Eight venture capitalists gathered Thursday evening at TechColumbus to discuss bioscience innovation in the state. The audience included a mix of start ups, portfolio companies and research institutions trying to navigate their way into the panelists’ pockets.

The company stated it raised additional money to ensure the development of two of its drugs. Akebia plans later this year to start Phase I clinical trials on an oral medication designed to create new red blood cells in anemia patients. In addition, it wants to establish a human clinical proof of concept for a second drug that prevents vascular leak syndrome, in which blood components leak out of veins and into other systems — a side effect of some cancer treatments.