Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. Initiates Phase 1 Study of First-In-Class HPTPß Inhibitor for Diabetic Macular Edema

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Akebia Therapeutics, Inc., a small molecule discovery and development company focused on anemia and vascular disorders, today announced that it has dosed the first subjects in a first-in-man Phase 1 study of AKB-9778, a first-in-class human protein tyrosine phosphatase beta (HPTPß) inhibitor in development for diabetic macular edema (DME) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). AKB-9778 is designed to stabilize vessels in the back of the eye, preventing vascular leak and abnormal blood vessel growth associated with diabetic eye disease.