Ownership Submission
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, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Novartis Bioventures Ltd
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
03/15/2017		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Aerpio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. [NONE]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O NOVARTIS INTERNATIONAL, AG WSJ-200.220		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director __X__ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

BASEL, V8 CH-4002		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
___ Form filed by One Reporting Person
_X_ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
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 5,245,550 (1)
I
See Footnote (2)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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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 of Derivative Security: 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

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Novartis Bioventures Ltd
C/O NOVARTIS INTERNATIONAL
AG WSJ-200.220
BASEL, V8 CH-4002		     X    
NOVARTIS AG
LICHTSTRASSE 35
BASEL, V8 CH 4056		     X    

Signatures

/s/ Simon Zivi, Chairman /s/ Laurieann Chaikowsky, Authorized signatory 03/17/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person Date
/s/ Simon Zivi, Authorized signatory /s/ Laurieann Chaikowsky, Authorized signatory 03/17/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* 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).
(1) These shares were acquired pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of March 7, 2017 (the "Merger Agreement"), pursuant to which a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company merged with and into Aerpio Therapeutics, Inc. ("Aerpio"). Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the then outstanding shares of Aerpio's common stock and outstanding shares of each series of Aerpio's preferred stock were cancelled and were automatically converted into the right to received shares of the Company's common stock on 2.3336572-1 basis upon closing of the merger.
(2) The board of directors of Novartis Bioventures Ltd. has sole voting and investment control and power over such securities. None of the members of its board of directors has individual voting or investment power with respect to such securities and each disclaims beneficial ownership of such securities. Novartis Bioventures Ltd. is an indirectly owned subsidiary of Novartis AG.
 
Remarks:
Exhibit 24.1:  Limited Power of Attorney

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