ImmunityBio's (IBRX) ANKTIVA Shows Survival Gains in Lung Cancer Patients

ImmunityBio, Inc. (NASDAQ:IBRX) is one of the best healthcare penny stocks to buy now. On September 8, 2025, ImmunityBio Inc. unveiled promising Phase 2 QUILT-3.055 trial results at the IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer, showing that ANKTIVA significantly reverses lymphopenia in advanced NSCLC patients resistant to checkpoint inhibitors.

This immune restoration translated into prolonged median overall survival (mOS), with patients maintaining higher lymphocyte counts living up to 21.1 months. The therapy is being further evaluated in the Phase 3 ResQ201A trial alongside checkpoint inhibitor tislelizumab.

ANKTIVA, a first-in-class IL-15 agonist fusion complex, activates NK and T cells depleted by standard cancer treatments. It mimics natural IL-15 receptor biology to restore immune memory and overcome tumor resistance. In the trial, 80% of patients exceeded an ALC of 1,200 cells/µL, with mOS of 15.8 months compared to 11.5 months in those who did not. These findings support ANKTIVA’s role as a lymphorestorative therapy, potentially redefining cancer treatment by targeting the immune system itself.

ImmunityBio, Inc. (NASDAQ:IBRX) is a San Diego-based commercial-stage biotech company focused on developing immunotherapies and cell therapies that enhance the body’s natural defenses against cancer and infectious diseases. Its platforms aim to reduce reliance on high-dose chemotherapy and improve treatment accessibility. ANKTIVA, already FDA-approved for bladder cancer, anchors the company’s BioShield platform and represents a breakthrough in immune-driven cancer care.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.