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 Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

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) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ 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 (Month/Day/Year) 02/28/2018 (Street) CAMBRIDGE, MA 02142 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction 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 02/28/2018   A   88,900 (1) A $ 0 408,814 (2) D

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction 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 (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (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

Employee Stock Option (Right to buy)

$ 14.3

02/28/2018

A

126,300

(3)

02/28/2028

Common Stock

126,300

$ 0

126,300

D

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			CEO and President

Signatures

Nicole R. Hadas, attorney-in-fact for John P. Butler		03/02/2018
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	The restricted stock units were granted by the Issuer pursuant to its 2014 Incentive Plan. One hundred percent of the restricted stock units will vest on the third anniversary of the grant date.
(2)	The total amount of beneficial securities owned includes 1,500 shares of stock purchased on June 30, 2017 at $8.92 per share and 634 shares of stock purchased on December 31, 2017 at $12.39 per share in connection with the Issuer's Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
(3)	The options were granted by the Issuer pursuant to its 2014 Incentive Plan. 25% of the shares underlying this option will vest on the first anniversary of the grant date with the remaining 75% vesting in equal quarterly installments thereafter.

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