Acepodia said it received FDA IND clearance for ACE-723, a GPC3-targeted dual-payload antibody-drug conjugate aimed at hepatocellular carcinoma. The company plans to begin a Phase 1 trial in patients with unresectable or metastatic HCC. The IND clears the first clinical step for the program, positioning ACE-723 to compete in a crowded segment of ADC development targeting GPC3 and other HCC-associated antigens. The dual-payload design is intended to increase potency while maintaining a tolerable safety profile. This update adds another program to the HCC pipeline with a near-term clinical initiation pathway.