ImmunityBio Shares Rise 14% as CD19 CAR-NK Therapy Achieves Complete Responses in Two Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia Patients Without Chemotherapy

▎Armstrong

On August 13, 2025, ImmunityBio announced the latest data for the first two patients treated with CD19 CAR-NK for Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM). The first case, a WM patient undergoing third-line treatment, achieved complete response with CD19 CAR-NK monotherapy. The second patient achieved complete remission with CD19 CAR-NK plus rituximab combination therapy and maintained complete remission during six months of follow-up. The third patient has been enrolled. This also marks the first clinical achievement of complete remission in WM patients using a chemotherapy-free immunotherapy regimen.

Affected by this news, ImmunityBio's stock price rose 14% on the same day, reaching a market value of $2.7 billion.

Summary

The clinical results have been submitted for presentation at this year's ASH Annual Meeting. ImmunityBio's CD19 CAR-NK is a universal cell therapy that utilizes a high-affinity CD16 receptor, which provides a dual anti-tumor mechanism: direct CAR-mediated killing and enhanced ADCC activity of antibody drugs when used in combination.