• Combined company will be named Akebia Therapeutics, Inc.
• Company will focus on patients with chronic kidney disease
• Combined portfolio can address the needs of an estimated 1.7 million patients in US subject to approval of vadadustat

Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKBA) and Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:KERX) announced on 6/28/2018 that the companies signed, and the boards of directors of both companies have unanimously approved, a definitive merger agreement under which the companies will combine in an all-stock merger. The transaction will create a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company focused on chronic kidney disease (CKD), with an implied pro forma equity value of approximately $1.3 billion, assuming full conversion of Keryx’s outstanding convertible notes, based on the closing prices of Keryx and Akebia on June 27, 2018. The combined company will be named Akebia Therapeutics, Inc.

Under the terms of the agreement, Keryx shareholders will receive 0.37433 common shares of Akebia for each share of Keryx they own. The exchange results in implied equity ownership in the combined company of 49.4 percent for Akebia shareholders and 50.6 percent for Keryx shareholders on a fully-diluted basis. John P. Butler, President and Chief Executive Officer of Akebia, is expected to lead the combined company, and Keryx will appoint the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the combined company. Additionally, Jason A. Amello, Akebia’s Chief Financial Officer, is expected to serve in the same capacity on the management team of the combined company.

The merger of Akebia and Keryx creates a renal-focused company committed to developing and delivering innovative therapeutic products. Keryx’s Auryxia® (ferric citrate) is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medicine to treat dialysis dependent CKD patients for hyperphosphatemia and non-dialysis dependent CKD patients for iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Akebia’s vadadustat is an investigational Phase 3 oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor (HIF-PHI) with the potential to advance the treatment of patients with anemia due to CKD, many of whom are currently receiving injectable erythropoietin-stimulating agents (ESAs). The companies believe that Auryxia and vadadustat, if FDA-approved, have the potential to deliver an all-oral treatment approach for patients with anemia due to CKD. More broadly, the combined company has the potential to offer therapeutic options to patients across all stages of CKD, including non-dialysis dependent and dialysis dependent patients, and to become a partner of choice for the renal community and for companies developing renal products.

John P. Butler, President and Chief Executive Officer of Akebia, said: “The strategic and financial drivers of this merger are compelling. The combined company will have an expanded and highly complementary nephrology portfolio, with Auryxia, a product with significant growth opportunity, and vadadustat, an investigational late-stage HIF-PHI that has the potential to provide a new oral standard of care to patients with anemia due to CKD. Combining Akebia and Keryx creates a leading renal company and provides it with the infrastructure to maximize the market potential of Auryxia and build launch momentum for vadadustat in the United States, subject to FDA approval. I look forward to leading the talented teams of both Akebia and Keryx as we work to establish new standards of renal care and unlock growth potential for shareholders.”

Jodie Morrison, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Keryx, said: “Bringing Keryx together with Akebia represents a unique, value-enhancing opportunity for stakeholders of both companies. Akebia shareholders gain access to the only oral iron tablet approved in the United States to treat dialysis dependent CKD patients for hyperphosphatemia and non-dialysis dependent CKD patients for iron deficiency anemia. Keryx shareholders gain access to an innovative Phase 3 product candidate with the potential to compete in a complementary multi-billion-dollar market upon successful completion of its development program. Importantly, Keryx shareholders also gain a seasoned executive with decades of experience in the renal field to lead our organization. I look forward to working with our management team during this transition period to continue to deliver on our mission to bring innovative medicines to people living with kidney disease.”

Auryxia is a phosphate binder indicated for the control of serum phosphorus levels in adult patients with CKD on dialysis, and an iron replacement product indicated for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia in adult patients with CKD who are not on dialysis. The approval and commercialization of Auryxia provides a new prescription oral treatment option for the millions of CKD patients with either hyperphosphatemia or iron deficiency anemia.

Vadadustat is a once-daily, oral investigational drug being studied in large-scale global Phase 3 clinical trials in both non-dialysis dependent and dialysis dependent patients with anemia due to CKD. Vadadustat’s mechanism of action is designed to mimic the physiologic effect of altitude on oxygen availability. Vadadustat has the potential to become a new standard of care for patients with anemia due to CKD who currently rely on injectable ESAs, a multi-billion-dollar market.

The combined company will have the opportunity to provide nephrologists with a portfolio of renal products, subject to vadadustat’s FDA approval, that can address the needs of an estimated 1.7 million patients who are non-dialysis dependent and 500,000 dialysis-dependent patients in the United States, across the continuum of CKD.

The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2018, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including clearance by antitrust authorities and approval by the shareholders of both companies.

The companies will host a joint conference call and webcast today at 8:00 a.m. ET to discuss the combination.

The conference call can be accessed by dialing 877-458-0977 within the United States and 484-653-6724 for all other locations. The confirmation code is 3887937. Participants should dial in 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

A live webcast of the conference call and associated presentation materials will be available in the investor relations section of each company’s website at www.akebia.com and www.keryx.com.