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

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
ROGERS MICHAEL W
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. [AKBA] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O AKEBIA THERAPEUTICS, INC., 245 FIRST ST.		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
12/12/2018
(Street)

CAMBRIDGE, MA 02142		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 12/12/2018   A   11,229 A (1) 11,229 D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (Right to buy) $ 12.48 12/12/2018   A   18,716     (2) 03/31/2026 Common Stock 18,716 (3) 18,716 D  
Stock Option (Right to buy) $ 15.26 12/12/2018   A   11,229     (2) 05/26/2026 Common Stock 11,229 (3) 11,229 D  
Stock Option (Right to buy) $ 17.53 12/12/2018   A   11,229     (2) 06/09/2027 Common Stock 11,229 (3) 11,229 D  
Stock Option (Right to buy) $ 10.05 12/12/2018   A   11,229     (2) 06/30/2028 Common Stock 11,229 (3) 11,229 D  
Stock Option (Right to buy) $ 8.94 12/12/2018   A   25,000     (4) 12/12/2028 Common Stock 25,000 $ 0 25,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
ROGERS MICHAEL W
C/O AKEBIA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
245 FIRST ST.
CAMBRIDGE, MA 02142		   X      

Signatures

 /s/ Nicole R. Hadas, Attorney-in-fact for Michael W. Rogers   12/13/2018
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 28, 2018 (as amended, the "Merger Agreement"), each share of common stock of Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Keryx") owned by the Reporting Person at the effective time of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement (the "Effective Time") was automatically converted into 0.37433 shares of the Issuer's common stock (the "Exchange Multiplier").
(2) The option is fully vested and currently exercisable.
(3) Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, each option to purchase Keryx common stock (a "Keryx Option"), whether vested or unvested, that was outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, was converted into an option to acquire the number of shares of common stock of the Issuer (an "Issuer Option") equal to the product of (i) the number of shares subject to such Keryx Option as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, multiplied by (ii) the Exchange Multiplier, rounded down to the nearest whole number of shares of the Issuer's common stock, at an exercise price per share equal to the quotient obtained by dividing the per share exercise price of the Keryx Option by the Exchange Multiplier, rounded up to the nearest whole cent.
(4) 25% of this option will vest on the first anniversary of the grant date with the remaining 75% vesting in equal quarterly installments thereafter.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.