CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKBA), a biopharmaceutical company focused on delivering innovative therapies to patients with kidney disease through the biology of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), today announced the company granted a newly hired executive an option to purchase 130,000 shares of the company's common stock with a per share exercise price of $8.61, the closing price on the grant date. These options will vest as to 25% of the total number of shares subject to the option on the first anniversary of the grant date. The remaining 75% of shares will vest ratably on the first day of each calendar quarter over the next three years. The stock options were inducements material to the new employee entering into employment with the company, and issued in reliance on NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

About Akebia Therapeutics
Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, focused on delivering innovative therapies to patients with kidney disease through hypoxia-inducible factor biology. Akebia's lead product candidate, vadadustat, is an oral therapy in development for the treatment of anemia related to chronic kidney disease in both non-dialysis and dialysis patients. Akebia has commenced its vadadustat Phase 3 Program, which includes the PRO₂TECT studies for non-dialysis patients with anemia secondary to chronic kidney disease and the INNO₂VATE studies for dialysis-dependent patients. For more information, please visit our website at www.akebia.com.

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Akebia Contact
AJ Gosselin, 617-844-6130
Manager, Corporate Communications
agosselin@akebia.com

Source: Akebia Therapeutics, Inc.

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