Akebia Therapeutics, Inc.
A maker of medicines for people with kidney disease, Akebia developed Vafseo, an oral pill that treats anemia in adults on dialysis, and also sells Auryxia for kidney patients. Founded in 2007 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company grew through a merger with Keryx Biopharmaceuticals. Its name comes from the Akebia plant, a fragrant flowering vine nicknamed the "chocolate vine" for its sweet, vanilla-like scent.