Why Is IBRX Stock Rising Today?

• The patents extend protection through at least 2035, covering the approved therapy, dosing regimen, commercial kit, and treatment methods for bladder cancer.
• The patents were issued between Nov. 16, 2021, and June 3, 2025, and strengthen protection for the FDA-approved treatment as well as for the use of IL-15 and BCG in combination.
• The expanded patent estate aligns with ImmunityBio’s recent U.S. supply agreement for Tokyo-172 BCG.

Shares of ImmunityBio (IBRX) rose over 4% in pre-market trading on Monday after the company announced it has received five U.S. patents related to cancer treatment.

The patents cover the use of its IL-15 receptor agonist, Anktiva, in combination with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) to treat cancer, with protection extending through 2035.

What Are The Five Patents About?

The five patents together cover methods of treating non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), including BCG-naive disease, pharmaceutical compositions aligned with the approved Anktiva + BCG intravesical regimen, and two-vial commercial kits.

The patents were issued between Nov. 16, 2021, and June 3, 2025. The first, issued on Nov. 16, 2021, protects the core method of treating cancer using BCG with IL-15 (Anktiva), forming the basis of the FDA-approved use. 

A second patent, issued on June 20, 2023, covers the drug composition and two-vial kit format. The third, issued on Feb. 6, 2024, expands treatment coverage for NMIBC and helps block alternative formulations. 

A fourth, issued on April 8, 2025, covers defined dosing regimens used in trials and the approved treatment protocol. The fifth, issued on June 3, 2025, protects the commercial two-vial kit used in practice and secures the final product configuration.

IBRX Strengthens Patent Coverage Alongside Tokyo-172 BCG Plan

The patent estate also aligns with ImmunityBio’s recently announced exclusive U.S. development and supply agreement with Japan BCG Laboratory for the Tokyo-172 BCG strain. 

The agreement, announced on May 16, gives ImmunityBio a second potential supply source for a bladder cancer treatment that has faced shortages in the U.S. for years.

What Is Retail Saying About IBRX?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment surrounding IBRX was “bullish,” with seven-day message volume up 42%.

One bullish comment said “some good FDA news” is driving momentum.

IBRX has surged nearly 275% year to date.

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