Akebia to Host Conference Call and Slide Webcast Following Presentation of AKB-6548 Phase 2b Study Results at International Society of Nephrology’s World Congress of Nephrology

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 that it will host a conference call and slide webcast on Monday, March 16, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results of its Phase 2b study of AKB-6548 in non-dialysis patients with anemia related to chronic kidney disease (CKD). Akebia will be presenting the results at the International Society of Nephrology’s biennial World Congress of Nephrology (WCN), which is being held in Cape Town, South Africa from March 13-17, 2015. Dr. Bruce S. Spinowitz, M.D., Vice-Chairman, Department of Medicine and Associate Director, Renal Division, New York Hospital Queens and Clinical Professor of Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, will join members of the Akebia management team to review the data presented at WCN, including new data that will be presented in a poster titled “Phase 2b Study of AKB-6548, a Novel Hypoxia-Inducible Factor Prolyl-Hydroxylase Inhibitor for the Treatment of Anemia in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Not on Dialysis (ND-CKD)” on March 16.

The call can be accessed by dialing (877) 458-0977 (domestic) or (484) 653-6724 (international) five minutes prior to the start of the call and providing the passcode 3832469. A replay of the call will be available two hours after the completion of the call and can be accessed by dialing (855) 859-2056 (domestic) or (404) 537-3406 (international), and providing the passcode 3832469. The replay will be available for two weeks from the date of the live call.

A live audio webcast and the accompanying slide presentation will be available on the company's website at http://ir.akebia.com/events.cfm. An archived presentation will be available for 90 days.

About AKB-6548

AKB-6548 is a once-daily, oral therapy currently in development for the treatment of anemia related to CKD. AKB-6548 is designed to stabilize HIF, a transcription factor that regulates the expression of genes involved with red blood cell (RBC) production in response to changes in oxygen levels, by inhibiting the hypoxia inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase (HIF-PH) enzyme. AKB-6548 exploits the same mechanism of action used by the body to naturally adapt to lower oxygen availability associated with a moderate increase in altitude. At higher altitudes, the body responds to lower oxygen availability with increased production of HIF, which coordinates the interdependent processes of iron mobilization and erythropoietin (EPO) production to increase RBC production and, ultimately, improve oxygen delivery.

As a HIF stabilizer with best-in-class potential, AKB-6548 raises hemoglobin levels predictably and sustainably, with a dosing regimen that allows for a gradual and controlled titration. AKB-6548 has been shown to improve iron mobilization, potentially eliminating the need for intravenous iron administration and reducing the overall need for iron supplementation.

About Anemia Related to CKD

Approximately 30 million people in the United States have CKD, with an estimated 1.8 million of these patients suffering from anemia. Anemia results from the body's inability to coordinate RBC production in response to lower oxygen levels due to the progressive loss of kidney function, which occurs in patients with CKD. Left untreated, anemia significantly accelerates patients' overall deterioration of health with increased morbidity and mortality. Renal anemia is currently treated with injectable recombinant erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, or rESAs, which are associated with inconsistent hemoglobin responses and well-documented safety risks.

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 HIF biology. Akebia's lead product candidate, AKB-6548, is a once-daily, oral therapy, which has completed a Phase 2b study for the treatment of anemia related to CKD in non-dialysis patients and is also being tested in a Phase 2 study for the treatment of anemia in patients undergoing dialysis. For more information on Akebia, please visit www.akebia.com.