Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
Nash Duane
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. [AKBA]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O AKEBIA THERAPEUTICS, INC., 245 FIRST STREET
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/03/2017
(Street)

CAMBRIDGE, MA 02142
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock (1) 01/03/2017   S   1,980 (2) D $ 10.4601 (3) 25,668 D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Nash Duane
C/O AKEBIA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
245 FIRST STREET
CAMBRIDGE, MA 02142
       

Signatures

 Nicole R. Hadas, Attorney-in-Fact for Duane Nash   01/03/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) 47,525 shares of restricted stock (as adjusted from 27,157 shares prior to the 1.75-for-1 stock split effected on March 6, 2014) were awarded on December 23, 2013. Fifty percent of the shares vested on December 23, 2014. The remaining fifty percent vest ratably on the first day of each calendar quarter over three years from the first anniversary of the grant date until fully vested, assuming continued service through the applicable vesting date.
(2) Shares sold by reporting person pursuant to a 10b5-1 plan in connection with the vesting of restricted stock pursuant to the December 23, 2013 award described in footnote 1.
(3) The price reported in this Column 4 is a weighted average price. The shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $10.42 to $10.58, inclusive. The reporting person undertakes to provide Issuer, any security holder of Issuer, or the staff of the Securities Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each price within the range set forth in this footnote.

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