IBRX Stock Rises 9%: ImmunityBio Reports Breakthrough In NK Cell Therapy Production

• The programs established a process that can generate up to 5 billion NK cells from a single leukapheresis collection.
• Across the programs, 74 participants were enrolled, and researchers reported no serious adverse events.
• Additional evidence supporting the M-ceNK platform was presented by researchers from the National Cancer Institute at the AACR IO Annual Meeting 2026.

Shares of ImmunityBio (IBRX) gained more than 9% on Friday, after the pharmaceutical firm announced the completion of key manufacturing engineering programs supporting the production of its natural killer (NK) cell therapy platform.

The programs established a process that can generate up to 5 billion NK cells from a single leukapheresis collection, producing 8 to 10 therapeutic doses within about 12 days.

Essentially, the milestone allows the biotech company to generate billions of NK cells from a single donor collection, potentially expanding the number of therapeutic doses available for cancer patients. 

“The ability to generate up to 5 billion highly pure NK cells from a single apheresis collection, yielding up to 8-10 therapeutic doses within 12 days, opens the possibility of creating the ‘World Bank of Natural Killer Cells’, with NK cells able to be universally donated to any patient without HLA matching,” said Patrick Soon-Shiong, MD, Founder, Executive Chairman and Global Chief Scientific and Medical Officer of ImmunityBio.

Completion Of Phase 1 Study Of M-ceNK With ANKTIVA

ImmunityBio also completed a Phase 1 study combining its memory cytokine-enhanced NK cells (M-ceNK) therapy with ANKTIVA, which demonstrated safety in patients with relapsed or refractory tumors. Across the programs, 74 participants were enrolled, and researchers reported no serious adverse events related to the procedures or treatment.

ANKTIVA is ImmunityBio’s FDA-approved immunotherapy for bladder and lung cancer.

Additional evidence supporting the M-ceNK platform was presented by researchers from the National Cancer Institute at the AACR IO Annual Meeting 2026. The study showed that M-ceNK cells, when combined with ANKTIVA, significantly reduced tumor growth in small cell lung cancer models. 

Resubmission Of BLA

Earlier this week, ImmunityBio resubmitted a supplemental biologics license application (BLA) to the FDA for ANKTIVA, which includes additional information, including follow-up data, and safety and efficacy results.

The company also plans to present clinical data backing approval from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority for a chemotherapy-free regimen of ANKTIVA combined with checkpoint inhibitors. Prior to that, ImmunityBio partnered with UK-based Accord Healthcare to expand access to ANKTIVA across 30 countries.

How Did Stocktwits Users React?

Despite the intraday gains, retail sentiment for IBRX on Stocktwits remained in the ‘bearish’ zone over the past 24 hours. 

One user highlighted that the manufacturing update does not indicate toxicity or adverse reaction.

Another user said the company’s margins will be “historically massive.”

Year-to-date, the stock has surged more than 320%.

Read also: Paul Krugman Warns Prolonged Gulf Oil Disruption Could Get ‘Very Ugly’ For Global Economy

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.