Iovance Amtagvi Shows 44% Response Rate in Real-World Advanced Melanoma Study
Iovance's Amtagvi achieved a 44% confirmed objective response rate and 73% disease control in an advanced melanoma study. Goldman Sachs raised its price target to $2, maintaining a Sell rating.
Iovance Biotherapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:IOVA) presented real-world data for its commercial T cell therapy Amtagvi (lifileucel) in advanced melanoma at the 2026 Tandem Meetings of the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy and the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research in Salt Lake City, UT. The retrospective study, conducted in 41 evaluable patients with previously treated advanced melanoma who received commercial Amtagvi according to the U.S. prescribing information at four authorized treatment centers, showed a physician-assessed confirmed objective response rate of 44% and a disease control rate of 73%. The response rate was higher with earlier Amtagvi treatment.
On the same day, Goldman Sachs lifted its price target on Iovance to $2 from $1.50 while maintaining a Sell rating on the stock. Iovance is held by 27 hedge funds as of Q3 2025, according to hedge fund sentiment data, placing it among the immunotherapy stocks with the highest number of hedge fund holders.
Management stated that Amtagvi is the first one-time T cell therapy for a solid tumor cancer and the only FDA-approved treatment for advanced melanoma patients previously treated with anti-PD-1 and targeted therapy, where applicable. The company described the real-world results as showing a best-in-class profile with unprecedented response rates for commercial Amtagvi.
Iovance Biotherapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapies for solid tumor cancers. Its lead product candidate is Amtagvi, a tumor-derived autologous T-cell immunotherapy. The company is also developing next-generation therapies using TIL, including genetically modified TIL cell therapy.