Akebia Therapeutics has partnered with Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceutica to explore a library of well-characterised molecules based on hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) biology in a deal potentially worth more than US$230 M. The multiyear research agreement covers a large number of HIF-based compounds with potential application across multiple therapy areas, and includes a licence to JNJ5169 (now AKB-5169), which is in preclinical development as an oral treatment for inflammatory bowel disease.