Akero Therapeutics, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

601 Gateway Boulevard, Suite 350
South San Francisco, CA 94080
(650) 487-6488
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)

Andrew Cheng, M.D., Ph.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer
601 Gateway Boulevard, Suite 350
South San Francisco, CA 94080
(650) 487-6488
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, check the following box. o

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company" and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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 to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. o

(1) Includes the aggregate price of shares that the underwriters may purchase pursuant to an option to purchase additional shares.

(2) Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(3) Pursuant to Rule 457(p) under the Securities Act, the Registrant is offsetting $23,412.26 against the amount of the registration fee payable with respect to this registration statement. The offsetting amount was originally paid by the Registrant in connection with the registration statement on Form S-3 filed by the Registrant on July 1, 2020 (File No. 333-239605). The Registrant has not sold any securities pursuant to the Registration Statement No. 333-239605. Accordingly, no additional registration fee is being paid at this time.

The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment that specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol "AKRO." The last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market on July 2, 2020 was $33.02 per share.

We are an "emerging growth company" as defined under the federal securities laws and, as such, have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements.

We have granted the underwriters an option for a period of 30 days to purchase up to 712,500 additional shares of common stock.

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See "Risk factors" beginning on page 16.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities, or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We incorporate by reference important information into this prospectus. You may obtain the information incorporated by reference without charge by following the instructions under "Where You Can Find More Information." You should carefully read this prospectus as well as additional information described under "Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference," before deciding to invest in our common stock.

We are responsible for the information contained in this prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with any other information other than in this prospectus, and we take no responsibility for, and the underwriters have not taken responsibility for, any other information others may give you. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than its date.

For investors outside the United States: Neither we nor any of the underwriters have done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. You are required to inform yourselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to this offering and the distribution of this prospectus outside of the United States.

This prospectus contains references to our trademarks and to trademarks belonging to other entities. Solely for convenience, trademarks and trade names referred to in this prospectus, including logos, artwork and other visual displays, may appear without the ® or ^TM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the rights of the applicable licensor to these trademarks and trade names. We do not intend our use or display of other companies' trade names or trademarks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies.

Prospectus summary

This summary highlights, and is qualified in its entirety by, the more detailed information included elsewhere in this prospectus or incorporated by reference. This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider in making your investment decision. Before investing in our common stock, you should read the entire prospectus carefully, especially the "Risk factors" section of this prospectus." Except where the context otherwise requires or where otherwise indicated, the terms "Akero," "we," "us," "our," "our company," "the company," and "our business" refer to Akero Therapeutics, Inc., together with its subsidiary, as appropriate.

Overview

We are a cardio-metabolic nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, company developing pioneering medicines designed to restore metabolic balance and improve overall health for NASH patients. Our lead product candidate, Efruxifermin (EFX), formerly known as AKR-001, is a proprietary fibroblast growth factor, or FGF21, analog with unique properties that we believe has the potential to address the core processes underlying NASH pathogenesis, with the potential to restore healthy fat metabolism in the liver, reduce hepatocyte stress, mitigate inflammation and resolve fibrosis. FGF21 is an endocrine hormone that acts on the liver, pancreas, muscle and adipose tissue to regulate the metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins. Acting as a paracrine hormone, FGF21 also plays a critical role in protecting cells against stress. These attributes make FGF21 agonism a compelling therapeutic mechanism, but native FGF21 is limited by its short half-life in the bloodstream. EFX has been engineered with the objective of increasing human FGF21's half-life sufficiently to enable dosing once-weekly or once every two weeks, while seeking to retain the native biological activity of FGF21.

Emerging EFX therapeutic profile

We recently completed the main portion of a Phase 2a clinical trial, known as the BALANCED study, which enrolled 80 patients with biopsy-confirmed NASH. This main study was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study that evaluated three EFX dose groups after 16 weeks of treatment. A separate cohort evaluating treatment of 30 patients with compensated cirrhosis (F4), Child-Pugh Class A, is currently enrolling.

In March 2020, we reported primary and secondary endpoint results related to liver fat reduction and ALT reduction for the main study. All EFX groups met the primary and secondary endpoints related to reductions in liver fat, as measured by MRI-PDFF, and ALT, with 71 and 72% relative reductions in liver fat for the top two dose groups, 50mg and 70mg. In addition, all EFX patients with week 12 MRI-PDFF results were designated treatment responders, having achieved at least a 30% relative reduction in liver fat. In June 2020, we announced additional results of a 16-week analysis of secondary and exploratory endpoints, including histological results from paired biopsies for treatment responders. Of the 40 EFX treatment responders who had end-of-treatment biopsies, we observed that 48% achieved improvement in liver fibrosis of at least one stage and no worsening of NASH and 28% achieved at least a two-stage improvement in liver fibrosis. Sixty-two percent of treatment responders in the 50mg dose group achieved one-stage improvement in liver fibrosis and no worsening of NASH. In addition, 48% of EFX patients achieved NASH resolution and no worsening of liver fibrosis, including 54% of patients in the 50mg dose group.

Improvements in glycemic control and dyslipidemia, as well as weight loss, were also observed across all dose groups. Treatment with EFX was generally reported to be well tolerated. The most commonly reported

study drug-related treatment emergent adverse events were transient, mild to moderate gastrointestinal, or GI, events. We believe these results indicate the potential of EFX to help redirect calories away from the liver, reduce liver fat, alleviate hepatocyte stress, inhibit inflammation, and resolve fibrosis in patients with NASH, as well as to reduce susceptibility to cardiovascular disease and diabetes-related diseases, such as nephropathy. We therefore believe that, if approved, EFX has the potential to be an important monotherapy for the treatment of NASH and may provide other improvements for patients that help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes-related diseases among NASH patients.

About NASH

The rapidly rising prevalence of NAFLD and NASH is driven by the global obesity epidemic. Poor diet and lack of exercise lead to caloric overburdening of the liver and accumulation of excessive liver fat. In patients with NASH, excessive liver fat leads to hepatocyte stress, which triggers localized inflammation and, as disease progresses, can lead to fibrosis and ultimately cirrhosis. According to a study published in Hepatology (2018), the prevalence of NASH in the United States is projected to increase from an estimated 17.3 million in 2016 to 27.0 million by 2030. In particular, the prevalence of patients with advanced fibrosis in the United States is projected to more than double between 2016 and 2030. NASH is the liver manifestation of metabolic syndrome and is frequently associated with insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. Additionally, patients with NASH have high rates of cardiovascular-related events, such as stroke and heart attack, with cardiovascular disease being the leading cause of death in patients with NASH. There are currently no approved therapies for NASH, while emerging potential NASH therapies in late-stage clinical development have shown limited efficacy or may be limited by unwanted side effects.

Background and team

In June 2018, we acquired exclusive global development and commercialization rights to EFX from Amgen Inc., or Amgen, which leveraged its deep protein engineering expertise to design and develop EFX. As of June 30, 2020, our patent portfolio relating to EFX and other peptides included 125 issued patents and 32 pending patents worldwide, with expected patent exclusivity up to 2034 in the United States, including potential patent term extension. Since EFX is a biologic, marketing approval would also provide twelve years of market exclusivity from the approval date of a Biologics License Application, or BLA, in the United States.

Our management team has extensive experience in drug discovery, development and commercialization, and has been involved in the approvals of more than 20 medicines. Our Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Cheng, MD, PhD, previously Chief Medical Officer at Gilead, was responsible for clinical development for Gilead's HIV program. Our Chief Development Officer, Kitty Yale, led global clinical operations and management of Gilead's oncology, HIV, inflammation and liver disease trials. Our Chief Scientific Officer, Tim Rolph, DPhil, formerly Chief Scientific Officer of Pfizer's Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disease Research Unit, previously oversaw Pfizer's FGF21 program. We believe that our team is well positioned to leverage its collective experience in drug development and in-depth knowledge of FGF21 biology and metabolic diseases to develop and commercialize products that will have significant benefits for patients with NASH and other serious metabolic diseases with high unmet medical need.

Phase 2a BALANCED study results

A total of 80 subjects with biopsy-confirmed NASH were enrolled into the main BALANCED study. Baseline demographics were consistent with what has been reported in other NASH clinical studies and are generally representative of the NASH population. Mean liver fat content ranged from about 18 to 21%.

Mean NAFLD activity score, or NAS, ranged from 5.1 to 5.6. Roughly 62 to 65% of patients were fibrosis stage F2 or F3.

The primary endpoint of the main BALANCED study was absolute reduction in liver fat, with secondary endpoints for relative reduction in liver fat, the proportion of patients with at least 30% relative reduction in liver fat, and the liver enzyme ALT. All of these measures were taken at week 12 with statistical calculations based on the Full Analysis Set of all randomized patients. We observed substantial and highly significant reductions across all dose groups. Specifically, as shown in the figure below, we observed mean absolute reductions in liver fat of 12 to 14%, and mean relative reductions in liver fat of 63 to 72%, for EFX groups, compared with –0.3 and 0% for placebo, respectively.

As would be expected from large mean relative reductions of 71% and 72% in the 50mg and 70mg dose groups, respectively, a substantial number of individual patients in the top two dose groups had relative reductions of liver fat of greater than 80%. Shown in the figure below are MRI-PDFF images at baseline and week 12 for a patient who achieved a 90% relative reduction in liver fat—from 22% to 2%.

Positive results were observed for the serum biomarker of new collagen synthesis, Pro-C3. Pro-C3 is an important marker because, similar to MRI-PDFF, it provides a view of the whole liver, in this case an indication of new collagen synthesis which underlies development of fibrosis. Statistically significant reductions of 27 to 34% were observed across the EFX groups, compared with a 4% increase in Pro-C3 for placebo.

Favorable histology results were observed following the full 16-week treatment period. As shown in the next two figures, approximately half of the 40 EFX treatment responders achieved an improvement of at least one stage in liver fibrosis and no worsening of NASH, and about half achieved NASH resolution and no worsening of liver fibrosis. These are the two histology endpoints defined by both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, and the European Medicines Agency for use in Phase 3 registrational trials to support NASH (fibrosis stage F1-F3) as a treatment indication. All histology measures were based on the Liver Biopsy Evaluable Analysis Set, or BAS, which consists of all responders who had baseline and end-of-treatment liver biopsy results. All baseline and end-of-treatment biopsies were centrally read by a single NASH-CRN pathologist, who was blinded to both treatment assignment and patient. Baseline biopsies were not re-read with end-of-treatment biopsies. Secondary and exploratory histological endpoints were not powered for statistical significance.

The secondary histology endpoint for the study was the proportion of subjects who had at least a 2-point reduction in NAS and no worsening of fibrosis. On this measure we observed a highly consistent 77 to 79% response rate across EFX dose groups, consisting of a total of 31 EFX responders. This result compared with a single placebo responder, translating to a 50% placebo response rate.

The low placebo response rate for relative reduction in liver fat of at least 30% had an enriching effect for the NAS histology endpoints in the BALANCED study. Only two placebo patients met the responder definition of achieving at least a 30% relative reduction in liver fat, while the remaining 18 were non-responders. Therefore, a single positive placebo patient response on any histology measure translated to a 50% response rate (1 of 2 placebo subjects in the BAS). The single placebo patient with a positive response in the figure above had an 11%, or 25-pound, reduction in body weight over 16 weeks.

We also calculated the proportion of subjects who achieved at least a 2-stage improvement in fibrosis. As shown in the table below, we observed a 28% response rate for the all EFX group, compared with 0% for placebo.

The highest numerical results in histology measures was observed for the 50mg dose group, including:

•: 62% ³1-stage improvement in liver fibrosis and no worsening of NASH;
•: 54% NASH resolution and no worsening of liver fibrosis;
•: 39% combination of both ³1-stage improvement in liver fibrosis and NASH resolution; and
•: 38% ³2-stage improvement in liver fibrosis.

Combining these histological outcomes with the highly consistent reductions of liver fat, improvements in markers of liver injury, and reductions in Pro-C3 across all doses, EFX has delivered rapid and meaningful clinical effects. We believe that larger and longer-term studies hold the potential to yield impressive histological outcomes.

Treatment with EFX was reported to be generally well tolerated, as summarized in the table below. There were no deaths in the study. One patient was discontinued in the placebo arm, two in the 28mg dose group and four in the 70mg dose group. There were no discontinuations due to any Adverse Event for the 50mg dose group, which, as indicated above, had the highest numerical histological responses among EFX dose groups. There were two Serious Adverse Events, one of which was related to a procedural complication that occurred prior to dosing for a patient in the 28mg group. One patient in the 70mg arm experienced acute pancreatitis with subsequent diabetic ketoacidosis, which led to study discontinuation. This patient entered the study with morbid obesity, severe insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia. Obesity, and particularly morbid obesity, significantly increase the risk of acute pancreatitis, with an incidence of up to about 1% reported in other Phase 2 NASH studies. Preclinical data suggests that FGF21 alleviates stress on the pancreas and would thus not be expected to cause pancreatitis.

There were no treatment-related effects on blood pressure, heart rate, or bone mineral density.

The most commonly reported study drug related treatment emergent adverse events were transient, mild to moderate gastrointestinal, or GI, events, with diarrhea being the most frequent. The majority of GI events were grade 1 and resolved on study drug. These events were often single episodes that occurred in the first month of treatment, with overall frequency having decreased markedly by the second 8 weeks of dosing. There were no study discontinuations for diarrhea.

As shown in the figure below, we observed that EFX elicited clinically meaningful improvements in multiple markers of glycemic control, including HbA1c, HOMA-IR, C-Peptide, and adiponectin. We believe these improvements may be attributed to insulin sensitization. HbA1c is the clinical diagnostic for long-term control of blood glucose. We observed significant absolute reductions in HbA1c in the 50 and 70 mg dose groups of 0.4 and 0.5%, respectively, as compared with an increase of 0.1% for placebo. EFX's potential to increase insulin sensitization is evidenced by the lower values for HOMA-IR, with reductions of 17, 26 and 49% for the 28mg, 50mg, and 70mg dose groups, respectively. By comparison, HOMA-IR increased almost 150% for the placebo group. We also observed significantly lower levels of C-peptide, which indicates reduced rates of insulin secretion and thus points to increased insulin sensitization. Specifically, we observed significant reductions from baseline of 24, 26 and 33% for 28, 50 and 70 mg, compared to an increase of 23% for placebo. Finally, we also observed elevated levels of adiponectin, which is generally accepted as a biomarker of insulin sensitivity: with 69, 88 and 120% increases for 28, 50 and 70 mg, compared with a decrease of 4% for placebo.

More than 80% of NASH subjects are dyslipidemic, with elevated levels of triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol, and lower levels of HDL-cholesterol. Dyslipidemia is a major contributor to the high incidence of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among NASH patients. As shown in the figure below, we observed strong improvements in lipoprotein profile following 16 weeks of treatment across all dose groups.

We believe EFX holds the potential to be a promising monotherapy for the treatment of NASH, if approved. NASH is a complex disease, and its treatment ideally would include intervening at all of the various stages of its pathogenesis. Based on the results of the BALANCED study to date, we believe EFX could potentially address all of the various stages of NASH pathogenesis in a single treatment: reducing steatohepatitis, resolving fibrosis and helping restore healthy metabolism to the whole body.

Pending consultation with FDA, we expect to begin the next clinical trial during the first half of 2021. We expect to have drug product derived from recently manufactured drug substance ready for use by the first

quarter of 2021. We expect our research and development expenses to vary from period to period, driven primarily by spending required to conduct clinical trials and manufacturing expenses for EFX.

Recent Developments

Financial Updates

As of June 30, 2020, we had $103.1 million of cash, cash equivalents and short-term marketable securities. These amounts have not been audited, reviewed, or compiled by our independent registered public accounting firm. Our actual cash, cash equivalents and short-term marketable securities as of June 30, 2020 may differ from these amounts after we complete our comprehensive accounting procedures for the three months ended June 30, 2020. Our financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 will not be available until after this offering is completed, and consequently will not be available to you prior to investing in this offering.

Corporate information

We were incorporated in January 2017 under the laws of the State of Delaware under the name Pippin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. On May 16, 2018, we changed our name to Akero Therapeutics, Inc. Our principal executive offices are located at 601 Gateway Boulevard, Suite 350, South San Francisco, CA 94080, and our telephone number is (650)-487-6488. Our website address is www.akerotx.com. The information contained in or accessible from our website is not incorporated into this prospectus, and you should not consider it part of this prospectus. We have included our website address in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference.

Implications of being an emerging growth company

We qualify as an "emerging growth company" as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, as amended, or the JOBS Act. As an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of specified reduced disclosure and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include:

•: two years of audited financial statements in addition to any required unaudited interim financial statements with correspondingly reduced "Management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations" disclosure;
•: reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements;
•: no non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements; and
•: exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting.

We may take advantage of these exemptions for up to five years or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We would cease to be an emerging growth company on the date that is the earliest of (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues of $1.07 billion or more; (ii) the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of our initial public offering; (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in nonconvertible debt during the previous three years; or (iv) the last day of the fiscal year in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, which means the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as

of the prior June 30th. We may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these exemptions. We have taken advantage of reduced reporting requirements in this prospectus. Accordingly, the information contained herein may be different from the information you receive from other public companies in which you hold stock. We are in the process of evaluating the benefits of relying on other exemptions and reduced reporting requirements under the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions, as an emerging growth company, we may rely on certain of these exemptions, including without limitation, providing an auditor's attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We have elected to avail ourselves of this exemption and, therefore, while we are an emerging growth company we will not be subject to new or revised accounting standards at the same time that they become applicable to other public emerging growth companies that have not elected to avail themselves of this exemption.

The offering


Common stock offered by us		4,750,000 shares
Common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering		33,421,222 shares (or 34,133,722 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full)
Option to purchase additional shares		We have granted the underwriters an option exercisable for a period of 30 days to purchase up to additional shares of our common stock.
Use of proceeds		We estimate that we will receive net proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock in this offering of approximately $146.8 million, or $168.9 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, based on an assumed public offering price of $33.02 per share, which was the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market on July 2, 2020, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
		We currently intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities, for our clinical development of efruxifermin, manufacturing to support our future clinical trials, potential in-licensing to diversify our pipeline, and the remainder for working capital and other general corporate purposes. For a more complete description of our intended use of the proceeds from this offering, see "Use of proceeds."
Risk factors		You should carefully read the "Risk factors" section of this prospectus for a discussion of factors that you should consider before deciding to invest in our common stock.
The Nasdaq Global Select Market symbol		"AKRO"

The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 28,671,222 shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2020, and excludes:

•: 2,193,592 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options under the Akero Therapeutics, Inc. 2018 Stock Option and Grant Plan, or the 2018 Plan, as of March 31, 2020 at a weighted-average exercise price of $3.69 per share;
•: 901,858 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options under the Akero Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, or the 2019 Plan, as of March 31, 2020 at a weighted-average exercise price of $20.30 per share;
•: 2,812,364 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance as of March 31, 2020 under our 2019 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, or the 2019 Plan, of which 91,000 shares are issuable upon the exercise of stock options granted subsequent to March 31, 2020 at a weighted-average price of $25.15 per share; and

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks described below and in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, as well as any amendments thereto reflected in subsequent filings with the SEC, each of which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and all of the other information in this prospectus, including our financial statements and related notes incorporated by reference herein. If any of these risks is realized, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our common stock could decline and you could lose part or all of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties that are not yet identified or that we currently believe to be immaterial may also materially harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects and could result in a complete loss of your investment.

The market price of our stock may be volatile, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

The trading price of our common stock is likely to be volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to various factors, some of which we cannot control. In addition to the factors discussed in this "Risk Factors" section and elsewhere in this prospectus, these factors include:

In addition, the stock market in general, and the market for biotechnology companies in particular, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of these companies, including very recently in connection with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in decreased stock prices for many companies notwithstanding the lack of a fundamental change in their underlying business models or prospects. Broad market and industry factors, including potentially worsening economic conditions and other adverse effects or developments relating to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, may significantly reduce the market price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance. The realization of any of the above risks or any of a broad range of other risks, including those described in this "Risk Factors" section, could have a dramatic and material adverse impact on the market price of our common stock.

We have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this offering and may not use them effectively.

Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering, and you will be relying on the judgment of our management regarding the application of these proceeds. You will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether we are using the proceeds appropriately. Our management might not apply our net proceeds in ways that ultimately increase the value of your investment. If we do not invest or apply the net proceeds from this offering in ways that enhance stockholder value, we may fail to achieve expected financial results, which could cause our stock price to decline.

Because of potential volatility in our trading price and trading volume, we may incur significant costs from class action securities litigation.

Holders of stock in companies that have a volatile stock price frequently bring securities class action litigation against the company that issued the stock. We may be the target of this type of litigation in the future. If any of our stockholders were to bring a lawsuit of this type against us, even if the lawsuit is without merit, we could incur substantial costs defending the lawsuit. A stockholder lawsuit could also divert the time and attention of our management. Securities litigation against us could result in substantial costs and divert our management's attention from other business concerns, which could seriously harm our business.

We are an "emerging growth company" as defined in the JOBS Act and a "smaller reporting company" as defined in the Exchange Act and will be able to avail ourselves of reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies and smaller reporting companies, which could make our common stock less attractive to investors and adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

For so long as we remain an "emerging growth company" as defined in the JOBS Act, we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various requirements applicable to public companies that are not "emerging growth companies" including:

We may take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer an emerging growth company, which in certain circumstances could be for up to five years. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of the IPO (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which requires the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates to exceed $700.0 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile.

We are also a "smaller reporting company" as defined in the Exchange Act. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company even after we are no longer an emerging growth company. We may take advantage of certain of the scaled disclosures available to smaller reporting companies until the fiscal year following the determination that our voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates is more than $250.0 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter, or our annual revenues were more than $100.0 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and our voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates was more than $700.0 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter.

Although we are still evaluating the JOBS Act, we currently intend to take advantage of some, but not all, of the reduced regulatory and reporting requirements that will be available to us so long as we qualify as an "emerging growth company" and "smaller reporting company." We have elected to avail ourselves of this exemption and, therefore, we are not subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies or smaller reporting companies. As a result, changes in rules of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles or their interpretation, the adoption of new guidance or the application of existing guidance to changes in our business could

significantly affect our financial position and results of operations. In addition, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to provide an attestation report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting so long as we qualify as an "emerging growth company," which may increase the risk that material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting go undetected. Likewise, so long as we qualify as a "smaller reporting company" or an "emerging growth company," we may elect not to provide you with certain information, including certain financial information and certain information regarding compensation of our executive officers, that we would otherwise have been required to provide in filings we make with the SEC, which may make it more difficult for investors and securities analysts to evaluate our company. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock, and our stock price may be more volatile and may decline.

If you purchase our common stock in this offering, you may incur immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of your shares.

The offering price per share in this offering may exceed the net tangible book value per share of our common stock outstanding prior to this offering. Assuming that an aggregate of 4,750,000 shares of our common stock are sold at a price of $33.02 per share, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on July 2, 2020, for aggregate gross proceeds of $156.8 million, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, you would experience immediate dilution of $25.09 per share, representing the difference between our as adjusted net tangible book value per share as of March 31, 2020 after giving effect to this offering at the assumed offering price. The exercise of outstanding stock options and warrants would result in further dilution of your investment.

This dilution would be due to the substantially lower price paid by some of our investors who purchased shares prior to this offering as compared to the price offered to the public in this offering and the exercise of stock options granted to our employees, directors and consultants. In addition, we have a significant number of stock options outstanding. The exercise of any of these outstanding options would result in further dilution. As a result of the dilution to investors purchasing shares in this offering, investors may receive significantly less than the purchase price paid in this offering, if anything, in the event of our liquidation. Further, because we expect we will need to raise additional capital to fund our future activities, we may in the future sell substantial amounts of common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock.

Future issuances of common stock or common stock-related securities, together with the exercise of outstanding stock options, if any, may result in further dilution. For a further description of the dilution that you will experience immediately after this offering, see the section titled "Dilution."

We do not intend to pay dividends on our common stock so any returns will be limited to the value of our stock.

We currently anticipate that we will retain future earnings for the development, operation and expansion of our business and do not anticipate declaring or paying any cash dividends for the foreseeable future. Any return to stockholders will therefore be limited to the appreciation of their stock.

Our disclosure controls and procedures may not prevent or detect all errors or acts of fraud.

We designed our disclosure controls and procedures to reasonably assure that information we must disclose in reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to

management, and recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC. We believe that any disclosure controls and procedures or internal controls and procedures, no matter how well-conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met.

These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people or by an unauthorized override of the controls. Accordingly, because of the inherent limitations in our control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.

Anti-takeover provisions under our organizational documents and Delaware law could delay or prevent a change of control, which could limit the market price of our common stock and may prevent or frustrate attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management.

Our fourth amended and restated certificate of incorporation and second amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that could delay or prevent a change of control of our company or changes in our board of directors that our stockholders might consider favorable. Some of these provisions include:

In addition, because we are incorporated in Delaware, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporate Law, which may prohibit certain business combinations with stockholders owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock. These anti-takeover provisions and other provisions in our fourth amended and restated certificate of incorporation and second amended and restated bylaws could make it more difficult for stockholders or potential acquirers to obtain control of our board of directors or initiate actions that are opposed by the then-current board of directors and could also delay

or impede a merger, tender offer or proxy contest involving our company. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for you and other stockholders to elect directors of your choosing or cause us to take other corporate actions you desire. Any delay or prevention of a change of control transaction or changes in our board of directors could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

Our second amended and restated bylaws designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders' ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or employees.

Our second amended and restated bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for state law claims for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, and employees to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us or any of our current or former directors, officers, or other employees or stockholders, arising out of or pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our second amended and restated bylaws or (iv) any action asserting a claim that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each case subject to the Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein. This exclusive forum provision will not apply to any causes of action arising under the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. In addition, our second amended and restated bylaws will provide that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our common stock is deemed to have notice of and consented to the foregoing provisions. Additionally, the forum selection clause in our second amended and restated bylaws may limit our stockholders' ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us.

We have chosen the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the exclusive forum for such causes of action because we are incorporated in the State of Delaware and we are familiar with the procedures and rules applicable in such forum.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research, or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research, about our business, our stock price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our common stock will depend, in part, on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. Securities and industry analysts may not publish an adequate amount of research on us, which may negatively impact the trading price for our stock. In addition, if one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our stock or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price would likely decline. Further, if our operating results fail to meet the forecasts of analysts, our stock price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our stock could decrease, which might cause our stock price and trading volume to decline.

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference contain forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). These statements involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance are often, but are not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as "may," "will," "could," "should," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "projects," "seeks," "endeavor," "potential," "continue," and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms, or similar expressions. Accordingly, these statements involve estimates, assumptions, risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in them. Any forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors discussed throughout this prospectus herein, and in particular those factors referenced in the section "Risk Factors."

This prospectus, any related free writing prospectus and the information and documents incorporated herein contain contains forward-looking statements that are based on our management's belief and assumptions and on information currently available to our management. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties our or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:

These forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees of future performance due to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors more fully discussed in the "Risk Factors" section in this prospectus and the risk factors and cautionary statements described in other documents that we file from time to time with the SEC, specifically under "Item 1A. Risk Factors" of Part II and elsewhere in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2020 and our Current Reports on Form 8-K.

In addition, statements that "we believe" and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this prospectus, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.

You should read this prospectus and the documents that we incorporate by reference in this prospectus completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. The forward-looking statements in this prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference herein represent our views as of their respective dates. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our views to change. However, while we may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we have no current intention of doing so except to the extent required by applicable law. You should, therefore, not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this prospectus.

We estimate that the net proceeds to us from the sale of the shares of our common stock in this offering will be approximately $146.8 million, or approximately $168.9 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, based on the assumed public offering price of $33.02 per share, which was the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market on July 2, 2020, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed public offering price of $33.02 per share, which was the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market on July 2, 2020, would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $4.5 million, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

We currently intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities, for our clinical development of efruxifermin, manufacturing to support our future clinical trials, potential in-licensing to diversify our pipeline, and the remainder for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

We may also use a portion of our net proceeds to co-develop, acquire or invest in products, technologies or businesses that are complementary to our business. However, we currently have no agreements or commitments to complete any such transaction.

We cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received upon the completion of this offering. Due to uncertainties inherent in the product development process, it is difficult to estimate the exact amounts of the net proceeds that will be used for any particular purpose. We may use our existing cash and cash equivalents and the future payments, if any, generated from any future collaboration agreements to fund our operations, either of which may alter the amount of net proceeds used for a particular purpose. In addition, the amount, allocation and timing of our actual expenditures will depend upon numerous factors, including the results of our research and development efforts, the timing and success of clinical trials and the timing of regulatory submissions. Accordingly, we will have broad discretion in using these proceeds.

Pending the uses described above, we plan to invest the net proceeds of this offering in short- and immediate-term, interest-bearing obligations, investment-grade instruments, certificates of deposit or direct or guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government.

We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our capital stock. We intend to retain all of our future earnings, if any, to finance the growth and development of our business. We do not intend to pay cash dividends to our stockholders in the foreseeable future.

If you invest in our common stock in this offering, your ownership interest will be diluted immediately to the extent of the difference between the assumed public offering price per share of our common stock and the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after this offering.

As of March 31, 2020, we had net tangible book value of approximately $118.3 million, or $4.13 per share of our common stock, based upon 28,671,222 shares of our common stock outstanding as of that date. Historical net tangible book value per share is the amount of our total tangible assets less our total liabilities. Dilution in net tangible book value per share represents the difference between the amount per share paid by purchasers of shares of common stock in this offering and the net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after this offering. Historical net tangible book value per common share is our historical net tangible book value divided by the number of shares of common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2020.

After giving further effect to our issuance and sale of 4,750,000 shares of our common stock in this offering at the assumed offering price of $33.02 per share, which was the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market on July 2, 2020, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of March 31, 2020 would have been approximately $265.1 million, or approximately $7.93 per share. This represents an immediate increase in as adjusted net tangible book value per share of $3.80 to our existing stockholders and an immediate dilution in as adjusted net tangible book value per share of approximately $25.09 to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering. Dilution per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering is determined by subtracting as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering from the assumed public offering price per share paid by new investors. The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share basis:

Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed public offering price of $33.02 per share, the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market on July 2, 2020, would increase (decrease) dilution per share to new investors by approximately $0.86 after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of common stock in this offering in full at the assumed public offering price of $33.02 per share, which was the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market on July 2, 2020, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, the as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering would be $8.41 per share, and the dilution in as adjusted net tangible book value per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering would be $24.61 per share.

The foregoing tables and calculations are based on 28,671,222 shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2020, and excludes:

To the extent that new stock options are issued or any outstanding options are exercised, or we issue additional shares of common stock in the future, there will be further dilution to new investors. In addition, we may choose to raise additional capital because of market conditions or strategic considerations, even if we believe that we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. If we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to our stockholders.

The following table sets forth certain information known to us regarding beneficial ownership of our capital stock as of June 30, 2020, as adjusted to reflect the sale of common stock offered by us in this offering, for:

Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and generally includes voting or investment power with respect to securities. Under those rules, beneficial ownership includes any shares as to which the individual or entity has sole or shared voting power or investment power, and includes securities that the individual or entity has the right to acquire, such as through the exercise of stock options, within 60 days of June 30, 2020. Except as noted by footnote, and subject to community property laws where applicable, we believe, based on the information provided to us, that the persons and entities named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all common stock shown as beneficially owned by them.

The percentage of beneficial ownership prior to this offering in the table below is based on 28,683,679 shares of common stock deemed to be outstanding as of June 30, 2020, and the percentage of beneficial ownership after this offering in the table below is based on 33,433,679 shares of common stock assumed to be outstanding after the closing of the offering. The information in the table below assumes no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares.

The following table does not reflect any potential purchases by these stockholders or their affiliated entities. If any shares are purchased by these stockholders, the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned after this offering and the percentage of common stock beneficially owned after this offering would increase from that set forth in the table below.

Except as otherwise noted below, the address for persons listed in the table is c/o Akero Therapeutics, Inc., 601 Gateway Boulevard, Suite 350, South San Francisco, CA 94080.




	Shares beneficially owned
Name and address of beneficial owner(1)	Number		Percentage

*Greater-than-5% Stockholders:*
Amgen Inc.(2)		1,905,698		6.64%
Apple Tree Partners IV, L.P.(3)		5,415,203		18.88%
Entities affiliated with Atlas Venture(4)		3,110,491		10.84%
Entities affiliated with Janus Henderson(5)		2,409,533		8.40%
venBio Global Strategic Fund II, L.P.(6)		3,150,019		10.98%
Versant Venture Capital VI, L.P.(7)		3,092,698		10.78%
*Named Executive Officers and Directors:*
Andrew Cheng, M.D., Ph.D.(8)		1,070,744		3.64%
William White(9)		154,445		*
Jonathan Young, J.D., Ph.D.(10)		315,601		1.10%
Timothy Rolph, DPhil(11)		314,934		1.10%
Kevin Bitterman, Ph.D.(12)		6,500		*
Seth L. Harrison, M.D,(13)		6,500		*
Jane P. Henderson(14)		18,265		*
Tomas J. Heyman(15)		1,444		*
Mark Iwicki(16)		63,731		*
Graham Walmsley, M.D., Ph.D.(17)		6,500		*
All executive officers and directors as a group (11 persons)(18)		2,229,772		7.45%

* Represents beneficial ownership of less than one %.

(1) Unless otherwise indicated, the address for each beneficial owner is c/o Akero Therapeutics, Inc., 601 Gateway Boulevard, Suite 350, South San Francisco 94080.

(2) Information herein is solely based on a Schedule 13G filed by Amgen Inc. with the SEC on February 10, 2020. Consists of 1,905,698 shares of common stock held by Amgen Inc. The mailing address of Amgen Inc. is One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320.

(3) Information herein is solely based on a Schedule 13F filed by Apple Tree Partners IV, L.P., ATP III GP, Ltd. and Seth L. Harrison with the SEC on February 3, 2020. Consists of 5,415,203 shares of common stock held by Apple Tree Partners IV, L.P. ("ATP"). ATP is managed by ATP III GP, Ltd., the sole director of which is Dr. Seth L. Harrison. Dr. Seth L. Harrison is also a member of our board of directors. Dr. Harrison disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares listed, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein. The mailing address of Apple Tree Partners IV, L.P. is 230 Park Avenue, Suite 2800, New York, NY 10169.

(4) Information herein is solely based on Form 4s filed with the SEC by (i) Atlas Venture Fund XI, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ("Atlas XI") on January 2, 2020 and (ii) Atlas Venture Opportunity Fund I, L.P. ("AVO I") on February 10, 2020. Consists of (a) 2,706,412 shares of common stock held by Atlas XI and (b) 404,079 shares of common stock held by AVO I. Atlas Venture Associates XI, L.P. ("AVA XI LP") is the general partner of Atlas XI and Atlas Venture Associates XI, LLC ("AVA XI LLC" and together with Atlas XI and AVA XI LP, the "Fund XI Reporting Persons") is the general partner of AVA XI LP. Each of AVA XI LP and AVA XI LLC has voting and dispositive power over the shares held by Atlas XI. As such, each of the Fund XI Reporting Persons share voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by Atlas XI. Atlas Venture Associates Opportunity I, L.P. ("AVAO LP") is the general partner of AVO I and Associates Opportunity I, LLC ("AVAO LLC" and together with AVO I and AVAO LP, the "Opportunity Fund Reporting Persons") is the general partner of AVAO LP. Each of AVAO LP and AVAO LLC has voting and dispositive power over the shares held by AVO I. As such, each of the Opportunity Fund Reporting Persons share voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by AVO I. Bruce Booth, Jean-Francois Formela, David Grayzel, Jason Rhodes, and Kevin Bitterman are the members of AVA IX LLC and AVAO LLC and collectively make investment decisions on behalf of Atlas Fund XI and Atlas Fund I. Kevin Bitterman is also a member of our board of directors. Mr. Bitterman disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares listed, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein. The mailing address of Atlas XI and AVO I is 400 Technology Square, 10th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139.

(5) Information herein is solely based on a Schedule 13G filed by Janus Henderson Group plc with the SEC on February 14, 2020. Consists of 2,409,533 shares of common stock held by Janus Henderson Group plc ("Janus Henderson"). Janus Henderson has an indirect 97% ownership stake in Intech Investment Management LLC ("Intech") and a 100% ownership stake in Janus Capital Management LLC ("JCM"), Perkins Investment Management LLC ("Perkins"), Geneva Capital Management LLC ("Geneva"), Henderson Global Investors Limited ("HGIL") and Janus Henderson Investors Australia Institutional Funds Management Limited ("JHIAIFML"), (each an "Asset Manager" and collectively as the "Asset

Managers"). Due to the above ownership structure, holdings for the Asset Managers are aggregated for purposes of this filing. Each Asset Manager is an investment adviser registered or authorized in its relevant jurisdiction and each furnishing investment advice to various fund, individual and/or institutional clients (collectively referred to herein as "Managed Portfolios"). As a result of its role as investment adviser or sub-adviser to the Managed Portfolios, JCM may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of the shares held by such Managed Portfolios. However, JCM does not have the right to receive any dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the securities held in the Managed Portfolios and disclaims any ownership associated with such rights. The mailing address for Janus Henderson Global Life Sciences Fund is 151 Detroit Street, Denver, CO 80206.

(6) Information herein is solely based on a Form 4 filed by venBio Global Strategic Fund II, L.P. (the "venBio Fund") with the SEC on March 6, 2020. Consists of 3,150,019 shares of common stock (the "Fund Shares") held by the venBio Fund. venBio Global Strategic GP II, L.P., (the "General Partner") is the sole general partner of the venBio Fund. venBio Global Strategic GP II, Ltd., ("GP Ltd.") is the sole general partner of the General Partner. Robert Adelman and Corey Goodman are directors of GP Ltd. As the sole general partner of the venBio Fund, the General Partner may be deemed to own beneficially the Fund Shares. As the sole general partner of the General Partner, the GP Ltd. likewise may be deemed to own beneficially the Fund Shares. As directors of the GP Ltd., each of the Directors likewise may be deemed to own beneficially the Fund Shares. The address for the Fund, the General Partner and GP Ltd. is c/o venBio Partners, LLC, 1700 Owens Street, Suite 595, San Francisco, CA 94158.

(7) Information herein is solely based on a Form 4 filed by Versant Venture Capital VI, L.P. with the SEC on January 21, 2020. Consists of 3,092,698 shares of common stock held by Versant Venture Capital VI, L.P. ("Versant VI"). Versant Ventures VI GP, L.P. ("Versant VI GP LP") is the sole general partner of Versant VI and Versant VI GP-GP, LLC is the sole general partner of Versant VI GP LP. Thomas Woiwode, Bradley Bolzon, Kirk Nielsen, Robin Praeger, and Jerel Davis, are the managing directors of Versant VI LLC and may be deemed to share voting and investment power over the shares held by Versant VI. The mailing address for Versant Venture Capital VI, L.P. is One Sansome, Suite 3630, San Francisco, CA 94104.

(8) Consists of: (i) 327,559 shares of common stock held by Dr. Cheng and (ii) 743,185 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2020.

(9) Consists of: (i) 2,270 shares of common stock held by Mr. White and (ii) 152,175 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2020.

(10) Consists of: (i) 184,845 shares of common stock held by Dr. Young, (ii) 20,000 shares of common stock held by the EA Irrevocable Trust of which Dr. Young's spouse is the trustee, (iii) 20,000 shares of common stock held by the CM Irrevocable Trust of which Dr. Young's spouse is the trustee, (iv) 20,000 shares of common stock held by JL Irrevocable Trust of which Dr. Young's spouse is the trustee and (v) 70,756 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2020. Dr. Young disclaims beneficial ownership of an additional 60,000 shares of common stock that are held in irrevocable trusts for the benefit of his children.

(11) Consists of: (i) 244,178 of common stock held by Dr. Rolph and (ii) 70,756 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2020.

(12) Consists of 6,500 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2020.

(13) Consists of 6,500 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2020.

(14) Consists of 18,265 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2020.

(15) Consists of 1,444 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2020.

(16) Consists of 63,731 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2020.

(17) Consists of: (i) 2,168 shares of common stock held by Dr. Walmsley and (ii) 4,332 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2020.

(18) See notes 8 through 17 above; also includes (i) 164,914 shares of common stock owned by Ms. Yale, who is an executive officer but not a named executive officer, and (ii) 106,914 shares of common stock underlying options exercisable within 60 days from June 30, 2020.

The following descriptions are summaries of the material terms of our fourth amended and restated certificate of incorporation, second amended and restated bylaws. We refer in this section to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation as our certificate of incorporation, and we refer to our amended and restated bylaws as our bylaws.

Our authorized capital stock consists of 150,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and 10,000,000 shares of convertible preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, all of which shares of convertible preferred stock are undesignated.

As of June 30, 2020, 28,683,679 shares of our common stock were outstanding and held by 11 stockholders of record.

The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders. The holders of our common stock do not have any cumulative voting rights. Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably any dividends declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for that purpose, subject to any preferential dividend rights of any outstanding convertible preferred stock. Our common stock has no preemptive rights, conversion rights or other subscription rights or redemption or sinking fund provisions.

In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of our common stock will be entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of all debts and other liabilities and any liquidation preference of any outstanding convertible preferred stock. All of our outstanding shares of common stock are, and the shares of common stock to be issued in this offering will be, fully paid and nonassessable.

Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by our stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions thereof. These rights, preferences and privileges could include dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, liquidation preferences, sinking fund terms and the number of shares constituting, or the designation of, such series, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of common stock. The issuance of our preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power of holders of common stock and the likelihood that such holders will receive dividend payments and payments upon our liquidation. In addition, the issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company or other corporate action. As of March 31, 2020, no shares of convertible preferred stock are currently outstanding, and we have no present plan to issue any shares of convertible preferred stock.

As of March 31, 2020, options to purchase 3,095,450 shares of our common stock were outstanding, of which 264,176 were vested and exercisable as of that date, with a per share weighted-average price of $7.76 per share, under our 2018 Stock Option and Grant Plan and 2019 Stock Option and Incentive Plan.

The holders of certain shares of our common stock are entitled to rights with respect to the registration of these securities under the Securities Act. These rights are provided under the terms of an investors' rights agreement between us and holders of our preferred stock, which was subsequently converted into common stock in connection with our initial public offering. The investors' rights agreement includes demand registration rights, short form registration rights, and piggyback registration rights. All fees, costs and expenses of underwritten registrations under this agreement will be borne by us and all selling expenses, including underwriting discounts and selling commissions, will be borne by the holders of the shares being registered.

The holders of certain shares of our common stock are entitled to demand registration rights. Under the terms of the amended and restated investors' rights agreement, we will be required, upon the written request of a majority of the holders of convertible preferred stock, to file a registration statement and use best efforts to effect the registration of all or a portion of these shares for public resale at an aggregate price of at least $10.0 million. We are required to effect only one registration pursuant to this provision of the amended and restated investors' rights agreement.

Pursuant to the amended and restated investors' rights agreement, if we are eligible to file a registration statement on Form S-3, upon the written request of at least 20% of these holders to sell registrable securities at an aggregate price of at least $5.0 million, we will be required to use commercially reasonable efforts to effect a registration of such shares. We are required to effect only one registration in any twelve-month period pursuant to this provision of the investors' rights agreement. The right to have such shares registered on Form S-3 is further subject to other specified conditions and limitations.

Pursuant to the amended and restated investors' rights agreement, if we register any of our securities either for our own account or for the account of other security holders, the holders of these shares are entitled to include their shares in the registration. Subject to certain exceptions contained in the amended and restated investors' rights agreement, we and the underwriters may terminate or withdraw any registration initiated before the effective date of such registration in our sole discretion. All applicable piggyback registration rights were waived in connection with this offering.

Our amended and restated investors' rights agreement contains customary cross-indemnification provisions, under which we are obligated to indemnify holders of registrable securities in the event of material misstatements or omissions in the registration statement attributable to us, and they are obligated to indemnify us for material misstatements or omissions attributable to them.

The demand registration rights and short form registration rights granted under the investors' rights agreement will terminate on the third anniversary of our initial public offering or at such time when the holders' shares may be sold without restriction pursuant to Rule 144 within a three-month period.

Anti-Takeover effects of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and Delaware law

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws include a number of provisions that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing another party from acquiring control of us and encouraging persons considering unsolicited tender offers or other unilateral takeover proposals to negotiate with our board of directors rather than pursue non-negotiated takeover attempts. These provisions include the items described below.

Our certificate of incorporation provides for the division of our board of directors into three classes serving staggered three-year terms, with one class being elected each year. Our certificate of incorporation also provides that directors may be removed only for cause and then only by the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds or more of the shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors. Furthermore, any vacancy on our board of directors, however occurring, including a vacancy resulting from an increase in the size of our board, may only be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of our directors then in office even if less than a quorum. The classification of directors, together with the limitations on removal of directors and treatment of vacancies, has the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of our board of directors.

Our certificate of incorporation provides that all stockholder actions are required to be taken by a vote of the stockholders at an annual or special meeting, and that stockholders may not take any action by written consent in lieu of a meeting. This limit may lengthen the amount of time required to take stockholder actions and would prevent the amendment of our bylaws or removal of directors by our stockholders without holding a meeting of stockholders.

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that only a majority of the members of our board of directors then in office may call special meetings of stockholders and only those matters set forth in the notice of the special meeting may be considered or acted upon at a special meeting of stockholders. Our bylaws limit the business that may be conducted at an annual meeting of stockholders to those matters properly brought before the meeting.

Our bylaws establish advance notice procedures with regard to stockholder proposals relating to the nomination of candidates for election as directors or new business to be brought before meetings of our stockholders. These procedures provide that notice of stockholder proposals must be timely given in writing to our corporate secretary prior to the meeting at which the action is to be taken. Generally, to be timely, notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the annual meeting for the preceding year. Our bylaws specify the requirements as to form and content of all stockholders' notices. These requirements may preclude stockholders from bringing matters before the stockholders at an annual or special meeting.

Any amendment of our certificate of incorporation must first be approved by a majority of our board of directors, and if required by law or our certificate of incorporation, must thereafter be approved by a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment and a majority of the outstanding

shares of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class, except that the amendment of the provisions relating to stockholder action, board composition, limitation of liability and certificate of incorporation must be approved by not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, and not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class. Our bylaws may be amended by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, subject to any limitations set forth in the bylaws; and may also be amended by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment.

Our certificate of incorporation provides for 10,000,000 authorized shares of preferred stock. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock may enable our board of directors to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise. For example, if in the due exercise of its fiduciary obligations, our board of directors were to determine that a takeover proposal is not in the best interests of our stockholders, our board of directors could cause shares of preferred stock to be issued without stockholder approval in one or more private offerings or other transactions that might dilute the voting or other rights of the proposed acquirer or insurgent stockholder or stockholder group. In this regard, our certificate of incorporation grants our board of directors broad power to establish the rights and preferences of authorized and unissued shares of preferred stock. The issuance of shares of preferred stock could decrease the amount of earnings and assets available for distribution to holders of shares of common stock. The issuance may also adversely affect the rights and powers, including voting rights, of these holders and may have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a change in control of us.

Our bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative form, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) will be the sole and exclusive forum for state law claims for (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; (2) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty or other wrongdoing by any of our directors, officers, employees or agents to us or our stockholders; (3) any action asserting a claim against us, or any current or former director, officer, or other employee or stockholder, arising out of or pursuant to any provision of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or our certificate of incorporation or bylaws; and (4) any action asserting a claim against us or any current or former director or officer or other employee governed by the internal affairs doctrine. The choice of forum provision does not apply to any causes of action arising under the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Our bylaws also provides that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to this choice of forum provision. It is possible that a court of law could rule that the choice of forum provision contained in our bylaws is inapplicable or unenforceable if it is challenged in a proceeding or otherwise. Additionally, the forum selection clause in our second amended and restated bylaws may limit our stockholders' ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us.

We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a "business combination" with an "interested stockholder" for a three-year period following the time that this stockholder becomes an

interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. Under Section 203, a business combination between a corporation and an interested stockholder is prohibited unless it satisfies one of the following conditions:

In general, Section 203 defines an interested stockholder as any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by the entity or person.

Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol "AKRO."

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A. The transfer agent and registrar's address is 250 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021, and its telephone number is (800) 962-4284.

Future sales of our common stock, including shares issued upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants, in the public market after this offering, or the perception that those sales may occur, could cause the prevailing market price for our common stock to fall or impair our ability to raise equity capital in the future. As described below, only a limited number of shares of our common stock will be available for sale in the public market for a period of 90 days after consummation of this offering due to contractual and legal restrictions on resale described below. Future sales of our common stock in the public market either before (to the extent permitted) or after restrictions lapse, or the perception that those sales may occur, could adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common stock at such time and our ability to raise equity capital at a time and price we deem appropriate.

Based on the number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2020 and assuming (1) no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares of common stock and (2) no exercise of any of our other outstanding options, we will have outstanding an aggregate of approximately 33,421,222 shares of common stock following this offering. Of these shares, all of the shares of common stock to be sold in this offering, and any shares sold upon exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares, will be freely tradable in the public market without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, unless the shares are held by any of our "affiliates" as such term is defined in Rule 144 of the Securities Act. Certain of the remaining shares of common stock held by existing stockholders immediately prior to the consummation of this offering will be "restricted securities" as such term is defined in Rule 144 and/or subject to the terms of the lock-up agreements described below. These restricted securities were issued and sold by us, or will be issued and sold by us, in private transactions and are eligible for public sale only if registered under the Securities Act or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under the Securities Act, including the exemptions provided by Rule 144 or Rule 701, which rules are summarized below.

We, our directors and executive officers and certain holders of our common stock have signed a lock-up agreement that prevent us and them from selling any of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock for a period of not less than 90 days from the date of this prospectus without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Jefferies LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C., subject to certain exceptions. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Jefferies LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C. may waive these restrictions with respect to some or all of the subject securities in their sole discretion. See "Underwriting" appearing elsewhere in this prospectus for more information. Certain of our employees, including our executive officers, and/or directors may enter into written trading plans that are intended to comply with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act.

Following the lock-up periods set forth in the agreements described above, and assuming that the representatives of the underwriters do not release any parties from these agreements, all of the shares of our common stock that are restricted securities or are held by our affiliates as of the date of this prospectus will be eligible for sale in the public market in compliance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act.

In general, a person who has beneficially owned restricted stock for at least six months would be entitled to sell their securities provided that (i) such person is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the 90 days preceding, a sale and (ii) we are subject to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, periodic reporting requirements for at least 90 days before the sale. Persons who have beneficially owned restricted shares for at least six months but who are our affiliates at the time of, or any time during the 90 days preceding, a sale, would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three-month period only a number of securities that does not exceed the greater of either of the following:

provided, in each case, that we are subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least 90 days before the sale. Such sales both by affiliates and by non-affiliates must also comply with the manner of sale, current public information and notice provisions of Rule 144.

Rule 701 under the Securities Act, as in effect on the date of this prospectus, permits resales of shares in reliance upon Rule 144 but without compliance with certain restrictions of Rule 144, including the holding period requirement. Most of our employees, executive officers or directors who purchased shares under a written compensatory plan or contract may be entitled to rely on the resale provisions of Rule 701, but all holders of Rule 701 shares are required to wait until 90 days after the date of this prospectus before selling their shares.

However, substantially all Rule 701 shares are subject to lock-up agreements as described below and under "Underwriting" included elsewhere in this prospectus and will become eligible for sale upon the expiration of the restrictions set forth in those agreements.

Certain holders of our securities will be entitled to various rights with respect to registration of their shares under the Securities Act. Registration of these shares under the Securities Act would result in these shares becoming fully tradable without restriction under the Securities Act immediately upon the effectiveness of the registration. See "Description of capital stock—Registration rights" appearing elsewhere in this prospectus for more information.

Material U.S. federal income tax considerations for non-U.S. holders of common stock

The following discussion is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to non-U.S. holders (as defined below) with respect to their ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock issued pursuant to this offering. For purposes of this discussion, the term "non-U.S. holder" means a beneficial owner of our common stock that is not a partnership (or entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) and is not, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, any of the following:

This discussion does not address the tax treatment of partnerships or other entities or arrangements that are pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes or persons that hold their common stock through partnerships or other pass-through entities. A partner in a partnership or other pass-through entity that will hold our common stock should consult his, her or its tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of acquiring, holding and disposing of our common stock through a partnership or other pass-through entity, as applicable.

This discussion is based on current provisions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which we refer to as the Code, existing and proposed U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, current administrative rulings and judicial decisions, all as in effect as of the date of this prospectus supplement and, all of which are subject to change or to differing interpretation, possibly with retroactive effect. Any such change or differing interpretation could alter the tax consequences to non-U.S. holders described in this prospectus supplement. There can be no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service, which we refer to as the IRS, will not challenge one or more of the tax consequences described herein. We assume in this discussion that a non-U.S. holder holds shares of our common stock as a capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code, generally property held for investment.

This discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to a particular non-U.S. holder in light of that non-U.S. holder's individual circumstances nor does it address any U.S. state, local or non-U.S. taxes, the alternative minimum tax, the Medicare tax on net investment income, the rules regarding qualified small business stock within the meaning of Section 1202 of the Code, or any other aspect of any U.S. federal tax other than the income tax. This discussion also does not consider any specific facts or circumstances that may apply to a non-U.S. holder and does not address the special tax rules applicable to particular non-U.S. holders, such as:

This discussion is for general information only and is not tax advice. Accordingly, all prospective non-U.S. holders of our common stock should consult their tax advisors with respect to the U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common stock.

As discussed under "Dividend Policy" above, we do not expect to make cash distributions to holders of our common stock in the foreseeable future. Distributions, if any, on our common stock will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. If a distribution exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated as a tax-free return of the non-U.S. holder's investment, up to such holder's tax basis in the common stock. Any remaining excess will be treated as capital gain, subject to the tax treatment described below in "Gain on sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock." Any such distributions will also be subject to the discussions below under the sections titled "Backup withholding and information reporting" and "Withholding and information reporting requirements—FATCA."

Subject to the discussion in the following two paragraphs in this section, dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder generally will be subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and such holder's country of residence.

Dividends that are treated as effectively connected with a trade or business conducted by a non-U.S. holder within the United States and, if an applicable income tax treaty so provides, that are attributable to a permanent establishment or a fixed base maintained by the non-U.S. holder within the United States, are generally exempt from the 30% withholding tax if the non-U.S. holder satisfies applicable certification and disclosure requirements (generally including provision of a valid IRS Form W-8ECI (or applicable successor

form) certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder's conduct of a trade or business within the United States). However, such U.S. effectively connected income, net of specified deductions and credits, is taxed at the same U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to United States persons (as defined in the Code). Any U.S. effectively connected income received by a non-U.S. holder that is a corporation may also, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional "branch profits tax" at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and such holder's country of residence.

A non-U.S. holder of our common stock who claims the benefit of an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and such holder's country of residence generally will be required to provide a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or successor form) to the applicable withholding agent and satisfy applicable certification and other requirements. Non-U.S. holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding their entitlement to benefits under a relevant income tax treaty. A non-U.S. holder that is eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. withholding tax under an income tax treaty may obtain a refund or credit of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing a U.S. tax return with the IRS.

Subject to the discussions below under "Backup withholding and information reporting" and "Withholding and information reporting requirements—FATCA," a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to any U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized upon such holder's sale or other taxable disposition of shares of our common stock unless:

We must report annually to the IRS and to each non-U.S. holder the gross amount of the distributions on our common stock paid to such holder and the tax withheld, if any, with respect to such distributions. Non-U.S. holders may have to comply with specific certification procedures to establish that the holder is not a United States person (as defined in the Code) in order to avoid backup withholding at the applicable rate with respect to dividends on our common stock. Generally, a non-U.S. holder will comply with such procedures if it provides a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or other applicable Form W-8) or otherwise meets the documentary evidence requirements for establishing that it is a not a United States person or otherwise establishes an exemption. Dividends paid to non-U.S. holders subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax, as described above in "Distributions on our common stock," generally will be exempt from U.S. backup withholding.

Information reporting and backup withholding will generally apply to the proceeds of a disposition of our common stock by a non-U.S. holder effected by or through the U.S. office of any broker, U.S. or foreign, unless the holder certifies its status as a non-U.S. holder and satisfies certain other requirements, or otherwise establishes an exemption. Generally, information reporting and backup withholding will not apply to a payment of disposition proceeds to a non-U.S. holder where the transaction is effected outside the United States through a non-U.S. office of a broker. However, for information reporting purposes, dispositions effected through a non-U.S. office of a broker with substantial U.S. ownership or operations generally will be treated in a manner similar to dispositions effected through a U.S. office of a broker.

Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the information reporting and backup withholding rules to them. Copies of information returns may be made available to the tax authorities of the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is incorporated under the provisions of a specific treaty or agreement. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a non-U.S. holder can be refunded or credited against the non-U.S. holder's U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, provided that an appropriate claim is filed with the IRS in a timely manner.

Provisions of the Code commonly referred to as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, generally impose a U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% on payments of dividends on our common stock paid to a foreign entity unless (i) if the foreign entity is a "foreign financial institution," such foreign entity undertakes certain due diligence, reporting, withholding, and certification obligations, (ii) if the foreign entity is not a "foreign financial institution," such foreign entity identifies certain of its U.S. investors, if any, or (iii) the foreign entity is otherwise exempt under FATCA. Such withholding may also apply to payments of gross proceeds from sales or other dispositions of our common stock, although under proposed regulations (the preamble to which specifies that taxpayers are generally permitted to rely on them pending finalization), if finalized in their present form, no withholding will apply to payments of gross proceeds. Under certain circumstances, a non-U.S. holder may be eligible for refunds or credits of this withholding tax. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country may modify the requirements described in this paragraph. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the possible implications of this legislation on their investment in our common stock and the entities through which they hold our common stock, including, without limitation, the process and

deadlines for meeting the applicable requirements to prevent the imposition of the 30% withholding tax under FATCA.

The preceding discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations for non-U.S. holders is for informational purposes only. It is not legal or tax advice. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the particular U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences of purchasing, holding and disposing of our common stock, including the consequences of any proposed changes in applicable laws.

We are offering the shares of common stock described in this prospectus through a number of underwriters. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Jefferies LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C. are acting as joint book-running managers of the offering and as representatives of the underwriters. We have entered into an underwriting agreement with the underwriters. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase, at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the number of shares of common stock listed next to its name in the following table:

The underwriters are committed to purchase all the shares of common stock offered by us if they purchase any shares. The underwriting agreement also provides that if an underwriter defaults, the purchase commitments of non-defaulting underwriters may also be increased or the offering may be terminated.

The underwriters propose to offer the common stock directly to the public at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to certain dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $ per share. After the initial offering of the shares to the public, if all of the shares of common stock are not sold at the initial public offering price, the underwriters may change the offering price and the other selling terms. Sales of any shares made outside of the United States may be made by affiliates of the underwriters.

The underwriters have an option to buy up to 712,500 additional shares of common stock from us. The underwriters have 30 days from the date of this prospectus to exercise this option to purchase additional shares. If any shares are purchased with this option to purchase additional shares, the underwriters will purchase shares in approximately the same proportion as shown in the table above. If any additional shares of common stock are purchased, the underwriters will offer the additional shares on the same terms as those on which the shares are being offered.

The underwriting fee is equal to the public offering price per share of common stock less the amount paid by the underwriters to us per share of common stock. The underwriting fee is $ per share. The following table shows the per share and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid to the

underwriters assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares.

We estimate that the total expenses of this offering, including registration, filing and listing fees, printing fees and legal and accounting expenses, but excluding the underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $650,000. We have agreed to reimburse the underwriters for expenses relating to the clearance of this offering with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. in an amount up to $40,000.

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the web sites maintained by one or more underwriters, or selling group members, if any, participating in the offering. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number of shares to underwriters and selling group members for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the representatives to underwriters and selling group members that may make Internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations.

We have agreed that we will not (i) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, hedge, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or submit to or file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of our common stock, (ii) enter into any swap, hedging or other arrangement that transfers all or a portion of the economic consequences associated with the ownership of any shares of common stock or any such other securities (regardless of whether any of these transactions are to be settled by the delivery of shares of common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise), in each case without the prior written consent of the representatives for a period of 90 days after the date of this prospectus, other than the shares of our common stock to be sold in this offering, subject to certain limited exceptions or (iii) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing.

Our directors and executive officers, and certain of our securityholders have entered into lock-up agreements with the underwriters prior to the commencement of this offering pursuant to which each of these persons or entities, with limited exceptions, for a period of 90 days after the date of this prospectus, may not, and may not cause any direct or indirect affiliate to, without the prior written consent of the representatives, (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, hedge, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock (including, without limitation, common stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by such directors, executive officers, managers and members in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) or (2) enter into any hedging, swap or other agreement or transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the common stock or such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of common stock or such other securities, in cash or

otherwise, (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any shares of our common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing.

The restrictions described in the immediately preceding paragraph do not apply to, among other items:

1. the securities to be sold by the securityholder pursuant to the underwriting agreement,

2. sales or transfers of shares of common stock acquired in open market transactions after the consummation of this offering,

3. transfers of shares of common stock (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, (ii) by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession to the legal representative, heir, beneficiary or a member of the immediate family of the securityholder in a transaction not involving a disposition for value or (iii) by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order or as required by a divorce settlement,

4. if the securityholder is an individual, transfers of shares of common stock or any security directly or indirectly convertible into common stock in a transaction not involving a disposition for value to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the securityholder or the immediate family of the securityholder, or limited partnerships the partners of which are the securityholder and/or the immediate family members of the securityholder, in each case for estate planning purposes,

5. if the securityholder is a trust, distributions of shares of common stock or any security directly or indirectly convertible into common stock to its beneficiaries in a transaction not involving a disposition for value,

6. if the securityholder is a corporation, limited liability company, partnership (whether general, limited or otherwise) or other entity, distribution of shares of common stock or any security directly or indirectly convertible into common stock to current or former members, stockholders, limited partners, general partners, subsidiaries or affiliates of the securityholder or to any investment fund or other entity that controls or manages the securityholder (including, for the avoidance of doubt, a fund managed by the same manager or managing member or general partner or management company or by an entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such manager or managing member or general partner or management company as the securityholder or who shares a common investment advisor with the securityholder) in a transaction not involving a disposition for value,

7. transfers of shares of common stock to our company in connection with the exercise of options, warrants or other rights to acquire common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable for our common stock by way of net exercise and/or to cover withholding tax obligations in connection with such exercise pursuant to an employee benefit plan, option, warrant or other right disclosed in this prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein), provided that any such shares issued upon exercise of such option, warrant or other right shall be subject to the restrictions set forth herein; provided that no public report or filing required to be made under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act or other public filing, report or announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the period beginning on the date hereof and continuing to and including the date that is 30 days after the date of this prospectus, or the "30 Day Period," and after such 30th day, if the securityholder is required to file a report under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act during the restricted period, the securityholder shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto that such transfer is pursuant to the circumstances described in this clause (7), and provided, further that no other public announcement shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer, and

8. transfers of shares of common stock to a bona fide third party pursuant to a merger, consolidation, tender offer or other similar transaction made to all holders of common stock and involving a change of control of our company after this offering and approved by our board of directors, provided that in the event that such transaction is not completed, the shares of common stock held by the securityholder shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in the lockup agreement, and provided further that in the event any shares of common stock not transferred in the change of control shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in the lockup agreement.

Provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (3), (4), (5), (6) or (7) each donee, transferee, heir, beneficiary or distributee shall execute and deliver to the representative a lockup agreement; and provided, further, that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (2), (3), (4), (5), or (6), no filing by any party (the securityholder, beneficiary, heir, donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than a filing on a Form 5 and any required Schedule 13F, 13G or 13G/A, in each case made after the expiration of the restricted period referred to above). If the securityholder is an officer or director of our company, the securityholder further agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed securities the securityholder may purchase in this offering.

In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the lockup agreement, the securityholder may (i) exercise options or warrants to purchase common stock (provided that any common stock received upon such exercise or exchange will be subject to the restrictions provided for in the lockup agreement) and (ii) enter into any plan designed to satisfy the requirements of Rule 10b5-1, or a "10b5-1 Plan," under the Exchange Act (other than the entry into such a plan in such a manner as to allow the sale of common stock within the restricted period); provided, however, that no sale of common stock may be made under such 10b5-1 Plan during the restricted period, and provided further that no filing by any party under the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with the establishment of such plan.

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933.

Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol "AKRO."

In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions, which involves making bids for, purchasing and selling shares of common stock in the open market for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock while this offering is in progress. These stabilizing transactions may include making short sales of common stock, which involves the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares of common stock than they are required to purchase in this offering, and purchasing shares of common stock on the open market to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales may be "covered" shorts, which are short positions in an amount not greater than the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares referred to above, or may be "naked" shorts, which are short positions in excess of that amount. The underwriters may close out any covered short position either by exercising their option to purchase additional shares, in whole or in part, or by purchasing shares in the open market. In making this determination, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market compared to the price at which the underwriters may purchase shares through the option to purchase additional shares. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common stock in the open market that could adversely affect investors who

purchase in this offering. To the extent that the underwriters create a naked short position, they will purchase shares in the open market to cover the position.

The underwriters have advised us that, pursuant to Regulation M of the Securities Act of 1933, they may also engage in other activities that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the common stock, including the imposition of penalty bids. This means that if the representatives of the underwriters purchase common stock in the open market in stabilizing transactions or to cover short sales, the representatives can require the underwriters that sold those shares as part of this offering to repay the underwriting discount and commissions received by them.

These activities may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of the common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock, and, as a result, the price of the common stock may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If the underwriters commence these activities, they may discontinue them at any time. The underwriters may carry out these transactions on The Nasdaq Global Market, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

Certain of the underwriters and their affiliates have provided in the past to us and our affiliates and may provide from time to time in the future certain commercial banking, financial advisory, investment banking and other services for us and such affiliates in the ordinary course of their business, for which they have received and may continue to receive customary fees and commissions. In addition, from time to time, certain of the underwriters and their affiliates may effect transactions for their own account or the account of customers, and hold on behalf of themselves or their customers, long or short positions in our debt or equity securities or loans, and may do so in the future.

Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The securities offered by this prospectus may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to the offering and the distribution of this prospectus. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.

Notice to prospective investors in the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom

In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom (each a "Relevant State"), no shares have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in that Relevant State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant State, all in accordance with the

Prospectus Regulation, except that offers of shares may be made to the public in that Relevant State at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation:

(a) to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under the Prospectus Regulation;

(b) to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the underwriters; or

provided that no such offer of shares shall require us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation and each person who initially acquires any shares or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with each of the underwriters and the company that it is a "qualified investor" within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation. In the case of any shares being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in the Prospectus Regulation, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the shares acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of any shares to the public other than their offer or resale in a Relevant State to qualified investors as so defined or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the underwriters have been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an "offer to the public" in relation to shares in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares, and the expression "Prospectus Regulation" means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.

In addition, in the United Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer subsequently made may only be directed at persons who are "qualified investors" (as defined in the Prospectus Regulation) (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order") and/or (ii) who are high net worth companies (or persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated) falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons") or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in an offer to the public of the shares in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on the information included in this document or use it as basis for taking any action. In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity that this document relates to may be made or taken exclusively by relevant persons.

The shares may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the shares must

be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser's province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser's province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

The shares may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange ("SIX") or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document does not constitute a prospectus within the meaning of, and has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the company, the shares have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of shares will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA (FINMA), and the offer of shares has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes ("CISA"). The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of shares.

This document relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Markets Rules 2012 of the Dubai Financial Services Authority ("DFSA"). This document is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Markets Rules 2012 of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus supplement nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for this document. The securities to which this document relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered should conduct their own due diligence on the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this document you should consult an authorized financial advisor.

In relation to its use in the DIFC, this document is strictly private and confidential and is being distributed to a limited number of investors and must not be provided to any person other than the original recipient, and may not be reproduced or used for any other purpose. The interests in the securities may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly to the public in the DIFC.

The shares have not been, and are not being, publicly offered, sold, promoted or advertised in the United Arab Emirates (including the Dubai International Financial Centre) other than in compliance with the laws of the United Arab Emirates (and the Dubai International Financial Centre) governing the issue, offering and sale of securities. Further, this prospectus does not constitute a public offer of securities in the United Arab Emirates (including the Dubai International Financial Centre) and is not intended to be a public offer. This prospectus has not been approved by or filed with the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, the Securities and Commodities Authority or the Dubai Financial Services Authority.

The shares may not be directly or indirectly offered for subscription or purchased or sold, and no invitations to subscribe for or buy the shares may be issued, and no draft or definitive offering memorandum, advertisement or other offering material relating to any shares may be distributed in Australia, except where disclosure to investors is not required under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act or is otherwise in compliance with all applicable Australian laws and regulations. By submitting an application for the shares, you represent and warrant to us that you are an Exempt Investor.

As any offer of shares under this document will be made without disclosure in Australia under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act, the offer of those securities for resale in Australia within 12 months may, under section 707 of the Corporations Act, require disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D.2 if none of the exemptions in section 708 applies to that resale. By applying for the shares you undertake to us that you will not, for a period of 12 months from the date of sale of the shares, offer, transfer, assign or otherwise alienate those shares to investors in Australia except in circumstances where disclosure to investors is not required under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act or where a compliant disclosure document is prepared and lodged with ASIC.

The shares have not been and will not be registered pursuant to Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. Accordingly, none of the shares nor any interest therein may be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any "resident" of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and

otherwise in compliance with, the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan in effect at the relevant time.

The shares have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than (a) to "professional investors" as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) (the "SFO") of Hong Kong and any rules made thereunder; or (b) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a "prospectus" as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong (the "CO") or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the CO. No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the shares has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of any person for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to "professional investors" as defined in the SFO and any rules made thereunder.

Each underwriter has acknowledged that this prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, each underwriter has represented and agreed that it has not offered or sold any shares or caused the shares to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase and will not offer or sell any shares or cause the shares to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, and has not circulated or distributed, nor will it circulate or distribute, this prospectus or any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares, whether directly or indirectly, to any person in Singapore other than:

(a) to an institutional investor (as defined in Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act (Chapter 289) of Singapore, as modified or amended from time to time (the "SFA")) pursuant to Section 274 of the SFA;

(b) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA; or

otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:

(a) a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or

(b) a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor,

securities or securities-based derivatives contracts (each term as defined in Section 2(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries' rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be

transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:

(i) to an institutional investor or to a relevant person, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA;

(v) as specified in Regulation 37A of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Securities and Securities-based Derivatives Contracts) Regulations 2018.

In connection with Section 309B of the SFA and the CMP Regulations 2018, unless otherwise specified before an offer of shares, the Issuer has determined, and hereby notifies all relevant persons (as defined in Section 309A(1) of the SFA), that the shares are "prescribed capital markets products" (as defined in the CMP Regulations 2018) and Excluded Investment Products (as defined in MAS Notice SFA 04-N12: Notice on the Sale of Investment Products and MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products).

Shares may be offered or sold in Bermuda only in compliance with the provisions of the Investment Business Act of 2003 of Bermuda which regulates the sale of securities in Bermuda. Additionally, non-Bermudian persons (including companies) may not carry on or engage in any trade or business in Bermuda unless such persons are permitted to do so under applicable Bermuda legislation.

This document may not be distributed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia except to such persons as are permitted under the Offers of Securities Regulations as issued by the board of the Saudi Arabian Capital Market Authority ("CMA") pursuant to resolution number 2-11-2004 dated 4 October 2004 as amended by resolution number 1-28-2008, as amended (the "CMA Regulations"). The CMA does not make any representation as to the accuracy or completeness of this document and expressly disclaims any liability whatsoever for any loss arising from, or incurred in reliance upon, any part of this document. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered hereby should conduct their own due diligence on the accuracy of the information relating to the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this document, you should consult an authorized financial adviser.

The shares are not being, and may not be offered to the public or to any person in the British Virgin Islands for purchase or subscription by or on behalf of the company. The shares may be offered to companies incorporated under the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 (British Virgin Islands),("BVI Companies"), but only where the offer will be made to, and received by, the relevant BVI Company entirely outside of the British Virgin Islands.

This prospectus will not be circulated or distributed in the PRC and the shares will not be offered or sold, and will not be offered or sold to any person for re-offering or resale directly or indirectly to any residents of the PRC except pursuant to any applicable laws and regulations of the PRC. Neither this prospectus nor any advertisement or other offering material may be distributed or published in the PRC, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

The shares have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Investments Services and Capital Markets Act of Korea and the decrees and regulations thereunder (the "FSCMA"), and the shares have been and will be offered in Korea as a private placement under the FSCMA. None of the shares may be offered, sold or delivered directly or indirectly, or offered or sold to any person for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Korea or to any resident of Korea except pursuant to the applicable laws and regulations of Korea, including the FSCMA and the Foreign Exchange Transaction Law of Korea and the decrees and regulations thereunder (the "FETL"). Other than on the Nasdaq, the shares have not been listed on any of securities exchanges in the world including, without limitation, the Korea Exchange in Korea. Furthermore, the purchaser of the shares shall comply with all applicable regulatory requirements (including but not limited to requirements under the FETL) in connection with the purchase of the shares. By the purchase of the shares, the relevant holder thereof will be deemed to represent and warrant that if it is in Korea or is a resident of Korea, it purchased the shares pursuant to the applicable laws and regulations of Korea.

No prospectus or other offering material or document in connection with the offer and sale of the shares has been or will be registered with the Securities Commission of Malaysia ("Commission") for the Commission's approval pursuant to the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Malaysia other than (i) a closed end fund approved by the Commission; (ii) a holder of a Capital Markets Services Licence; (iii) a person who acquires the shares, as principal, if the offer is on terms that the shares may only be acquired at a consideration of not less than RM250,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currencies) for each transaction; (iv) an individual whose total net personal assets or total net joint assets with his or her spouse exceeds RM3 million (or its equivalent in foreign currencies), excluding the value of the primary residence of the individual; (v) an individual who has a gross annual income exceeding RM300,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currencies) per annum in the preceding twelve months; (vi) an individual who, jointly with his or her spouse, has a gross annual income of RM400,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currencies), per annum in the preceding twelve months; (vii) a corporation with total net assets exceeding RM10 million (or its equivalent in a foreign currencies) based on the last audited accounts; (viii) a partnership with total net assets exceeding RM10 million (or its equivalent in foreign currencies); (ix) a bank licensee or insurance licensee as defined in the Labuan Financial Services and Securities Act 2010; (x) an Islamic bank licensee or takaful licensee as defined in the Labuan Financial Services and Securities Act 2010; and (xi) any other person as may be specified by the Commission; provided that, in the each of the preceding categories (i) to (xi), the distribution of the shares is made by a holder of a Capital Markets Services Licence who carries on the business of dealing in securities. The distribution in

Malaysia of this prospectus is subject to Malaysian laws. This prospectus does not constitute and may not be used for the purpose of public offering or an issue, offer for subscription or purchase, invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities requiring the registration of a prospectus with the Commission under the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007.

The shares have not been and will not be registered with the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan pursuant to relevant securities laws and regulations and may not be sold, issued or offered within Taiwan through a public offering or in circumstances which constitutes an offer within the meaning of the Securities and Exchange Act of Taiwan that requires a registration or approval of the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan. No person or entity in Taiwan has been authorized to offer, sell, give advice regarding or otherwise intermediate the offering and sale of the shares in Taiwan.

Due to restrictions under the securities laws of South Africa, no "offer to the public" (as such term is defined in the South African Companies Act, No. 71 of 2008 (as amended or re-enacted) (the "South African Companies Act")) is being made in connection with the issue of the shares in South Africa. Accordingly, this document does not, nor is it intended to, constitute a "registered prospectus" (as that term is defined in the South African Companies Act) prepared and registered under the South African Companies Act and has not been approved by, and/or filed with, the South African Companies and Intellectual Property Commission or any other regulatory authority in South Africa. The shares are not offered, and the offer shall not be transferred, sold, renounced or delivered, in South Africa or to a person with an address in South Africa, unless one or other of the following exemptions stipulated in section 96 (1) applies:


Section 96 (1) (a)		the offer, transfer, sale, renunciation or delivery is to:
		(i) persons whose ordinary business, or part of whose ordinary business, is to deal in securities, as principal or agent;
		(ii) the South African Public Investment Corporation;
		(iii) persons or entities regulated by the Reserve Bank of South Africa;
		(iv) authorised financial service providers under South African law;
		(v) financial institutions recognised as such under South African law;
		(vi) a wholly-owned subsidiary of any person or entity contemplated in (c), (d) or (e), acting as agent in the capacity of an authorised portfolio manager for a pension fund, or as manager for a collective investment scheme (in each case duly registered as such under South African law); or
		(vii) any combination of the person in (i) to (vi); or
Section 96 (1) (b)		the total contemplated acquisition cost of the securities, for any single addressee acting as principal is equal to or greater than ZAR1,000,000 or such higher amount as may be promulgated by notice in the Government Gazette of South Africa pursuant to section 96(2)(a) of the South African Companies Act.

Information made available in this prospectus should not be considered as "advice" as defined in the South African Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, 2002.

The validity of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Goodwin Procter LLP, Boston, Massachusetts. Certain legal matters related to this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Cooley LLP, New York, New York.

The financial statements incorporated in this Prospectus by reference from the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 (File Number 333- ) under the Securities Act, with respect to the securities being offered by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information in the registration statement and its exhibits. For further information with respect to us and the securities offered by this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement and its exhibits. Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract or any other document referred to are not necessarily complete, and in each instance, we refer you to the copy of the contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. Each of these statements is qualified in all respects by this reference.

We are subject to the information and periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and we file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can read our SEC filings, including the registration statement, over the Internet at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. You may also request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing us at Akero Therapeutics. Inc., 601 Gateway Boulevard, Suite 350, South San Francisco, CA 94080 We also maintain a website at www.akerotx.com, at which you may access these materials free of charge after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference in, and is not part of, this prospectus.

The SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" information from other documents that we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference into this prospectus and the registration statement of which this prospectus form a part the information or documents listed below that we have filed with the SEC, and any future filings we will make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of the initial filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and prior to effectiveness of such registration statement, and until the termination of the offering of the shares covered by this prospectus (other than information furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K):

Any statement contained in this prospectus or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or any other subsequently filed document that is deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus modifies or supersedes the statement. Any statements so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

We will furnish without charge to you, on written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, including exhibits to these documents. You should direct any requests for documents to Akero Therapeutics, Inc., 601 Gateway Boulevard, Suite 350, South San Francisco, CA 94080; telephone: (650) 487-6488.

You also may access these filings on our website at www.akerotx.com. We do not incorporate the information on our website into this prospectus or any supplement to this prospectus and you should not consider any information on, or that can be accessed through, our website as part of this prospectus or any supplement to this prospectus (other than those filings with the SEC that we specifically incorporate by reference into this prospectus).

The following table sets forth the fees and expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, payable in connection with the registration of the common stock hereunder. All amounts are estimates except the SEC registration fee.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the "DGCL") authorizes a corporation to indemnify its directors and officers against liabilities arising out of actions, suits and proceedings to which they are made or threatened to be made a party by reason of the fact that they have served or are currently serving as a director or officer to a corporation. The indemnity may cover expenses (including attorneys' fees) judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the director or officer in connection with any such action, suit or proceeding. Section 145 permits corporations to pay expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by directors and officers in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding. In addition, Section 145 provides that a corporation has the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of its directors and officers against any liability asserted against them and incurred by them in their capacity as a director or officer, or arising out of their status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify the director or officer against such liability under Section 145.

We have adopted provisions in our certificate of incorporation to be in effect upon the completion of this offering and bylaws to be in effect upon the effectiveness of this registration statement that limit or eliminate the personal liability of our directors to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as it now exists or may in the future be amended. Consequently, a director will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages or breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability for:

These limitations of liability do not alter director liability under the federal securities laws and do not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as an injunction or rescission.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and intend to enter into such agreements with our executive officers. These agreements provide that we will indemnify each of our directors, our executive officers and, at times, their affiliates to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. We will advance expenses, including attorneys' fees (but excluding judgments, fines and settlement amounts), to each indemnified director, executive officer or affiliate in connection with any proceeding in which indemnification is available and we will indemnify our directors and officers for any action or proceeding arising out of that person's services as a director or officer brought on behalf of us or in furtherance of our rights. Additionally, certain of our directors or officers may have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance provided by their affiliates or other third parties, which indemnification relates to and might apply to the same proceedings arising out of such director's or officer's services as a director referenced herein. Nonetheless, we have agreed in the indemnification agreements that our obligations to those same directors or officers are primary and any obligation of such affiliates or other third parties to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the expenses or liabilities incurred by those directors are secondary.

We also maintain general liability insurance which covers certain liabilities of our directors and officers arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").

The underwriting agreement filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this registration statement provides for indemnification of us and our directors and officers by the underwriters against certain liabilities under the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Set forth below is information regarding shares of our common stock and shares of our preferred stock, and stock options granted, by us within the past three years that were not registered under the Securities Act. Included is the consideration, if any, we received for such shares and options and information relating to the section of the Securities Act, or rule of the SEC, under which exemption from registration was claimed.

In June 2018, with subsequent filings in November 2018, we issued and sold an aggregate of 50,858,462 Series A preferred shares at a price per share of $1.00 for aggregate cash consideration of approximately

$45.0 million; including an aggregate of 5,858,461 shares of Series A preferred shares to an accredited investor in connection with the Amgen Agreement.

In December 2018, we issued and sold an aggregate of 13,871,948 Series B preferred shares at a price per share of $3.28 for aggregate cash consideration of approximately $45.5 million.

No underwriters were involved in the foregoing sales of securities. Unless otherwise stated, the sales of securities described above were deemed to be exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act, including Regulation D and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, as transactions by an issuer not involving a public offering. All of the purchasers in these transactions represented to us in connection with their purchase that they were acquiring the securities for investment and not distribution, that they could bear the risks of the investment and could hold the securities for an indefinite period of time. Such purchasers received written disclosures that the securities had not been registered under the Securities Act and that any resale must be made pursuant to a registration or an available exemption from such registration. All of the foregoing securities are deemed restricted securities for the purposes of the Securities Act.

Since January 24, 2017, we granted stock options under our 2018 Stock Option and Grant Plan, as amended, and our 2019 Stock Option and Incentive Plan to purchase an aggregate of 3,989,919 shares of our common stock, with exercise prices ranging from $0.62 to $25.20 per share to certain directors, officers, employees and consultants.

The issuances of the securities described above were deemed to be exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act or Rule 701 promulgated under the Securities Act as transactions pursuant to compensatory benefit plans. The shares of common stock issued upon the exercise of options are deemed to be restricted securities for purposes of the Securities Act.

All certificates representing the securities issued in the transactions described in this Item 15 included appropriate legends setting forth that the securities had not been offered or sold pursuant to a registration statement and describing the applicable restrictions on transfer of the securities. There were no underwriters employed in connection with any of the transactions set forth in this Item 15.



Exhibit number		Description

	4.1		Specimen Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-231747) filed on June 10, 2019).
	4.2		Amended and Restated Investors' Rights Agreement among the Registrant and certain of its stockholders, dated December 5, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-231747) filed on May 24, 2019).
	4.3		Description of Securities (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 of the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-38944) filed on March 16, 2020).
	5.1		Opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP.
	10.1	#	2018 Stock Option and Grant Plan, amendments thereto, and form of award agreements thereunder. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-231747) filed on May 24, 2019).
	10.2	#	2019 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, and form of award agreements thereunder (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-231747) filed on June 10, 2019).
	10.3	#	2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-231747) filed on June 10, 2019).
	10.4	#	Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Registrant and each of its directors and executive officers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-231747) filed on May 24, 2019).
	10.5	#	2019 Senior Executive Cash Bonus Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-231747) filed on May 24, 2019).
	10.6	#	Amended and Restated Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.11 of the Registrant's Annual report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-38944) filed on March 16, 2020).
	10.7		Sublease Agreement between the Registrant and Trucode Gene Repair, Inc., dated October 23, 2018, as amended by the First Amendment to Sublease Agreement, dated as of February 27, 2019 and the First Amendment to Consent to Sublease Agreement dated as of March 12, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-231747) filed on May 24, 2019)
	10.8	#	Form of Amended and Restated Employment Agreement for Executive Officers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-231747) filed June 10, 2019)
	10.9	#	Amended and Restated Employment Agreement for Andrew Cheng (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-231747) filed June 10, 2019).
	10.10	#	Amended and Restated Employment Agreement for William White (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-231747) filed on June 10, 2019).

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Act, may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is therefore unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

(a) The Registrant will provide to the underwriter at the closing as specified in the underwriting agreement, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriter to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.

(b) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the information omitted from a form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

(c) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement on Form S-1 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of San Francisco, California, on this 6^th day of July, 2020.

Each individual whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Andrew Cheng, Jonathan Young, and William White as such person's true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person in such person's name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement (or any Registration Statement for the same offering that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that any said attorney-in-fact and agent, or any substitute or substitutes of any of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement and Power of Attorney has been signed by the following person in the capacities and on the date indicated.

Exhibit 1.1

Akero Therapeutics, Inc.
[-] Shares of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share

Underwriting Agreement

[-], 2020

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

Jefferies LLC

Evercore Group L.L.C.

As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10179

c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
1585 Broadway
New York, New York 10036

c/o Jefferies LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10022

c/o Evercore Group L.L.C.

55 East 52nd Street

New York, NY 10055

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Akero Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), an aggregate of [-] shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company (the “Underwritten Shares”) and, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional [-] shares of Common Stock of the Company (the “Option Shares”). The Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the “Shares”. The shares of Common Stock of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the Shares are referred to herein as the “Stock”.

The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Shares, as follows:

1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-[-]), including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time

of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before effectiveness, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Shares. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Any reference in this underwriting agreement (this “Agreement”) to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-1 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

At or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively with the pricing information set forth on Annex A, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated [-], 2020 and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex A hereto.

“Applicable Time” means [-] P.M., New York City time, on [-], 2020.

2. Purchase of the Shares by the Underwriters.

(a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Underwritten Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase at a price per share of $[-] (the “Purchase Price”) from the Company the respective number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto.

In addition, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Option Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and the Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company the Option Shares at the Purchase Price less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Underwritten Shares but not payable on the Option Shares.

If any Option Shares are to be purchased, the number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Shares which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 10 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional Shares as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make.

The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase Option Shares at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of the Prospectus, by written notice from the Representatives to

the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered and paid for, which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date nor later than the tenth (10th) full business day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof). Any such notice shall be given at least two (2) business days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein, provided that if such date and time of delivery are the same as the Closing Date, such notice may be given one business day prior to such date and time of delivery.

(b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Shares, and initially to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Shares to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter.

(c) Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives in the case of the Underwritten Shares, at the offices of Cooley LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, at 1114 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on [-], 2020, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing or, in the case of the Option Shares, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representatives in the written notice of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Option Shares. The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Shares is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”, and each time and date for such payment for the Option Shares, if other than the Closing Date, is herein referred to as an “Additional Closing Date”.

(d) Payment for the Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date or an Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Shares duly paid by the Company. Delivery of the Shares shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

(e) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Representatives and the other Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Shares contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Representatives nor the other Underwriters shall have any responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Representative and the other Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:

(a) Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, and no Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

(b) Pricing Disclosure Package. The Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of each Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof. No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package and no statement of material fact included in the Pricing Disclosure Package that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.

(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Shares (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representative. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complies in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and (except as expressly set forth in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of each Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing

Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

(d) Emerging Growth Company. From the time of initial confidential submission of the registration statement relating to the Company’s initial public offering to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on either Section 5(d), or Rule 163B under, of the Securities Act.

(e) Testing-the-Waters Materials. The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communications other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives (x) with entities that are qualified institutional buyers (“QIBs”) within the meaning of Rule 144A of the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) under the Securities Act (“IAIs”) and otherwise in compliance with the requirements of Section 5(d) of the Securities Act or (y) with entities that the Company reasonably believed to be QIBs or IAIs and otherwise in compliance with the requirements of Rule 163B under the Securities Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed or approved for distribution any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications in connection with the offering of the Shares. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act. Any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package, complied in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act, and when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of each Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(f) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Shares has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of each Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no

representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

(g) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, when they were filed with the Commission conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”), and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(h) Financial Statements. The financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of its operations and the changes in its cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, except in the case of any unaudited, interim financial statements, which are subject to normal year-end adjustments and do not contain certain footnotes as permitted by the applicable rules of the Commission, and any supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby; and there are no disclosures included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable.

(i) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any material change in the capital stock (other than the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of stock options or vesting of awards described as outstanding in, and the grant of options and awards under existing equity incentive plans described in, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material

to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole and that is either from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(j) Organization and Good Standing. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement (a “Material Adverse Effect”). The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement. The subsidiaries listed in Schedule 2 to this Agreement are the only significant subsidiaries of the Company. Since inception Akero Securities Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, has not conducted, and does not currently conduct, any operations, has not had and does not have any employees and has been and is engaged exclusively in buying, selling, dealing in and holding publicly-traded securities on its own behalf and not as a broker.

(k) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus [under the heading “Capitalization” and “Description of Capital Stock”]; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights; except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable (except, in the case of any foreign subsidiary, for directors’ qualifying shares) and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.

(l) Stock Options. With respect to the stock options (the “Stock Options”) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Company Stock Plans”), (i) each Stock Option intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) so qualifies, (ii) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on

which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be effective by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with GAAP in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company and disclosed in the Company’s filings with the Commission in accordance with the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Stock Options prior to, or otherwise coordinating the grant of Stock Options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its subsidiaries or their results of operations or prospects.

(m) Due Authorization. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby has been duly and validly taken.

(n) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(o) The Shares. The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued, will be fully paid and nonassessable and will conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights that have not been duly and validly waived or satisfied.

(p) Listing. The Shares are listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq Market”).

(q) Description of the Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(r) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(s) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, result in the termination, modification or acceleration of,

or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property, right or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property, right or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(t) No Consents Required. No consent, filing, approval, authorization, order, license, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), Nasdaq and under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters.

(u) Legal Proceedings. There are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, demands, claims, suits, arbitrations, inquiries or proceedings (“Actions”) pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; no such Actions are threatened or, to the knowledge of the Company, contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending Actions that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(v) Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, who has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.

(w) Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple (in the case of real property) to, or have valid and marketable rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property and assets that are material to the respective businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its

subsidiaries or (ii) would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(x) Title to Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own, or possess valid and enforceable licensed rights to use, all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, trade dress, designs, data, database rights, Internet domain names, copyrights, works of authorship, licenses, proprietary information and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted (collectively, “Intellectual Property”), and, to the Company’s knowledge, the conduct of their respective businesses does not and will not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise conflict in any material respect with any such rights of others. The Intellectual Property of the Company has not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such adjudication. The Company and its subsidiaries have not received any notice of any claim of infringement, misappropriation with any intellectual property rights of another, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such notice or claim. To the Company’s knowledge: (i) there are no third parties who have rights to any Intellectual Property, except for customary reversionary rights of third-party licensors with respect to Intellectual Property that is disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (“Disclosure Documents”) as owned by or licensed to the Company or its subsidiaries; and (ii) there is no infringement by third parties of any Intellectual Property. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others: (A) challenging the Company’s rights in or to any Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; (B) challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; or (C) asserting that the Company or its subsidiaries infringe, misappropriate, or otherwise violate, or would, upon the commercialization of any product or service described in the Disclosure Documents as under development, infringe, misappropriate, or otherwise violate, any intellectual property rights of others, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim. The Company and its subsidiaries have complied with the terms of each agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company or its subsidiaries, and all such agreements are in full force and effect. To the Company’s knowledge, there are no material defects in any of the patents or patent applications included in the Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have taken all reasonable steps to protect, maintain and safeguard their Intellectual Property, including the execution of appropriate nondisclosure, confidentiality agreements and invention assignment agreements and invention assignments with their employees, and to the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company is in or has been in violation of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement, or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company. To the Company’s knowledge, the duty of candor and good faith as required by the United States Patent and Trademark Office during the prosecution of the United States patents and patent applications included in the Intellectual Property have been complied with; and in all foreign offices having similar requirements, all such requirements have been complied with. None of the Company owned Intellectual Property or technology (including information technology and outsourced arrangements) employed by the Company or its subsidiaries has been obtained or is being used by the Company or its subsidiary in violation of any contractual obligation binding on

the Company or its subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors or employees or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons.

(y) Trade Secrets. The Company and its subsidiaries have taken reasonable and customary actions to protect their rights in and prevent the unauthorized use and disclosure of material trade secrets and confidential business information (including material confidential source code, ideas, research and development information, know-how, formulas, compositions, technical data, designs, drawings, specifications, research records, records of inventions, test information, financial, marketing and business data, customer and supplier lists and information, pricing and cost information, business and marketing plans and proposals) owned by the Company and its subsidiaries, and, to the knowledge of the Company, there has been no unauthorized use or disclosure.

(z) IT Assets. Except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (i) the computers, software, servers, networks, data communications lines, and other information technology systems owned, licensed, leased or otherwise used by the Company or its subsidiaries (excluding any public networks) (collectively, the “IT Assets”) operate and perform as is necessary for the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and (ii) such IT Assets are not infected by viruses, disabling code or other harmful code. The Company and its subsidiaries have at all times implemented and maintained all reasonably necessary controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Assets and data (including all Personal Data (defined below) sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Confidential Data”) used in connection with their businesses, and there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person, nor any incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same.

(aa) Data Privacy and Security Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries are, and at all prior times were, in compliance in all material respects with all applicable state, federal, and international data privacy and data security laws and regulations, including without limitation HIPAA and the HITECH Act, and the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) (EU 2016/679), and the Company and its subsidiaries are currently or have taken commercially reasonable actions to prepare to comply with the California Consumer Protection Act of 2018 (“CCPA”) (collectively, the “Privacy Laws”). To address compliance with the Privacy Laws, the Company and its subsidiaries have in place, comply with, and take commercially reasonable steps designed to achieve compliance in all material respects with their policies and procedures relating to data privacy and security and the collection, storage, use, disclosure, handling, and transfer of Personal Data (the “Policies”). “Personal Data” means (i) a natural person’s name, street address, telephone number, e-mail address, photograph, social security number or tax identification number, driver’s license number, passport number, credit card number, bank information, or customer or account number; (ii) any information which would qualify as “personally identifying information” under the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended; (iii) Protected Health Information as defined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”); (iv) “personal data” as defined by GDPR; and (v) any other piece of information that identifies such natural person. At all times, the Company and its subsidiaries have made all disclosures to users or customers required by applicable Privacy Laws and regulatory rules or requirements, and none of such disclosures made or contained in any Policy have, to the knowledge of the Company, been inaccurate or in violation of any applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements in any material respect. The Company further certifies that (a) neither it nor any subsidiary at any time: (i) has received receive written notice

of any actual or potential liability, including, but not limited to security or data privacy breaches or other unauthorized or improper access to, use of, or destruction of its Personal Data owned or controlled by the Company or its subsidiaries, under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any of the Privacy Laws, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice; (ii) other than pursuant to its ongoing compliance efforts in the ordinary course of business, is currently conducting, subject to, or paying, in whole or in part, any material investigation, remediation, or other corrective action resulting from the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ non-compliance with any Privacy Law; or (iii) is a party to any order, decree, settlement agreement, or judgment from a governmental entity that imposes any obligation or liability under any Privacy Law; and (b) it is not aware of any specific events rendering any of the foregoing reasonably likely to occur.

(bb) No Complaints. There is no complaint to or audit, proceeding, investigation (formal or informal) or claim currently pending against the Company or its subsidiaries, or to the knowledge of the Company, any of its customers (specific to the customer’s use of the products or services of the Company) by any state Attorney General or related office, the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and any office contained therein (“HHS”), or any similar authority in any jurisdiction other than the United States or any other governmental entity, or by any person in respect of the collection, use or disclosure of Personal Data by the Company or its subsidiaries, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no such complaint, audit, proceeding, investigation or claim is threatened.

(cc) FDA Compliance. The Company: (A) is and at all times has been in material compliance with all statutes, rules or regulations of the FDA and other comparable governmental entities applicable to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, marketing, labeling, promotion, sale, offer for sale, storage, import, export or disposal of any product under development, manufactured or distributed by the Company (“Applicable Laws”); (B) has not received any FDA Form 483, notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from the FDA or any governmental entity alleging or asserting material noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, exemptions, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“Authorizations”); (C) possesses all material Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and the Company is not in material violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (D) has not received notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from the FDA or any governmental entity or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in material violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and has no knowledge that the FDA or any governmental entity or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding; (E) has not received notice that the FDA or any governmental entity has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any material Authorizations and has no knowledge that the FDA or any governmental entity is considering such action; and (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were materially complete and correct on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission).

(dd) Studies, Tests and Preclinical and Clinical Trials. The studies, tests and preclinical and clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company, to the Company’s knowledge, were and, if still ongoing,

are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with experimental protocols, procedures and controls pursuant to accepted professional scientific standards and all Authorizations and Applicable Laws, including, without limitation, the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and current Good Clinical Practices and Good Laboratory Practices and any applicable rules, regulations and policies of the jurisdiction in which such trials and studies are being conducted; the descriptions of the results of such studies, tests and trials contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are, to the Company’s knowledge, accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly present the data derived from such studies, tests and trials; except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any studies, tests or trials, the results of which the Company believes reasonably call into question the study, test, or trial results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus when viewed in the context in which such results are described and the clinical state of development; and, except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company has not received any notices or correspondence from the FDA or any governmental entity requiring the termination or suspension of any studies, tests or preclinical or clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company, other than ordinary course communications with respect to modifications in connection with the design and implementation of such trials, copies of which communications have been made available to you.

(ee) Compliance with Health Care Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries, and to the Company’s knowledge their respective officers, directors, employees and agents, are, and at all times have been, in compliance in all material respects with all Health Care Laws. For purposes of this Agreement, “Health Care Laws” means: (i) the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder; (ii) all applicable federal, state, local and foreign health care fraud and abuse laws, including, without limitation, the U.S. Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(b)), the U.S. Civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. Section 3729 et seq.), the criminal False Statements Law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(a)), 18 U.S.C. Sections 286, 287, 1035, 1347, and 1349 the health care fraud criminal provisions under HIPAA, the civil monetary penalties law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7a), the exclusions law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7), the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (42 U.S.C Section 1320-7h), and the laws governing U.S. government funded or sponsored healthcare programs; and (iii) similar local, state, federal, national, supranational and foreign laws the directives and regulations promulgated pursuant to such statutes and any state or non-U.S. counterpart thereof. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Health Care Laws nor, to the Company’s knowledge, is any such claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action threatened. The Company, and to the Company’s knowledge, its subsidiaries, have filed, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Health Care Laws, and all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and accurate on the date filed in all material respects (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission). Neither the Company, any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective employees, officers, directors, or agents is a party to any corporate integrity agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, or similar agreements with or imposed by any governmental or regulatory authority. Additionally, neither the Company, any of its subsidiaries nor any of their respective employees, officers, directors, or agents has been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any U.S. federal health care program or human clinical research or, to the knowledge of the Company, is subject to a governmental inquiry, investigation,

proceeding, or other similar action that could reasonably be expected to result in debarment, suspension, or exclusion.

(ff) No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers, suppliers or other affiliates of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Pricing Disclosure Package.

(gg) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).

(hh) Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have paid all federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof except for taxes being contested in good faith and for which reserves in accordance with GAAP have been taken; and except as otherwise disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no tax deficiency that has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets that would individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(ii) Licenses and Permits. To the Company’s knowledge, the Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations, other than with respect to its Intellectual Property, issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate and applicable federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, permit or authorization or has any reason to believe that any such license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except where such revocation, modification or nonrenewal would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, no party granting any such licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations has taken any action to limit, suspend or revoke the same in any material respect. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were materially complete and correct on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission) as required for maintenance of their licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations that are necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses.

(jj) No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of cancellation or termination with respect to any collective bargaining agreement to which it is a party.

(kk) Certain Environmental Matters. (i) The Company and its subsidiaries (x) are in compliance with all, and have not violated any, applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws (including common law), rules, regulations, requirements, decisions, judgments, decrees, orders and other legally enforceable requirements relating to pollution or the protection of human health or safety, the environment, natural resources, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (y) have received and are in compliance with all, and have not violated any, permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under any Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (z) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability or obligation under or relating to, or any actual or potential violation of, any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice, and (ii) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of or relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, except in the case of each of (i) and (ii) above, for any such matter as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) (x) there is no proceeding that is pending, or that is known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceeding regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (y) the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any facts or issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company and its subsidiaries, and (z) none of the Company or its subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws.

(ll) Hazardous Materials. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, use, handling, treatment, Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials by, relating to or caused by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or, to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, any other entity (including any predecessor) for whose acts or omissions the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or would reasonably be expected to be liable) at, on, under or from any property or facility now or previously owned, operated or leased by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or at, on, under or from any other property or facility, in violation of any Environmental Laws or in a manner or amount or to a location that could reasonably be expected to result in any liability under any Environmental Law, except for any violation or liability which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. “Hazardous Materials” means any material, chemical, substance, waste, pollutant, contaminant, compound, mixture, or constituent thereof, in any form or amount, including petroleum (including crude oil or any fraction thereof) and petroleum products, natural gas liquids, asbestos and asbestos containing materials, naturally occurring radioactive materials, brine, and drilling mud, regulated or which can give rise to liability under any Environmental Law. “Release” means any spilling, leaking, seepage, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, disposing, depositing, dispersing, or migrating in, into or through the environment, or in, into from or through any building or structure.

(mm) Compliance with ERISA. (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), for which the Company

or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA or any entity that would be regarded as a single employer with the Company under Section 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability (each, a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no Plan has failed (whether or not waived), or is reasonably expected to fail, to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code) applicable to such Plan; (iv) no Plan is, or is reasonably expected to be, in “at risk status” (within the meaning of Section 303(i) of ERISA) and no Plan that is a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA is in “endangered status” or “critical status” (within the meaning of Sections 304 and 305 of ERISA) (v) the fair market value of the assets of each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan); (vi) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations promulgated thereunder) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (vii) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification; (viii) neither the Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA); and (ix) none of the following events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur: (A) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans by the Company or its Controlled Group affiliates in the current fiscal year of the Company and its Controlled Group affiliates compared to the amount of such contributions made in the Company’s and its Controlled Group affiliates’ most recently completed fiscal year; or (B) a material increase in the Company and its subsidiaries’ “accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations” (within the meaning of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 715-60) compared to the amount of such obligations in the Company and its subsidiaries’ most recently completed fiscal year, except in each case with respect to the events or conditions set forth in (i) through (ix) hereof, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(nn) Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and that has been designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.

(oo) Accounting Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the

reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences and (v) interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) to the best knowledge of the Company, any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.

(pp) eXtensible Business Reporting Language. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(qq) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, including business interruption insurance, which insurance is in amounts and insures against such losses and risks as are generally maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar business and which the Company reasonably believes are adequate to protect the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective businesses; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (i) received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.

(rr) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any director, officer, or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government or regulatory official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an

offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Company and its subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce, and will continue to maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws.

(ss) Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental or regulatory agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental or regulatory agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(tt) No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, directors, officers or employees, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, or affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by one or more Persons that are (i) currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government, (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or the target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and the Crimea Region of the Ukraine (each, a “Sanctioned Country”). The Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or the target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. Since the Company’s inception, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.

(uu) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock or similar ownership interest, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring

any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.

(vv) No Broker’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

(ww) No Registration Rights. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Packages and the Prospectus, no person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Shares, other than those rights that have been duly and validly waived.

(xx) No Stabilization. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliates has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares.

(yy) Margin Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.

(zz) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) included or incorporated by reference in any of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

(aaa) Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.

(bbb) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

(ccc) Status under the Securities Act. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or any offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

(ddd) No Ratings. There are (and prior to the Closing Date, will be) no debt securities, convertible securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries that are rated by

a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act.

(eee) Cybersecurity; Data Protection. (A) There has been no security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromise of or relating to the Company and its subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, technology, data and databases (including the data and information of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained, processed or stored by the Company and its subsidiaries, Personal Data (defined below) and any such data processed or stored by third parties on behalf of the Company and its subsidiaries) collectively, “IT Systems and Data”); (B) The IT Systems and Data are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and the subsidiaries as currently conducted, free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants; and (C) The Company and its subsidiaries have implemented and maintained appropriate controls, policies, procedures, and technical safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and Data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Personal Data”)) reasonably consistent with industry standards and practices or as required by applicable regulatory standards. The Company and its subsidiaries have been and are presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.

4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:

(a) Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the registration fee for this offering within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1) under the Securities Act (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.

(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, upon request and without charge, (i) to the Representative, four signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and documents incorporated by reference therein; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but

for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Shares by any Underwriter or dealer.

(c) Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object.

(d) Notice to the Representative. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing (which advice may be delivered via electronic mail), (i) when the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (iii) when any supplement to the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed or distributed; (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information including, but not limited to, any request for information concerning any Testing-the-Waters Communication; (v) of the issuance by the Commission or any other governmental or regulatory authority of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (vi) of the occurrence of any event or development within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Shares and, if any such order is issued, will use its reasonable best efforts to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

(e) Ongoing Compliance. (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by

reference therein) will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package to comply with law, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Pricing Disclosure Package will comply with law.

(f) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

(g) Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its securityholders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earnings statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement, it being understood and agreed that such earning statement shall be deemed to have been made available by the Company if the Company is in compliance with its reporting obligations pursuant to the Exchange Act, if such compliance satisfies the conditions of Rule 158, and if such earnings statement is made available on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”).

(h) Clear Market. For a period of 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, hedge, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or submit to, or file with, the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act (other than registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act relating to Lock-Up Securities (as defined below) granted or to be granted pursuant to the terms of any Company Stock Plan disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package relating to any shares of Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Stock (“Lock-Up Securities”), or (ii) enter into any swap, hedging or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Jefferies LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C., other than (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Stock of the Company issued upon the exercise of options outstanding

on the date hereof, described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or, in each case, any document incorporated by reference therein, and issued under Company Stock Plans disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or in each case, any document incorporated by reference therein; provided that each newly appointed director or executive officer that is a recipient of any such shares of Stock shall deliver (if it has not previously delivered) a “lock-up” agreement to the Representatives substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, and such shares of Stock will be subject to the terms of such lock-up, (C) the grant by the Company of awards under Company Stock Plans as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or, in each case, any document incorporated by reference therein; provided that each newly appointed director or executive officer that is a recipient of any such awards shall deliver (if it has not previously delivered) a “lock-up” agreement to the Representatives substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, and such awards will be subject to the terms of such lock-up, (D) up to 5% of the Company’s outstanding securities issued by the Company in connection with mergers, acquisitions or commercial or strategic transactions provided that each newly appointed director or executive officer that is a recipient execute a lock-up agreement for the remainder of the Restricted Period in the form of Exhibit A hereto or (E) the filing by the Company of any registration statement on Form S-8 or a successor form thereto relating to a Company Stock Plan described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or, in each case, any document incorporated by reference therein.

(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds”.

(j) No Stabilization. Neither the Company nor its affiliates will take, directly or indirectly, without giving effect to Shares offered by the Underwriters, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Stock.

(k) Exchange Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the Nasdaq Market.

(l) Reports. During a period of three (3) years from the date of this Agreement, the Company will furnish to the Representatives, as soon as commercially reasonable after the date on which they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Shares, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system; provided the Company will be deemed to have furnished such reports and financial statements to the Representatives to the extent they are filed on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system.

(m) Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

(n) Emerging Growth Company. The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) completion of the 90-day restricted period referred to in Section 4(h) hereof.

5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:

(a) It has not used, authorized use of, referred to or participated in the planning for use of, and will not use, authorize use of, refer to or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex A or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such Underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii) an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).

(b) It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Shares unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission; provided that Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex B hereto without the consent of the Company; provided further that any Underwriter using such term sheet shall notify the Company, and provide a copy of such term sheet to the Company, prior to, or substantially concurrent with, the first use of such term sheet

(c) It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering contemplated by this Agreement (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).

6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Underwritten Shares on the Closing Date or the Option Shares on an Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.

(b) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date or an Additional Closing Date, as the case may be; and the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or an Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

(c) No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(h) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Pricing Disclosure Package (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement

thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or an Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(d) Officers’ Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or an Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company and one additional senior executive officer of the Company who is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officers, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(d) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied in all material respects with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) above.

(e) Comfort Letters. (i) On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, Deloitte & Touche LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided, that the letter delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall use a “cut-off” date no more than two business days prior to such Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

(ii) On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, of its chief financial officer with respect to certain financial data contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, providing “management comfort” with respect to such information, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(f) Opinion and Negative Assurance Letter of Counsel for the Company. Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion, including with respect to certain regulatory matters, and negative assurance letter, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(g) Opinion of Intellectual Property Counsel for the Company. Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP, intellectual property counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(h) Opinion and Negative Assurance Letter of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion and negative assurance letter of Cooley LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

(i) No Legal Impediment to Issuance and Sale. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares.

(j) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing as foreign entities in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

(k) Exchange Listing. The Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Market, subject to official notice of issuance.

(l) Lock-up Agreements. The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and certain securityholders, officers and directors of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be full force and effect on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

(m) Chief Financial Officer Certificate. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, of its chief financial officer with respect to certain financial data contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, providing “management comfort” with respect to such information, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(n) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

7. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and

all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any Testing-the-Waters Communication, any road show as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “road show”) or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.

(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action, or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Testing-the-Waters Communication, any road show or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the third paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” and the information contained in the fourteenth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting.

(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall

have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interest between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such reasonable and documented fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Jefferies LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C. and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause

(i) but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Shares and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to paragraph (d) above were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any reasonable and documented legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (d) and (e), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to paragraphs (d) and (e) are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

8. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above.

9. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and on or prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Shares, prior to the Additional Closing Date: (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner

contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

10. Defaulting Underwriter.

(a) If, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Shares by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Shares on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.

(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate amount of Shares to be purchased on such date, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof (other than with respect to the defaulting underwriter(s)) and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

11. Payment of Expenses.

(a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (iv) the reasonable and documented fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Shares under the state or foreign securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum and any “Canadian wrapper” (including the related reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (v) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vi) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (vii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by FINRA; (viii) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors, provided however, that the Underwriters will pay all of the travel, lodging and other expenses of the Underwriters or any of their employees incurred by them in connection with the “road show”, and provided, further, that the Company and the Underwriters will each pay 50% of the cost of any aircraft chartered to be used in connection with such road show by both the Company and the Underwriters; and (ix) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Shares on the Nasdaq Market;

(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters (other than by reason of a default by any Underwriter) or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby. For avoidance of doubt, it is understood that the Company shall not pay or reimburse any costs, fees or expenses incurred by an Underwriter that defaults on its obligations to purchase the Shares.

12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

13. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters or the directors, officers, controlling persons or affiliates referred to in Section 7 hereof.

14. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; and (d) the term “significant subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act. In the event that the Company has only one subsidiary, then all references herein to “subsidiaries” of the Company shall be deemed to refer to such single subsidiary, mutatis mutandis.

15. Compliance with USA Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

16. Miscellaneous.

(a) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179 (fax: (212) 622-8358); c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department; c/o Jefferies LLC, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Global Head of Syndicate; c/o and Evercore Group L.L.C., 55 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10055, Attention: Kenneth A. Masotti, Esq. (fax: 212-857-3101). Notices to the Company shall be given to it at Akero Therapeutics, Inc., 170 Harbor Way, South San Francisco, California 94080; Attention: President.

(b) Governing Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

(c) Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the parties hereto waives any right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

(d) Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.

(i) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

(ii) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

As used in this Section 16(g):

“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).

“Covered Entity” means any of the following:

(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

(e) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

(f) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

(g) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

(h) Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

[Signature Page Follows]

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

	Very truly yours,

	AKERO THERAPEUTICS, INC.


	By:
		Name:
		Title:

Accepted: As of the date first written above

J. P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC

JEFFERIES LLC

EVERCORE GROUP L.L.C.

For themselves and on behalf of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto.

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC


By:
Authorized Signatory


MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC


By:
Authorized Signatory


JEFFERIES LLC


By:
Authorized Signatory

EVERCORE GROUP L.L.C.


By:
Authorized Signatory

Schedule 1

Underwriter		Number of Shares
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC		[·]
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC		[·]
Jefferies LLC		[·]
Evercore Group L.L.C.		[·]
Roth Capital Partners, LLC		[·]

Total		[·]

Exhibit A

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

, 2020

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC

JEFFERIES LLC

EVERCORE GROUP L.L.C.

As Representatives of

the several Underwriters listed in

Schedule 1 to the Underwriting

Agreement referred to below

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10179

c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
1585 Broadway
New York, NY 10036

c/o Jefferies LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10022

c/o Evercore Group L.L.C.

55 East 52nd Street

New York, NY 10055

Re: Akero Therapeutics, Inc. — Public Offering

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned, a director, officer or securityholder of Akero Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), understands that you, as representatives (the “Representatives”) of the several Underwriters, propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with the Company, providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”), of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”) of the Company (the “Securities”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering of the Securities, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the

Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, and will not cause any direct or indirect affiliate to, during the period beginning on the date of this letter agreement (this “Letter Agreement”) and ending at the close of business 90 days after the date of the final prospectus supplement relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”) (such period, the “Restricted Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, hedge, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (including without limitation, Common Stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant), (2) enter into any hedging, swap or other agreement or transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (and, for the avoidance of doubt, the undersigned hereby waives any and all notice requirements and rights with respect to the registration of any securities pursuant to any agreement, instrument, understanding or otherwise, including any stockholders or registration rights agreement or similar agreement, to which the undersigned is a party or under which the undersigned is entitled to any right or benefit) or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case other than

(A) the Securities, if any, to be sold by the undersigned pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement,

(B) sales or transfers of shares of Common Stock acquired in open market transactions after the consummation of the Public Offering,

(C) transfers of shares of Common Stock (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, (ii) by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession to the legal representative, heir, beneficiary or a member of the immediate family of the undersigned in a transaction ot involving a disposition for value or (iii) by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order or as required by a divorce settlement,

(D) if the undersigned is an individual, transfers of shares of Common Stock or any security directly or indirectly convertible into Common Stock in a transaction not involving a disposition for value to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, or limited partnerships the partners of which are the undersigned and/or the immediate family members of the undersigned, in each case for estate planning purposes,

(E) if the undersigned is a trust, distributions of shares of Common Stock or any security directly or indirectly convertible into Common Stock to its beneficiaries in a transaction not involving a disposition for value,

(F) if the undersigned is a corporation, limited liability company, partnership (whether general, limited or otherwise) or other entity, distribution of shares of Common Stock or any security directly or indirectly convertible into Common Stock to current or former members, stockholders, limited partners, general partners, subsidiaries or affiliates (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned or to any investment fund or other entity that controls or manages the undersigned (including, for the avoidance of doubt, a fund managed by the same manager or managing member or general partner or management company or by an entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such manager or managing member or general partner or management company as the undersigned or who shares a common investment advisor with the undersigned) in a transaction not involving a disposition for value,

(G) transfers of shares of Common Stock to the Company in connection with the exercise of options, warrants or other rights to acquire Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock of the Company by way of net exercise and/or to cover withholding tax obligations in connection with such exercise pursuant to an employee benefit plan, option, warrant or other right disclosed in the Prospectus, provided that any such shares issued upon exercise of such option, warrant or other right shall be subject to the restrictions set forth herein; provided that no public report or filing required to be made under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act or other public filing, report or announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the period beginning on the date hereof and continuing to and including the date that is 30 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “30 Day Period”), and after such 30th day, if the undersigned is required to file a report under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act during the Restricted Period, the undersigned shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto that such transfer is pursuant to the circumstances described in this clause (G), and provided, further that no other public announcement shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer;

(H) transfers of shares of Common Stock to a bona fide third party pursuant to a merger, consolidation, tender offer or other similar transaction made to all holders of Common Stock and involving a “Change of Control” of the Company after the Public Offering and approved by the Company’s Board of Directors (with “Change of Control” meaning the transfer of the Company’s voting securities in one transaction or a series of related transactions to a person or group of affiliated persons if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity)), provided that in the event that such transaction is not completed, the shares of Common Stock held by the undersigned shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this Letter Agreement, and provided further that in the event any shares of Common Stock not transferred in the Change of Control shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this Letter Agreement, and

provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (C), (D), (E), (F) or (G) each donee, transferee, heir, beneficiary or distributee shall execute and deliver to the Representative a lock-up letter in the form of this Letter Agreement; and provided, further, that in

the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (B), (C), (D), (E), or (F), no filing by any party (the undersigned, beneficiary, heir, donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (“the Exchange Act”) or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than a filing on a Form 5 and any required Schedule 13F, 13G or 13G/A, in each case made after the expiration of the Restricted Period referred to above).

The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing precludes the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transactions or arrangements (including, without limitation, any short sale or the purchase or sale of, or entry into, any put or call option, or combination thereof, forward, swap or any other derivative transaction or instrument, however described or defined) designed or intended, or which could reasonably be expected to lead to or result in, a sale or disposition or transfer (whether by the undersigned or any other person) of any economic consequences of ownership, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, of any Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, whether any such transaction or arrangement (or instrument provided for thereunder) would be settled by delivery of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, in cash or otherwise.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Letter Agreement, the undersigned may (i) exercise options or warrants to purchase Common Stock of the Company pursuant to employee benefit plans or arrangements disclosed in the Prospectus (provided that (a) any Common Stock received upon such exercise or exchange will be subject to the restrictions provided for under this Letter Agreement and (b) if the undersigned is required to file a report under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act during the Restricted Period, the undersigned shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto that such transfer is pursuant to the circumstances described in this clause) and (ii) enter into any plan designed to satisfy the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 (a “10b5-1 Plan”) under the Exchange Act (other than the entry into such a plan in such a manner as to allow the sale of Common Stock within the Restricted Period); provided, however, that no sale of Common Stock may be made under such 10b5-1 Plan during the Restricted Period, and provided further that no filing by any party under the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with establishment of such plan.

For purposes of this Letter Agreement, (i) “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin and (ii) “change of control” shall mean any bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction, in each case, the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, other than the Company, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of a majority of total voting power of the voting stock of the Company.

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

The undersigned understands that (i) if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective by August 31, 2020, (ii) if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, (iii) if the Representatives, on the one hand, or the Company, on the other hand, informs the other, prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, that it has determined not to proceed with the Public Offering, or (iv) prior to execution of the Underwriting Agreement, if the Company files an application with the SEC to withdraw the registration statement related to the Public Offering, then the undersigned shall be released from, all obligations under this Letter Agreement. The undersigned understands that the Underwriters are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.

[Signature Page Follows]

This Letter Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

	Very truly yours,


	Name of Security Holder (Print exact name)

	By:
		Signature

	If not signing in an individual capacity:


	Name of Authorized Signatory (Print)


	Title of Authorized Signatory (Print)

	(indicate capacity of person signing if signing as custodian, trustee, or on behalf of an entity)

[Signature Page to Lock-up Agreement]

Exhibit 5.1

Goodwin Procter LLP

100 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA 02210

goodwinlaw.com

+1 617 570 1000

July 6, 2020

Akero Therapeutics, Inc.

601 Gateway Boulevard, Suite 350

South San Francisco, CA 94080

Re: Securities Registered under Registration Statement on Form S-1

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to you in connection with your filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (as amended or supplemented, the “Registration Statement”) filed on July 6, 2020 pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the registration of the offering by Akero Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) of up to 5,462,500 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share, including Shares purchasable by the underwriters upon their exercise of an over-allotment option granted to the underwriters by the Company. The Shares are being sold to the several underwriters named in, and pursuant to, an underwriting agreement among the Company and such underwriters (the “Underwriting Agreement”).

We have reviewed such documents and made such examination of law as we have deemed appropriate to give the opinions set forth below. We have relied, without independent verification, on certificates of public officials and, as to matters of fact material to the opinions set forth below, on certificates of officers of the Company.

The opinion set forth below is limited to the Delaware General Corporation Law.

Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Company Shares have been duly authorized and, upon issuance and delivery against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

We hereby consent to the inclusion of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the references to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement. In giving our consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.

	Very truly yours,

	/s/ Goodwin Procter LLP

	GOODWIN PROCTER LLP

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-1 of our report dated March 16, 2020, relating to the consolidated financial statements of Akero Therapeutics, Inc. appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Akero Therapeutics, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2019. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

Parsippany, NJ

July 6, 2020


Delaware	2836	81-5266573
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)


Large accelerated filer o		Accelerated filer o		Non-accelerated filer ý		Smaller reporting company ý Emerging growth company ý

Title of each class of securities to be registered	Proposed maximum aggregate offering price(1)(2)	Amount of registration fee(3)




Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share	$180,371,750	$23,412.26

	Per share	Total



Public offering price	$	$
Underwriting discounts and commissions(1)	$	$
Proceeds to Akero Therapeutics, Inc., before expenses	$	$


J.P. Morgan		Morgan Stanley		Jefferies		Evercore ISI


Mitchell Bloom, Esq. John Mutkoski, Esq. Sam Zucker, Esq. Goodwin Procter LLP 100 Northern Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02210 (617) 570-1000		Jonathan Young, J.D., Ph.D. Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer 601 Gateway Boulevard, Suite 350 South San Francisco, CA 94080 (650) 487-6488		Divakar Gupta, Esq. Richard C. Segal, Esq. Charles S. Kim, Esq. Cooley LLP 55 Hudson Yards New York, NY 10001 (212) 479-6000

		Page

Prospectus summary			1
The Offering			15
Risk factors			16
Special note regarding forward-looking statements			22
Use of proceeds			25
Dividend policy			26
Dilution			27
Principal stockholders			29
Description of capital stock			32
Shares eligible for future sale			37
Material U.S. federal income tax considerations for non-U.S. holders of common stock			39
Underwriting			44
Legal matters			56
Experts			56
Where you can find more information			56
Incorporation of certain information by reference			57



Assumed public offering price per share			$	33.02
Historical net tangible book value per share as of March 31, 2020	$	4.13

As adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering		7.93

Dilution per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering			$	25.09




Name	Number of shares

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
Jefferies LLC
Evercore Group L.L.C.
Total		4,750,000




	Without option to purchase additional shares exercise	With full option to purchase additional shares exercise

Per Share	$	$
Total	$	$




	Amount to be paid

SEC registration fee	$	23,412
FINRA filing fee		27,560
Printing expenses		125,000
Legal fees and expenses		350,000
Accounting fees and expenses		115,000
Transfer agent and registrar fees and expenses		5,000
Miscellaneous		4,028

Total	$	650,000




Exhibit number		Description

	1.1	Form of Underwriting Agreement
	3.1	Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Registrant, as currently in effect, (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-38944) filed on June 24, 2019).
	3.2	Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant and the amendments thereto, as currently in effect (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-38944) filed on June 24, 2019).

		Description



10.11	†	Exclusive License Agreement, by and between the Registrant and Amgen Inc., dated June 7, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-231747) filed on May 24, 2019).
10.12		Office Lease between Gateway Center LP and the Registrant, dated as of February 14, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 of the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-38944) filed on March 16, 2020).
21.1		List of Subsidiaries of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 21.1 of the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-38944 filed on March 16, 2020).
23.1		Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent registered public accounting firm.
23.2		Consent of Goodwin Procter LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1		Power of Attorney


		AKERO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
		By:		/s/ ANDREW CHENG Andrew Cheng, M.D., Ph.D. President and Chief Executive Officer

Name	Title	Date


/s/ ANDREW CHENG Andrew Cheng, M.D., Ph.D.	Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)	July 6, 2020
/s/ WILLIAM WHITE William White, J.D.	Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Head of Corporate Development (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)	July 6, 2020
/s/ KEVIN BITTERMAN Kevin Bitterman, Ph.D.	Director	July 6, 2020

Name	Title	Date


/s/ SETH L. HARRISON Seth L. Harrison, M.D.	Director	July 6, 2020
/s/ JANE P. HENDERSON Jane P. Henderson	Director	July 6, 2020
/s/ TOMAS J. HEYMAN Tomas J. Heyman	Director	July 6, 2020
/s/ MARK IWICKI Mark Iwicki	Director, Chairperson	July 6, 2020
/s/ GRAHAM WALMSLEY Graham Walmsley, M.D., Ph.D.	Director	July 6, 2020