunityBio stock remained under pressure Friday, highlighting the contrast between treatment developments and market performance.
The post ImmunityBio, Inc. (IBRX) Stock: Slides 7.25% Despite Major Breakthrough in Bladder Cancer Treatment appeared first on Blockonomi .
