ImmunityBio Soars 20% on Explosive Sales Growth and Global Regulatory Wins: Is This the Start of a Biotech Breakout?

Summary
• ImmunityBio (IBRX) surges 20.03% to $3.625, hitting an intraday high of $3.63
• Anktiva sales jump 700% YoY to $113M in 2025, with Saudi Arabia granting first global approval for lung cancer
• Options frenzy: 2435 contracts traded for the $3 call option, with implied volatility spiking to 82.66%

ImmunityBio’s stock is in a tailwind-driven frenzy as the biotech firm unveils record-breaking Anktiva sales and regulatory milestones. With a 20% intraday rally and a 750% unit sales surge, the stock’s volatility has ignited options trading. The Saudi FDA approvals and Phase 2b trial progress are fueling momentum, but can this momentum sustain a breakout above the 52-week high of $4.27?

Anktiva’s Global Expansion and Sales Surge Ignite Biotech Rally
ImmunityBio’s 20% intraday surge is driven by a perfect storm of commercial and regulatory catalysts. The company reported preliminary 2025 net product revenue of $113M, a 700% YoY increase, with Anktiva’s unit sales volume surging 750% in 2025. The Saudi FDA’s approval of Anktiva for subcutaneous administration in metastatic lung cancer marks its first global approval for this indication, while the approval for bladder cancer in Saudi Arabia expands its commercial footprint. These milestones, combined with a 20% QoQ revenue increase and enrollment progress in the QUILT-2.005 trial, have triggered a re-rating of the stock’s growth potential.

Biotech Sector Volatility Amplified by IBRX’s Momentum
The biotech sector is in a mixed state, with Amgen (AMGN) up 0.04% as a sector leader. ImmunityBio’s 20% rally contrasts with the sector’s broader caution, driven by high-risk, high-reward dynamics in immuno-oncology. While AMGN’s steady gains reflect established commercialization, IBRX’s explosive move underscores the sector’s appetite for disruptive innovation. The 8.63% turnover rate for IBRX highlights its speculative appeal compared to the sector’s more conservative liquidity profiles.

Options Playbook: Capitalizing on IBRX’s Volatility with Gamma-Driven Calls
• RSI: 87.09 (overbought)
• MACD: 0.1287 (bullish), Signal Line: 0.0289, Histogram: 0.0998
• 200-day MA: $2.50 (well below current price)
• Bollinger Bands: $1.67–$2.78 (price at 3.63, far above upper band)

ImmunityBio’s technicals scream short-term overbought conditions, but the fundamentals justify a bullish stance. The 20% rally has pushed RSI into overbought territory, yet the MACD remains positive, and the stock is trading above all major moving averages. The $3.63 intraday high suggests a potential test of the 52-week high of $4.27. For aggressive traders, the IBRX20260220C3 and IBRX20260220C3.5 options offer high leverage and liquidity.

• IBRX20260220C3
- Strike: $3.00
- Expiration: 2026-02-20
- IV: 82.66% (high volatility)
- Delta: 0.815 (high sensitivity to price moves)
- Theta: -0.0059 (moderate time decay)
- Gamma: 0.277 (strong gamma for rapid price swings)
- Turnover: $146,344 (high liquidity)
- Leverage Ratio: 4.57%
- Payoff at 5% Upside (3.806): $0.806 per share
- Why: High gamma and delta make this call ideal for a continuation of the rally, with sufficient liquidity to enter/exit.

• IBRX20260220C3.5
- Strike: $3.50
- IV: 90.65% (extreme volatility)
- Delta: 0.621 (moderate sensitivity)
- Theta: -0.0074 (aggressive time decay)
- Gamma: 0.360 (very strong gamma)
- Turnover: $31,754 (solid liquidity)
- Leverage Ratio: 7.31%
- Payoff at 5% Upside (3.806): $0.306 per share
- Why: The 90.65% IV and 0.360 gamma make this a high-reward option if the stock breaks above $3.50, with manageable time decay.

Aggressive bulls should consider IBRX20260220C3.5 into a breakout above $3.50.

Backtest ImmunityBio Stock Performance
The backtest of IBRX's performance after a 20% intraday surge from 2022 to now shows favorable results, with the 3-Day win rate at 46.07%, the 10-Day win rate at 45.17%, and the 30-Day win rate at 51.46%. The maximum return during the backtest period was 6.80%, with a maximum return day of 56.

IBRX’s Momentum Faces a Crucial Test: Act Now or Miss the Wave
ImmunityBio’s 20% rally is a high-stakes inflection point. The stock’s technicals suggest a potential pullback due to overbought conditions, but the fundamentals—700% sales growth and global approvals—justify a bullish stance. The $3.50 level is critical: a break above could trigger a retest of the 52-week high, while a failure may invite profit-taking. With Amgen (AMGN) up 0.04%, the biotech sector remains cautiously optimistic. Act now with the $3.50 call option to capitalize on the next leg of the rally.