SEC Form 3

FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* Cotreau Violetta (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O AKEBIA THERAPEUTICS, INC. 245 FIRST STREET (Street) CAMBRIDGE MA 02142 (City) (State) (Zip)	2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 01/26/2021	3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. [ AKBA ]
		4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) Director 10% Owner X Officer (give title below) Other (specify below) SVP, Chief Accounting Officer	5. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)
			6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) X Form filed by One Reporting Person Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 4)	2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4)	3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Common Stock	12,900(1)	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (Right to buy)	(2)	12/31/2030	Common Stock	42,000	2.8	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. The restricted stock units (each, an "RSU") were granted by the Issuer pursuant to its 2014 Incentive Plan, as amended, and each RSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of the Issuer's common stock upon settlement for no consideration. All of the RSUs will vest on December 31, 2021, subject to the Reporting Person's continued service with the Issuer on such vesting date.

2. The options were granted by the Issuer as an inducement material to the Reporting Person's entering into employment with the Issuer in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The options will vest over four years: 25% of the options will vest on December 31, 2021 with the remaining 75% vesting in equal quarterly installments thereafter, subject to the Reporting Person's continued service with the Issuer on each vesting date.

Remarks:

	/s/ Andrea J. Paul, attorney-in-fact for Violetta Cotreau	01/28/2021
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
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