New Century Equity Holdings

New Century Equity Holdings Corp. was a diversified holding company that pivoted to the biopharmaceutical industry, eventually renaming itself Keryx Biopharmaceuticals in 2002. The company focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapies for patients with renal disease. Its lead product, Auryxia (ferric citrate), is an FDA-approved oral treatment for hyperphosphatemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on dialysis and for iron deficiency anemia in CKD patients not on dialysis. Keryx established significant partnerships with Japan Tobacco and Torii Pharmaceutical for the development of its lead candidate in Asian markets. In December 2018, Keryx merged with Akebia Therapeutics in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $570 million. The combined company continues to focus on the renal space, leveraging Keryx's commercial infrastructure and Akebia's development pipeline.