New York, Jan 17, 2026, 08:04 ET — Market closed.
- ImmunityBio shares jumped 39.8% on Friday following the release of preliminary ANKTIVA sales numbers and announcements of fresh regulatory approvals
- The company reported that its first-line bladder cancer trial is over 85% enrolled, aiming to complete enrollment by Q2 2026
- Investors await the audited 2025 results along with any new data updates on the ANKTIVA and CAR-NK programs
ImmunityBio shares jumped on Friday and look set to remain in the spotlight when U.S. markets open again. The company revealed a steep rise in preliminary sales for its bladder cancer immunotherapy ANKTIVA, alongside a quicker-than-anticipated pace in trial enrollments. 1
Why this matters now: these updates offer traders new clues on whether ImmunityBio can make ANKTIVA’s launch a steady revenue source, rather than a one-off quarter surge. The company forecasted preliminary net product revenue for 2025 at around $113 million, signaling a roughly 700% jump from last year. For the fourth quarter alone, preliminary net product revenue came in near $38.3 million. 2
That dynamic is a classic one in small- and mid-cap biotech: when companies show commercial momentum and clearer regulatory paths, expectations can shift fast. Stocks often jump sharply on the news. ImmunityBio’s surge followed announcements of fresh approvals in Saudi Arabia and advancement in a pivotal bladder cancer trial. 2
The stock ended Friday at $5.52, marking a 39.75% jump from Thursday’s closing price, per market data. After hours, it was last noted climbing further to $6.04. 1
In a Business Wire release on Jan. 15, the company reported ANKTIVA unit sales soared 750% in 2025 compared to 2024. It also closed the quarter holding roughly $242.8 million in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities. 2
Chief Executive Richard Adcock reported the company is witnessing “accelerating adoption” of ANKTIVA as it advances its commercial strategy. 2
The release also revealed that the Saudi Food and Drug Authority has greenlit ANKTIVA with immune checkpoint inhibitors for adults battling metastatic non-small cell lung cancer after standard treatments have failed. Additionally, ANKTIVA combined with BCG received approval for select patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. (BCG is a long-established bladder cancer immunotherapy involving a weakened bacterium.) 2
On Jan. 16, ImmunityBio provided a fresh update on its clinical progress, tightening the near-term timeline. The company said enrollment in its randomized registrational QUILT-2.005 trial for first-line, BCG-naive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer has now surpassed 85%. They expect to complete enrollment by Q2 2026. 3
Following that pace, the company expects to file a biologics license application — the FDA’s route for biologic drug approval — by the end of 2026. 3
Patrick Soon‑Shiong, ImmunityBio’s founder and executive chairman, said the company is now focused on the “final accrual” of the trial, describing the interim results as “encouraging.” 3
The company also provided a fresh data point aimed at risk-tolerant biotech investors: it shared updated early-stage findings from an off-the-shelf CD19 CAR-NK cell therapy trial targeting Waldenström lymphoma, a rare B-cell cancer. Two evaluable patients showed complete responses lasting up to 15 months, with disease control observed in the first four treated. (Off-the-shelf allogeneic therapy refers to cells prepared in advance, rather than custom-made from each patient.) 4
There are some important caveats. ImmunityBio emphasized that the revenue numbers are preliminary and could change significantly in its annual report. The cell-therapy study data is also interim, drawn from a very limited patient group. 2
Looking ahead, traders are eyeing the company’s audited 2025 financials and annual report. They’ll also be on the lookout for updates on ANKTIVA’s demand curve, plus timelines for QUILT-2.005 enrollment and the planned BLA submission by the end of 2026. 2
