POWER OF ATTORNEY

            Know all by these present, that the
undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints
each of John P. Butler,Jason Amello, Nicole R.
Hadas, and Andrea Paul signing singly, as  the undersigned's
true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

(1)        prepare, execute in the undersigned's
name and on the undersigned's behalf, and submit
to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "SEC") a Form ID, including amendments
 thereto,and any other documents necessary or
appropriate to obtain codes and passwords enabling
the undersigned to make electronic filings with
the SEC of reports required by Section 16(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any
rule orregulation of the SEC;

            (2)        execute for and on behalf
 of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
capacity as an officer and/or director or
shareholder of Akebia Therapeutics, Inc.
the "Company"),Forms3, 4 and 5 in accordance
with Section 16(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "Act"), and the rules thereunder;

            (3)        do and perform any and all
acts for and on behalf of the undersigned which
may be necessary or desirable to complete and
execute any such Form 3, 4 or 5 and timely file
such form with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or
similar authority; and

            (4)        take any other action
of any type whatsoever in connection with
the foregoing which, in the opinion of
such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to,
in the best interest of, or legally
required by, the undersigned, it being understood
hat the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact
on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power
of Attorneyshall be in such form and shall contain
such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact
may approve in such attorney-in-fact's
discretion.

            The undersigned hereby grants to each
attorney-in-factfull power and authority to do
and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever
requisite, necessary or proper to be done in the
exercise of any of the rights and powers herein
granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as
the undersigned might or could do if personally
present, with full power ofsubstitution or
revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all
the acts such attorney-in-fact shall lawfully do
or cause to be done by virtue of this power of
attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.
The undersigned acknowledges that each of the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such
capacity at the request of the undersigned,
is not assuming any of the undersigned's
responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of
the Act.

            This Power of Attorney shall remain
in full force  and effect until the undersigned
is no longer required to file
Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect to the undersigned's
holdings of and transactions in securities issued
by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the
undersigned in a signed writing delivered
to each of the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has
caused this Power of Attorney to be
executed as of August 27, 2018.

By: /s/Cynthia Smith
Name: Cynthia Smith