akba-20260327

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

_____________________

FORM 8-K

_____________________

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 27, 2026

_____________________

AKEBIA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

_____________________

Delaware

001-36352

20-8756903

(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)

(Commission
File Number)

(IRS Employer
Identification No.)



245 First Street Cambridge, Massachusetts						02142
(Address of principal executive offices)						(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (617) 871-2098

N/A

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

_____________________

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:


			☐			Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)


			☐			Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)


			☐			Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))


			☐			Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class

Trading
symbol(s)

Name of each exchange
on which registered

Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share

AKBA

The Nasdaq Capital Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).


Emerging growth company			☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On March 27, 2026, Steven C. Gilman, Ph.D., a Class I director of the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. (the "Company"), resigned from the Board effective April 1, 2026. Mr. Gilman's resignation is not a result of any disagreement with the Company on any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies or practices.

Effective April 1, 2026, the Board, upon recommendation from the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board, elected Philip J. Vickers, Ph.D. as a Class I director. Dr. Vickers' initial term is scheduled to expire at the Company’s 2027 annual meeting of stockholders. Dr. Vickers has also been appointed to each of the Compensation Committee and the Research & Development Committee of the Board. There are no arrangements or understandings between Dr. Vickers and any other person regarding his election to the Board.

Dr. Vickers is entitled to receive compensation pursuant to the Company’s Fifth Amended and Restated Non-Employee Director Compensation Program (the “Program”) applicable to all of the Company’s non-employee directors. In accordance with the Program, Dr. Vickers is eligible to receive annual cash retainers of $50,000 for serving on the Board, $7,500 for serving as a member of the Compensation Committee, $5,000 for serving as a member of the Research & Development Committee, and, commencing upon the 2027 annual meeting of stockholders, annual equity grant of (i) an option to purchase 53,600 shares of the common stock of the Company ("Options") and (ii) 35,700 restricted stock units of the Company. In addition, in accordance with the Program, on April 1, 2026, Dr. Vickers was granted 214,400 Options at an exercise price of $1.41 per share, as a new non-employee director. Dr. Vickers will also have the same right to indemnification by the Company as granted to the Company’s other non-employee directors, and the Company will enter into an indemnification agreement with Dr. Vickers in substantially the same form entered into with the other members of the Board, a copy of which was filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 12, 2018.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits



Exhibit No.						Description
99.1						Press Release, dated April 1 , 202 6 , issued by Akebia Therapeutics, Inc.
104						Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


		AKEBIA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Date: April 1, 2026	By:	/s/ John P. Butler
		Name: John P. Butler
		Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

Akebia Therapeutics Inc. filed SEC Form 8-K: Financial Statements and Exhibits