IBRX Stock Climbs Overnight: Founder Calls Sepsis Push ‘Unstoppable’ As Trials Near — Teases NantX After Crypto Heist

• Soon-Shiong highlighted upcoming sepsis trials, drawing attention to Anktiva’s potential beyond cancer.
• Two Phase 2 sepsis studies each target about 50 patients, but their latest registry updates list them as not yet recruiting.
• Anktiva’s U.S. bladder-cancer approval expanded last month to include high-grade papillary-only tumors.

Shares of ImmunityBio (IBRX) climbed nearly 1% overnight heading into Tuesday as founder Patrick Soon-Shiong highlighted plans to test its immunotherapy in sepsis, raising interest in Anktiva’s potential beyond cancer, while renewing his “NantX coming soon” teaser after a massive crypto theft.

IBRX stock fell 4% to $7.95 on Monday, recording its third straight session of losses. 

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IBRX Founder Flags Sepsis Trials ‘Soon’

Soon-Shiong is looking beyond cancer to sepsis-related immune suppression. “We can address this and we will. Trials with our IL-15 to begin soon,” he said on X. “Unstoppable. Lymphopenia is a disease.”

The research involves Anktiva, ImmunityBio’s IL-15 receptor agonist. Researchers aim to determine whether it can help sepsis patients with persistent lymphopenia, a prolonged shortage of infection-fighting immune cells.

Currently, ClinicalTrials.gov lists two ImmunityBio-sponsored Phase 2 studies, each targeting about 50 patients and measuring deaths from any cause over 28 days. One compares Anktiva plus standard care with standard care alone, and the other includes a placebo-controlled comparison. The latest registry updates list both studies as not yet recruiting. 

Anktiva Targets Earlier Bladder-Cancer Treatment

Anktiva’s next milestones also include expanding its bladder-cancer use. The drug is already approved in the U.S. with BCG for adults whose non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer has not responded to BCG. Last month, the FDA broadened the approval to include high-grade papillary-only tumors, alongside the previously covered carcinoma in situ population.

ImmunityBio is now testing the combination in patients who have not previously received BCG. The firm announced last month the database lock for a randomized trial comparing Anktiva plus BCG with BCG alone in 366 patients, allowing final analysis to proceed. Topline results are expected in November, with a supplemental FDA application planned for the fourth quarter.

NantX Returns To Spotlight After Binance Theft

Soon-Shiong also renewed his push into financial technology, posting “NantX coming soon” after North Korean hackers stole at least $6.3 billion from Binance. The theft intensified concerns about digital-asset security, following Binance founder Changpeng Zhao’s warning: “No crypto wallet is 100% safe.”

NantX is part of a separate financial-services initiative linked to Soon-Shiong. In January, Nant Global Finance identified Arkonis Capital, a broker-dealer and alternative trading system, as the business it planned to brand NantX.

The venture aims to combine brokerage, exchange, transfer-agent and blockchain-settlement services. It had acquired GlobexUS Holdings, parent of Horizon Globex, along with BlockAgent and Equity Stock Transfer. Soon-Shiong serves on Nant’s advisory board. 

How Do Retail Traders Feel About IBRX?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for IBRX slipped to ‘extremely bearish’ from ‘bearish’ levels a week ago amid a 154% jump in 24-hour message volumes.

One user said, “If ImmunityBio can demonstrate meaningful efficacy in sepsis, the addressable market may dwarf what investors currently assign to the company.”

Another user said, “I added today on the dip and cost averaged up.” A separate user said, “So this Sepsis trial is the biggie. It needs to be big enough to be a one and done. But the results from the trials are not straight forward. It will need to be clear that adding Anktiva improves outcomes.”

IBRX stock has surged 302% year-to-date.

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