Iovance Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ:IOVA) shares are surging on Tuesday following the announcement of positive early data from a pilot clinical trial for its TIL cell therapy in advanced soft-tissue sarcomas.
This news has energized investors as the broader market is experiencing gains, with the Nasdaq up 0.51%.
Among the first six evaluable patients treated with lifileucel monotherapy, the trial showed a 50% confirmed objective response rate (ORR).
The trial, conducted by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, focused on patients with advanced undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) or dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS) who were refractory to prior therapies.
This represents a significant market opportunity, as over 8,000 patients are diagnosed annually in the U.S. and Europe.
Next Steps
The company plans to commence a single-arm registrational trial in the second quarter of 2026 and engage with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for expedited approval.
Iovance also plans to explore lifileucel in other high-grade soft tissue sarcoma subtypes.
The broader market is experiencing positive momentum, with the Technology sector up 1.03% today. Iovance’s gains align with this trend, suggesting that the stock is moving in tandem with broader market dynamics.
Technical Analysis
Currently, the stock is trading 3.77% above its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) and 5.5% below its 100-day SMA, indicating some short-term strength but potential resistance in the longer term. Over the past 12 months, shares have increased significantly and are positioned closer to their 52-week highs than lows.
The RSI is at 50.00, which is considered neutral territory, suggesting no immediate overbought or oversold conditions. Meanwhile, MACD is at 0.15, below its signal line at 0.22, indicating bearish pressure on the stock.
The combination of neutral RSI and bearish MACD suggests mixed momentum for Iovance at this time.
- Key Resistance: $4.00
- Key Support: $3.50
Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Buy Rating with an average price target of $11.50. Recent analyst moves include:
- Barclays: Overweight (Raises Target to $10.00) (Dec. 17, 2025)
- Barclays: Overweight (Raises Target to $9.00) (Nov. 24, 2025)
- Chardan Capital: Buy (Lowers Target to $17.00) (Nov. 6, 2025)
IOVA Price Action: Iovance Biotherapeutics shares were up 29.41% at $3.74 at the time of publication on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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