What is AC-262?
AC-262, in full AC-262,536 and also sold as Accadrine, is a non-steroidal selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM). It came out of a screening programme at ACADIA Pharmaceuticals that looked for alternatives to testosterone therapy. ACP-105 comes from the same company.
The entire published research on its effects consists of one two-week study in castrated rats. Clinical development never started. Other work on AC-262 comes from doping control labs studying how to detect it. In the range AC-262 comes as a tablet with 50 mg.
This information is for research and educational purposes only. No medical advice.
Comparison
SARMs compared
Five SARMs from the TPD lexicon, as described there. Tap a card to open its entry.
Simplified: all act on the androgen receptor. According to their first descriptions AC-262 and ACP-105 activate it only partly. There is no head-to-head comparison in humans. 15
How it works
AC-262 binds the androgen receptor and only partly activates it. In cell assays it did not reach the full effect of testosterone but stayed below it. This is called partial agonism. It was the reason the developers hoped for a milder profile.
In castrated rats AC-262 grew the levator ani muscle, a classic readout for anabolic activity. The prostate and seminal vesicles responded only weakly. At the same time AC-262 lowered the LH that is strongly raised in castrated animals. That shows it triggers feedback to the brain, so in healthy animals it would likely brake the body's own hormone axis as well.
Where it acts
Where AC-262 acted in experiments
Tap a point or a card. Colour = androgen receptor, grey = observed. Effects only from the rat study.
- Skeletal muscle
The levator ani muscle grew, a classic readout for anabolic activity (rats)1
AR - Hypothalamus and pituitary
Raised LH fell: feedback on the hormone axis (rats)1
AR - Prostate and seminal vesicles
Only weak androgenic effect, unlike testosterone (rats)1
AR - Liver
Liver injury in case reports on SARMs as a class, not on AC-262 itself3
Observed in trials
Known targets7
Compound PubChem CID 44512434: one described target, Partial agonist (cell assay).
- Gene
- AR
- UniProt
- P10275
- ChEMBL
- CHEMBL1871
- Action
- Partial agonist (cell assay)
Use and dosing
Dosing
Dosing, titration and syringe
Loading the dosing information …
- Getting started and stepping up, drawn as a staircase
- Units on the U-100 syringe for every step
- How long one vial lasts
What the research shows
Piu and colleagues (J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2008) described AC-262 as a potent, selective androgen receptor ligand with partial activity relative to testosterone. In a two-week study in castrated rats it improved anabolic readouts, above all growth of the levator ani muscle. It also pushed down the raised LH. The androgenic effect on the prostate and seminal vesicles stayed weak.
Cutler and colleagues (Drug Test Anal 2020) gave AC-262 to two horses to find the best detection targets. Besides the parent compound they found several metabolites in urine and blood, plus incorporation into hair. The authors note that AC-262 was never available as a therapy.
Two papers on the class put this in context. Vignali and colleagues (J Xenobiot 2023) found liver injury in case reports and rises in the liver enzyme ALT in trials across the SARM safety data. Van Wagoner and colleagues (JAMA 2017) showed that of 44 SARM products bought online only 52 percent contained any SARM at all. In 59 percent the amount differed markedly from the label.
Study results
What the trials measured
Interactive: switch tabs, tap points, show or hide arms. Arms are named relative to each other, no dosing advice.
What 44 SARM products bought online contained4
Share of products in percent, analysed to doping control standard
Values from the abstract (USA, 2016). The SARMs found were ostarine, LGD-4033 and andarine, AC-262 was not among them. The study shows the risk of unverified products, not the effect of a specific SARM.
Research status
Where the research stands
Where the compound stands on the way from lab research to approval. As of 26 Oct 2026. 6
Side effects
Without human studies this list rests on the rat data and on what is known for SARMs as a class.
- Suppression of the testosterone axis. AC-262 lowered LH in rats. In healthy humans a brake on your own testosterone production should be expected. How strong is unknown.
- Liver. Liver injury has been described for SARMs in case reports. In trials liver values rose frequently.
- Lipids. Falling HDL is common with androgen receptor agonists.
- Unknowns. Long-term effects, interactions and human pharmacokinetics have not been studied.
This classification does not replace medical advice.
Detection and competition
Under the WADA list AC-262 falls under S1.2 (other anabolic agents) and is banned at all times. Doping control labs have developed detection methods for urine and blood. In the horse study the compound also showed up in hair.
Anyone subject to testing should assume AC-262 will be detected. How long detection is possible in humans has not been published.
Storage
Store dry, at room temperature and protected from light, keep the tin closed. Do not keep it in the bathroom, the humidity there degrades tablets.
Keep out of reach of children and mind the expiry date. Do not decant tablets into unlabelled containers.
