Akebia Therapeutics Expands Portfolio Beyond Anemia with New Rare Kidney Disease Pipeline Centered on AKB-097 and Praliciguat

Akebia Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:AKBA) is one of the cheap penny stocks to invest in. On December 1, Akebia Therapeutics announced the official establishment of its rare kidney disease pipeline. This expansion is centered on two primary product candidates: AKB-097, a next-generation complement inhibitor, and praliciguat, a soluble guanylate cyclase/sGC stimulator. The development aligns with Akebia’s two-pronged corporate strategy: establishing Vafseo (vadadustat) as the standard of care for anemia in dialysis patients while building a robust pipeline for rare kidney conditions.

Vafseo is an oral once-daily treatment for anemia due to chronic kidney disease/CKD in adults on dialysis for at least 3 months and is not indicated as a substitute for emergency blood transfusions. Vafseo is currently approved in 37 countries and works by stimulating endogenous production of erythropoietin. It carries a Boxed Warning regarding increased risks of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and vascular thrombosis.

Earlier on November 28, Akebia entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Q32 Bio Inc. (NASDAQ:QTTB) to acquire the global rights to ADX-097, which is now renamed AKB-097. Akebia paid an upfront fee of $7 million, with an additional $3 million due six months after closing. AKB-097 is a humanized anti-C3d monoclonal antibody fusion protein designed to target specific sites of complement activation within tissues. Unlike systemic inhibitors, AKB-097 provides therapeutic levels of inhibition directly at the organ level, potentially reducing the risk of infection and the need for high-frequency dosing.

Akebia Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:AKBA) is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes therapeutics for patients with kidney diseases.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.