AKBA Akebia Therapeutics Inc

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                                                                                   
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Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940                       

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Butler John P.	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 __X__ Officer (give title below)    _____ Other (specify below) CEO and President
(Last)          (First)          (Middle) C/O AKEBIA THERAPEUTICS, INC., 245 FIRST STREET	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 3/16/2021
(Street) CAMBRIDGE, MA 02142 (City)        (State)        (Zip)	4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	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 Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. 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	3/16/2021		A		39520.00 (1)	A	$0.00	1156262.00	D
Common Stock								100000.00	I	Held By Dorothy Butler GRAT November 2019
Common Stock								100000.00	I	Held By John Butler GRAT November 2019
Common Stock								59928.00	I	Held by Dorothy Butler 2019 GRAT
Common Stock								59928.00	I	Held by John Butler 2019 GRAT
Common Stock								31047.00	I	Held by Dorothy Butler Revocable Trust 2007
Common Stock								31047.00	I	Held by John Butler Revocable Trust 2007

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. 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		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (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

Explanation of Responses:

(1)

As previously disclosed, in February 2020, the Reporting Person was granted performance-based restricted stock unit awards ("PSUs") pursuant to the Issuer's 2014 Incentive Plan, as amended. The PSUs vest in connection with the achievement of specified commercial and regulatory milestones. On February 25, 2021, the Company reported its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2020. Subsequently, in accordance with the terms of the grant, the Issuer's Compensation Committee certified the achievement of a commercial milestone and, as a result, one third of the reported PSUs will vest on each of March 31, 2021, February 28, 2022 and February 28, 2023, subject to the Reporting Person's continued service with the Issuer on each vesting date.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Butler John P. C/O AKEBIA THERAPEUTICS, INC. 245 FIRST STREET CAMBRIDGE, MA 02142	X		CEO and President

Signatures
/s/ Andrea J. Paul, attorney-in-fact for John P. Butler		3/18/2021
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date