By Michael Dabaie


Akebia Therapeutics Inc. on Tuesday said it amended its license agreement with Vifor Pharma Group

Akebia, a biopharmaceutical company focused on kidney disease, granted Vifor Pharma an exclusive license to sell vadadustat, Akebia's investigational therapeutic for anemia due to chronic kidney disease, to Fresenius Medical Care North America and its affiliates and other entities subject to vadadustat's approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Vadadustat's prescription drug user fee act date is March 29, 2022.

Previous agreements granted Vifor an exclusive license to sell vadadustat to Fresenius Kidney Care Group for use solely within its dialysis facilities and some other third-party dialysis facilities in the U.S. The new agreement further expands the license to include additional independent dialysis organizations.

Vifor Pharma agreed to an additional equity purchase of $20 million and will contribute $40 million for use as working capital to partially fund Akebia's costs of manufacturing vadadustat to support commercialization in the U.S. following FDA approval.

Shares were up 2.8% to $1.86 premarket.

Under the amended agreement, Vifor Pharma will accelerate payment of the previously agreed upon $25 million milestone to Akebia.


Write to Michael Dabaie at michael.dabaie@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

02-22-22 0910ET