Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: AKBA), a biopharmaceutical company with the purpose to better the lives of people impacted by kidney disease, announced that it has closed a loan facility with funds and accounts managed by BlackRock. The loan provides Akebia with up to US$55 million of borrowing capacity available in three tranches. Latham & Watkins LLP represented Akebia Therapeutics in the transaction with a finance team led by Washington, D.C. partner Jennifer Kent, with associates Trevor Church, Jake Goodman, and Jack Gillen. Advice was also provided on corporate matters by Boston partner Wesley Holmes, with New York associate Samuel Niles.~~