Acepodia Doses First Patient in ACE723 Trial
The phase 1 study tests a dual-payload antibody-drug conjugate in patients with advanced liver cancer.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Cancer
Acepodia has dosed the first patient in a phase 1 trial of ACE723, a GPC3-targeted dual-payload antibody-drug conjugate, at a clinical site in China. The trial enrolls patients with unresectable or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma.
Why it matters
Hepatocellular carcinoma accounts for more than 70% of liver cancer cases worldwide, and the dual-payload design is intended to address tumour heterogeneity and resistance that can limit single-payload antibody-drug conjugates. ACE723 is the first candidate from Acepodia's AD2C platform to reach the clinic.
The trial's primary goals are safety, tolerability, dose-limiting toxicities, pharmacokinetics and preliminary anti-tumour activity, with no efficacy results yet reported. Regulators in the United States, China and Taiwan have each cleared or approved the investigational drug, but no clinical outcome data have been released.
The players
Acepodia
Acepodia is a biotechnology company developing antibody-drug conjugates, including its AD2C platform.
The details
ACE723 pairs a GPC3-targeting antibody with two cytotoxic payloads that kill tumour cells through different mechanisms. The dose-escalation portion of the phase 1 study is designed to define a recommended dose for later-stage development and potential expansion cohorts.
Timeline
September 2026: FDA and NMPA grant IND clearance for ACE723.
October 2026: TFDA grants IND approval for ACE723.
November 6, 2026: Acepodia announces the first patient dosed in the trial.
Big Picture
ACE723 builds on the GPC3-targeted antibody-drug conjugate approach in hepatocellular carcinoma by adding a second cytotoxic payload, a design aimed at overcoming resistance that has limited single-payload ADCs. Its entry into clinical testing marks the first candidate from Acepodia's AD2C platform to reach patients.
For patients with unresectable or metastatic liver cancer, this trial represents an investigational option that is not yet available outside clinical study settings. Eligibility will be determined by trial protocol, and no changes to standard treatment or access have been announced.
The takeaway
A first-in-human trial is the earliest step in testing whether a new cancer drug is safe and at what dose it works, and results will take time to emerge. Readers tracking liver cancer treatments should watch for phase 1 updates before drawing conclusions about effectiveness.
What happens next
Acepodia plans to share updates as the phase 1 study progresses.
Further reading
For broader background on treatment approaches, see our Cancer section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Pharmabiz.
