By Colin Kellaher


Shares of Akebia Therapeutics rose sharply in premarket trading Thursday after the biopharmaceutical company won U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of its Vafseo drug for dialysis-related anemia.

Akebia late Wednesday said the FDA approved Vafseo for the treatment of anemia due to chronic kidney disease in adults who have been receiving dialysis for at least three months.

The drug is now approved in 37 countries.

Akebia said about 500,000 adults in the U.S. on dialysis suffer from anemia due to chronic kidney disease.

Akebia shares, which closed Wednesday at $2.24, were recently up 18% to $2.64 in premarket trading.


Write to Colin Kellaher at colin.kellaher@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

03-28-24 0630ET