Akebia swings for a $75M IPO to get its anemia drug into Phase III

Cambridge, MA's Akebia Therapeutics is lining up for a $75 million Wall Street debut, looking to raise cash and get its promising anemia drug into late-stage development. The company's top prospect is AKB-6548, a once-daily oral therapy that inhibits a factor in the blood to boost hemoglobin levels and treat anemia, according to Akebia. The drug is in the midst of a Phase IIb trial in patients with anemia secondary to chronic kidney disease, and Akebia figures an IPO haul could get the drug into Phase III in that indication and bankroll a Phase II study in idiopathic anemia of aging. Filing