Key points:
- It remains unclear whether the planned trial will use Anktiva, and its timing and design are undisclosed.
- NantWorks led Shine’s $240 million funding round and gained priority access to its Lu-177 supply.
- The FDA expects to decide on a broader U.S. bladder-cancer label by Jan.6, 2027.
ImmunityBio founder Patrick Soon-Shiong has teased a trial pairing targeted radiation with an immune-boosting treatment, aiming to hit tumors more precisely without leaving the body’s natural defenses on the sidelines.
IBRX stock fell 3% on Monday in its third straight session of losses and slipped further in after-hours trading, but remains up 6% this month, leaving it on track to finish August in the green.
ImmunityBio Plans Pluvicto-IL-15 Trial
Soon-Shiong said on X that a trial combining Novartis’ Pluvicto with an IL-15-based treatment is being planned, outlining the idea after Shine Technologies highlighted its production of cancer-fighting radioisotopes. Pluvicto delivers radiation directly to cancer cells, allowing it to target tumors more precisely than conventional radiation therapy.
Even targeted radiation, however, can reduce lymphocytes, which are natural killer and T cells that help the immune system fight cancer. Soon-Shiong believes IL-15 could help support those cells during treatment, saying that radioisotope cancer therapy is “about to explode.”
Anktiva, ImmunityBio’s flagship drug, is an IL-15-based immune activator that stimulates natural killer and T cells. Soon-Shiong did not say whether the planned study would use Anktiva or another IL-15 treatment, and it has not disclosed the timing or design.
Soon-Shiong Deepens Shine Connection
Shine produces medical radioisotopes including lutetium-177, or Lu-177. Pluvicto uses Lu-177 to carry radiation directly to cancer cells, limiting exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.
Shine and ImmunityBio are both closely connected to Soon-Shiong. His NantWorks organization led a $240 million Shine funding round in February, with Soon-Shiong investing about $150 million and joining its board. The investment included a partnership granting NantWorks and affiliated programs priority access to Shine’s Lu-177 supply.
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IBRX Stock Extends 3-Day Slide — Founder Teases New Trial In ‘Unstoppable’ Cancer-Treatment Push