Akebia Therapeutics Inc.

Akebia Therapeutics believes that the shorter circulating half-life of its oral daily HIF-regulating compound, currently in Phase I trials, will keep it from over-stimulating EPO production, which is related to the cardiovascular and other safety issues faced by current injectable ESAs. Beyond its efforts with HIF and anemia, Akebia is also pursuing preclinical research on inhibitors of the human protein tyrosine phosphatase beta for vascular leakage.