POWER OF ATTORNEY

	Know all by these present, that the undersigned hereby
constitutes and appoints each of David A. Spellman,
Nicole R. Hadas, Kristie Wagner and Andrea J. Paul signing singly,
as the undersigneds true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

	(1)	prepare, execute in the undersigneds
 name and on the undersigneds 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,
as amended (the Act) or any rule or regulation of the SEC;

	(2)	execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in
the undersigneds capacity as an officer, director and/or
shareholder of Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. (the Company),
Forms 3, 4 and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Act,
and the rules thereunder, or Forms 144 in accordance with Rule 144
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Rule 144);

	(3)	do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf
of the undersigned that may be necessary or desirable to complete
and execute any such Form 3, 4 or 5 or Form 144, and timely file such form with
the SEC and any stock exchange or similar authority; and

	(4)	take any other action of any type whatsoever in
connection with the foregoing that, 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 that the
documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the
undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form
and shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact
may approve in such attorney-in-facts discretion.

	The undersigned hereby grants to each attorney-in-fact full
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 of substitution 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 undersigneds
responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Act or Rule 144.

	This Power of Attorney supersedes any power of attorney previously
executed by the undersigned regarding the purposes outlined in the first
paragraph hereof. 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, or
Forms 144, with respect to the undersigneds 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 12, 2020.

By:
/s/ John P. Butler

Name:
 John P. Butler