UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-K
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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 26, 2023
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | ||||||||||||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | |||||||
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (617 ) 871-2098
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(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
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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:
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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||||||||
The | ||||||||||||||
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. ☐
| Item 5.02 | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. | ||||
As previously disclosed on May 9, 2022, Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) announced a workforce reduction, including certain management transitions. As part of the workforce reduction, the Company entered into a retention and separation agreement with each of Michel Dahan, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer, and Nicole R. Hadas, the Company’s Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary. Pursuant to the retention and separation agreements as amended on November 2, 2022 and May 3, 2023, each of Mr. Dahan and Ms. Hadas would separate from the Company effective as of July 28, 2023, or, in the event of certain specified events, the effective date of their separation would extend to January 26, 2024.
On July 26, 2023, the Company and Mr. Dahan agreed to further extend the effective date of his termination to March 22, 2024, and, in the event of certain specified events, the effective date of his termination may extend to September 22, 2024 (the “Dahan July 2023 Amendment”). In addition, on July 26, 2023, the Company and Ms. Hadas agreed to further extend the effective date of her termination to October 6, 2023, and, in the event of certain specified events, the effective date of her termination may extend to March 22, 2024 (the “Hadas July 2023 Amendment”).
The foregoing description of the amendments does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Dahan July 2023 Amendment and the Hadas July 2023 Amendment, copies of which the Company expects to file as exhibits to its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ending June 30, 2023.
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: August 1, 2023 | By: | /s/ John P. Butler | ||||||
| Name: John P. Butler | ||||||||
| Title: President and Chief Executive Officer | ||||||||