Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. (“we” or “Akebia”) collects, uses, discloses, and otherwise processes information about you. This Privacy Policy does not replace any consent form or notice that you may separately receive in connection with Akebia’s use or sharing of your information.

By accessing our website or providing your personal information to Akebia, you agree to the processing of your information as described in this Privacy Policy.  For information on our website’s other Terms of Use, please see akebia.com/termsofuse/.

Our website may contain links to third-party websites and other online content and services that are not owned or controlled by Akebia.  This Privacy Policy does not apply to these third-party properties, and Akebia is not responsible for the content of these properties or for how these properties operate or treat your information.  You should review the privacy policies and terms of use associated with those third-party properties if you decide to access them.  However, we do receive information from certain third-party employment websites with whom we partner, and the terms of this Privacy Policy apply to this information once we receive it in the same manner as these terms apply to information that we collect through our website.

For purposes of this Privacy Policy, “Personal Information” means any information relating to an individual that can be directly or indirectly used to identify such individual, including but not limited to, name, physical address, email address, phone number, identification numbers, health information, location data, online identifiers (such as an IP address), or one or more factors specific to the individual’s physical, physiological, genetic, mental, cultural, or social identity. Personal Information does not include anonymized information or information that is reported in the aggregate and cannot be traced back to an individual.

 

Information We Collect

We collect Personal Information from our web users, job applicants, potential business partners, service provider employees, consultants, health care professionals, patients, clinical trial participants, clinical trial investigators, and others with whom we do business with. We collect this information directly from individuals, from service providers, data brokers, business partners, government agencies, recruiters, social media, and through our websites as outlined below.

1. Personal Information You Provide

We collect the Personal Information you give us—such as by signing up for our e-mail alerts, e-mailing us, applying for a job, submitting investment inquiries, working as our business partner or as a consultant, visiting our office, and participating in clinical trials or patient assistant programs. Personal Information that we may collect from you may include:

• Identifiers and Contact Information: such as name, address, email address (personal and business), phone numbers, account names and other unique personal identifiers, online identifiers, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers and other similar identifiers
• Biographical and Demographic Information: such as date of birth, age, gender, marital status, race, ethnicity, and information regarding any parents or legal guardians
• Professional or employment-related information: such as, job title, organizational affiliation, professional credentials, employment history, education history, resume/curriculum vitae, background checks, and other information provided to us directly from you, or from third-party employment websites, or public databases.
• Health and Medical Information: such as information pertaining to treatments and medication, insurance information, medical history, and lab results (provided in connection with clinical trials, patient support programs, adverse event reporting, and other research-related activities)
• Financial Information: such as tax classification and exemption status (through IRS Form W-9), bank account information, and other payment related information (in connection with submitting an investigator-sponsored research proposal, as a consultant or service provider, or an investigator in a clinical trial)
• Audio or Visual Information: such as video recordings if you visit our locations or photographs
• Commercial Information: such as services purchased, obtained, or considered, or other purchasing or consuming histories or tendencies
• Inference Information: such as information used to create a profile about a consumer to reflect the consumers preferences, characteristics, and trends
• Username and Password: in connection with an account that you create on our website or mobile application
• Other information that you may provide

2. Information We Collect from Third Parties

We purchase information from third parties including data brokers, third party service providers, and business partners. We may also collect information from public databases, government agencies, and social media.

3. Information We Collect Automatically

We automatically collect certain information, including Personal Information, about visitors to our websites.  We do this through the use of cookies, tags, and other similar online tracking technologies.  For more information about cookies, and the extent to which they can be declined by you, please see the section of this Privacy Policy called “Cookie Policy,” below. Information that we collect automatically includes:

• Internet or other electronic network activity information: such as, details about the devices that are used to access our websites (such as the IP address and type of operating system and web browser), dates and times of visits to, and use of, our websites, information about how our websites are used (such as the content that is viewed on our websites and how users navigate between pages),URLs that refer visitors to our websites, and search terms used to reach our websites

How We Use Information We Collect

We may use the information we collect, including Personal Information, for our legitimate business and commercial purposes to:

• Communicate information to you about our products, programs, and business

• Respond to your inquiries and requests, including investment and strategic collaboration inquiries

• Process employment applications

• Process grants and sponsorship applications

• Analyze and respond to safety and product concerns

• Manage and conduct our clinical trials, patient support programs, and other product or investigational programs

• Identify and facilitate business relationships, enter into contracts, and provide necessary payment(s) or billing  

• If you are a healthcare provider or other third-party consultant and under contract or being considered for a contractual relationship, we may collect publicly available information about your professional occupation including licensing information and other due diligence information such as debarment and any regulatory or disciplinary history

• Improve our websites and related applications

• Develop and tailor the content we display and send you in our communications, websites, and mobile apps

• Analyze communication strategies (such as your interactions with us including on our websites and mobile applications)

• Investigate and respond to misuse of our websites or related applications

• Comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, judicial processes, and Akebia policies

• As otherwise specified in other privacy notices or consent forms that may be provided to you depending on your relationship with Akebia and what programs you may participate in

We may aggregate and/or de-identify the Personal Information we collect to create information that does not identify any individual and use that information for the above-listed purposes and other business purposes. 

We may also combine any of the information we collect, including Personal Information, with information from other sources, such as public records or websites, other third parties, or offline interactions with you (for example, by telephone or in person). 

How We Share Information We Collect

We may share the information we collect, including Personal Information and any aggregated and/or de-identified information that we create, with third parties for the purposes described above.  These third parties include:

• Akebia subsidiaries and affiliates

• Service providers (entities or individuals that perform services on our behalf), such as vendors, consultants, data storage and analytics providers, content providers, and technology providers (including technology support providers, web hosting providers, communications providers, and application developers)

• Other business partners with whom we collaborate regarding our investigational products and programs, such as scientific advisors, joint venture partners and strategic collaboration partners

• Legal, regulatory, or other enforcement authorities

• Other third parties if required to comply with law, regulation, or judicial process or to protect the security, rights, and property of Akebia or of users of our websites

Unless prohibited by applicable law, we may also share information we collect or create as part of a purchase, transfer, or sale of Akebia or its assets, such as in a merger or corporate reorganization.  If this occurs, the information will be subject to the policies of the receiving organization.

How We Protect Information We Collect

We use reasonable security measures to protect Personal Information we collect from theft, loss, or other access or use not described in this Privacy Policy.  However, Akebia cannot fully eliminate all security risks to this information due to the nature of the internet.

 

How Long We Keep Information We Collect

We may keep the information we collect, including Personal Information, as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and for as long as allowed or required by applicable law.

 

Your Privacy Choices and Rights with Respect to Personal Information

You may update the Personal Information you provide to us and your associated communications preferences, at any time by following the instructions on the relevant page of the website or by contacting us at [email protected].

If you have provided Personal Information to us through a third-party employment website, you should contact that website to update that Personal Information or your communication preferences related to that website.

If you sign up for e-mail alerts, you may unsubscribe from them by following the instructions included in the e-mails.  However, even if you unsubscribe, we may continue to send you other types of e-mail communications, such as about changes in our policies.

For information about the choices and rights you have with respect to cookies, please see the section of this Privacy Policy called “Cookie Policy” below.

Users who are California residents have additional rights regarding their Personal Information. If you are a California resident, please see the section of this Privacy Policy here.

Users in the European Economic Area have additional choices and rights regarding Akebia’s processing of their Personal Information.  If you are a user in the European Economic Area, please see the section of this Privacy Policy on “Users in the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom” below.

 

Cookie Policy

Cookies are small amounts of data that your web browser stores on your device at the request of certain websites.  Cookies are then sent back to the originating web domain on your subsequent visits to that domain.  Most web pages contain elements from multiple web domains, so when you visit the website your browser may receive cookies from several sources.

By using our websites and any of our applications, you consent to the use of cookies.  Web browsers may offer users of our websites the ability to disable receiving certain types of cookies; however, if cookies are disabled, some features or functionality of the Site may not work correctly.  

Cookies are useful because they allow our websites to recognize a user’s device.  Cookies allow you to navigate between pages efficiently, remember preferences, and generally improve the user experience.

You can learn more about the cookies that our website uses and manage your cookie preferences here:

Cookies Settings

Please note that Akebia is not responsible for the cookie practices of third-party websites, including those which may be linked to from our websites.

 

Information for California Residents

If you are a California Resident, as defined under the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, as amended (CCPA), you may be able to exercise the following rights with regards to your Personal Information. The rights below only apply to the extent your Personal Information is covered by the CCPA. Your rights may be limited when required or allowed by law.

• Right to know: You have the right to request that we disclose certain information to you about our collection and use of your Personal Information over the past 12 months. Once we receive your request and confirm your identity, we will disclose to you:
  • The categories of Personal Information we collected about you

  • The specific pieces of Personal Information we collected about you

  • The categories of sources for the Personal Information we collected about you

  • Our business or commercial purpose for collecting or selling that Personal Information

  • The categories of third parties with whom we share that Personal Information,  the categories of Personal Information we have sold about you (if any), and the categories of third parties to whom the information was sold

• Right to Request Deletion: You have the right to request the deletion of Personal Information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions
• Right to Correct: You have the right to request a correction of inaccurate personal information that we maintain about you
• Right to Opt-Out of “Sale” of Personal Information: Akebia does not “sell” Personal Information under the CCPA
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights

Sensitive Personal Information: some information that we may collect is considered to be more sensitive, such as social security numbers, geolocation, health information, or racial or ethnic origin. Akebia only uses and discloses Sensitive Personal Information for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy or in accordance with any other notice that you have received or consent that you have provided.

To exercise your rights please submit a request by:

• Emailing: [email protected]

• Calling our toll-free number: 844-235-2205

• Entering a request on our portal: https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/media/en/gui/89775/index.html

Only you, or someone legally authorized to act on your behalf, may make a request to know or delete. You must provide us with enough information to identify you, such as your name and email address.  You may designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf by drafting, signing, and notarizing a letter that makes clear (i) the identity of your agent and (ii) the purposes for which you are appointing the agent. We will only use Personal Information provided in the request to verify the requestor’s identity or authority to make it.

Collection of Personal Information:

In the last 12 months, we have collected identifiers and contact information, biographical and demographic information, professional and employment information, health and medical information, financial information, audio and visual information, commercial information, internet and geolocation information, inferences and other information consumers may provide us. For more information on the types of Personal Information we collect and the categories of sources we collect it from, please see the Information We Collect section above. We collect this information for the purposes as described in the How We Use Personal Information We Collect section above. We share the categories of Personal Information with third parties for business purposes as described in the How We Share Information We Collect section above.

Minors Under Age 16

We do not sell or share the Personal Information of consumers we actually know are less than 16 years old.

California’s “Shine the Light” Law

California’s “Shine the Light” law (Civil Code Section § 1798.83) permits users of our website that are California residents to request certain information regarding our disclosure of Personal Information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. We currently do not provide Personal Information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. To opt-out of having your Personal Information disclosed to third parties for their direct marketing purposes in the future, please email us at [email protected] with the subject line “California Shine the Light Request”.

 

Information for Residents of the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom

If you are located in the European Economic Area (“EEA”) or the United Kingdom (“UK”), your Personal Information may be protected by data protection laws in the EEA or UK, such as the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).  Akebia will comply with these data protection laws when it uses and shares your Personal Information as described in this Privacy Policy.    

When using or sharing your Personal Information as described in this Privacy Policy (including transfers out of the EEA and UK described below), Akebia relies on the following lawful bases, as appropriate:

• Our legitimate interests, such as operating our business

• Performance of an employment or other contract with you or pre-contractual measures

• Compliance with our legal obligations

• With your consent, when applicable

Akebia is headquartered in the United States, and as a result, your Personal Information will be processed by Akebia in the United States. Akebia may contract with service providers to process your Personal Information on Akebia’s behalf; these service providers may be located outside of the EEA and UK. Data protection laws in the United States or other countries may not offer you the same protections as the laws of the country in which you are residing when your Personal Information is collected.  By using this Site and by submitting your Personal Information to Akebia, you consent to the transfer of your Personal Information to any country and its use and disclosure in accordance with applicable U.S. federal and state laws and with this Privacy Policy.

By submitting an employment application to Akebia through a third-party employment website, you are consenting to Akebia’s processing of your Personal Information (including special categories of data) in connection with Akebia’s consideration of your application and for Akebia’s compliance with applicable laws. 

Data protection laws in the EEA and UK may provide you the following legal rights with respect to your Personal Information used and shared by Akebia:

• To withdraw consent at any time, if we are using and sharing your Personal Information on the basis of consent
• To access the Personal Information that Akebia has about you
• To request that Akebia rectify or erase your Personal Information
• To request that Akebia restrict the way it uses or shares your Personal Information
• To object to the way Akebia uses or shares your Personal Information
• To ask Akebia to transfer your Personal Information to someone else
• To lodge a complaint with a data protection authority in the EEA or UK

Akebia’s ability or obligation to comply with your requests may be limited by applicable law.

To request to exercise one of these rights, please contact us at [email protected].

Akebia’s legal representative in the EU is Akebia Europe Limited, which is established in Ireland.  Akebia Europe Limited can be contacted through Akebia at the mailing and email addresses below.

 

Children’s Privacy

Akebia’s Site is not directed toward children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under the age of 13 through the Site.  We will delete information of children under the age of 13 if we learn any has been collected.

 

Changes to this Privacy Policy

Akebia may change this Privacy Policy from time to time, with changes effective as of the date indicated on the updated policy.  You should check the Site periodically for the latest updates to the Privacy Policy.

 

Contact Us

Please contact us at [email protected], [email protected] or the address, phone, or fax numbers provided below if you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, including about our processing of Personal Information, or if you require assistance in managing your choices.

Akebia Therapeutics, Inc.
245 First Street, Suite 1400
Cambridge, MA 02142

+1 617-871-2098
+1 617-871-2099 (fax)

 

However, if you are in the EEA or UK and wish to exercise any of the privacy rights described under “Users in the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom,” please contact [email protected].