Acepodia, a clinical stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class cell therapies with its antibody-cell conjugation (ACC) and allogeneic gamma delta 2 T-cell platforms to address gaps in cancer care, has announced a $100 million Series D financing.

The funds will be used to progress the company’s pipeline of enhanced cell therapies for solid tumors and hematologic cancers, including ACE1831 and ACE2016. ACE1831 is an anti-CD20 armed allogeneic gamma delta 2 T-cell therapy currently being studied in a phase 1 trial for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. ACE 2016 is an anti-EGFR armed allogeneic gamma delta 2 T-cell therapy targeting EGFR-expressing solid tumors.

“This financing illustrates the confidence of Acepodia’s current investors in our team, our mission, and our differentiated platform, and we are extremely grateful for their support,” said Sonny Hsiao, chief executive officer of Acepodia. 

“These funds will directly promote the progression of our clinical and pre-clinical candidates and also continue the validation of our ACC and allogeneic gamma delta 2 T-cell platforms to advance the development of innovative, effective, and importantly affordable off-the-shelf allogeneic cell therapies.”

The current financing round was led by Digital Mobile Venture with participation from additional existing investors.

Acepodia has raised $259 million to date in venture capital financing, including a $109 million Series C round completed in December 2021. Returning investors in the Series D included Digital Mobile Venture as the lead investor.

ACC technology

The company’s first-in-class ACC technology is based on click chemistry applied to live cells, the foundational work for which Carolyn Bertozzi was awarded the 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Antibody-cell conjugation supports the connection of tumor-targeting antibodies to a variety of immune cells including gamma delta T cells. Acepodia’s novel technology pairs the precision of targeted monoclonal antibodies and cancer-killing immune cells into a powerful cell therapy that is differentiated from viral vector-delivered gene transductions or genetic engineering that CAR-based cell therapies require. This approach allows for the development of off-the-shelf allogeneic cell therapies that are more broadly accessible for cancer patients.

“We continue to believe in the strength and potential of Acepodia’s platform, and the ability of the team that is well-positioned to advance new therapies through the clinic and to patients,” said Samuel Chen, director at Digital Mobile Venture. 

“We are thrilled to continue to partner with Acepodia and support the ongoing advancement of their important research as the company works to demonstrate the potential of antibody-cell conjugation and advance the next generation of cell therapies.”

About Acepodia

Acepodia is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class cell therapies with its unique antibody-cell conjugation (ACC) platform technology to address gaps in cancer care.

Leveraging its ACC technology, the company links tumor-targeting antibodies to its proprietary immune cells, such as natural killer and gamma delta T cells to create novel ACE therapies, which have increased binding strength against tumors that express low levels of tumor antigens.

Last year, the company was one of those featured in Labiotech’s 10 companies to know about in Taiwan.