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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

_____________________

FORM 8-K

_____________________

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 18, 2023

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AKEBIA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

_____________________

Delaware

001-36352

20-8756903

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

(Commission File Number)

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

245 First Street Cambridge, Massachusetts						02142
(Address of principal executive offices)						(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (617) 871-2098

N/A

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

_____________________

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

			☐			Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

			☐			Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

			☐			Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

			☐			Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class

Trading symbol(s)

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share

AKBA

The Nasdaq Capital Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company			☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

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Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.

On July 18, 2023, Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) issued the press release furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

The information in this Item 7.01 (including Exhibit 99.1) shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

Item 8.01. Other Events.

On July 18, 2023, the Company announced that it completed an End of Dispute Type A meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) to discuss the Company’s forthcoming resubmission of its New Drug Application (“NDA”) for vadadustat as a treatment for anemia due to chronic kidney disease in adult patients on dialysis. The Company expects to resubmit its NDA for vadadustat to the FDA by the end of the third quarter of 2023.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit No.						Description
99.1						Press Release, dated July 18, 2023, issued by Akebia Therapeutics, Inc.
104						Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

						AKEBIA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Date: July 18, 2023			By:			/s/ John P. Butler
						Name: John P. Butler
						Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

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