Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership (4)

FORM 4

[X] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

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3235-0287

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Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Andrews William T.	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol AKCEA THERAPEUTICS, INC. [ AKCA ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director                    _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below)    _____ Other (specify below) Chief Medical Officer
(Last)          (First)          (Middle) C/O AKCEA THERAPEUTICS, INC., 22 BOSTON WHARF ROAD, 9TH FLOOR	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 10/12/2020
(Street) BOSTON, MA 02210 (City)        (State)        (Zip)	4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	10/12/2020		U		37500	D	$18.15	0	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (right to buy)	$13.29	10/12/2020		D			250000	(1)	7/8/2030	Common Stock	250000	$4.86	0	D

Explanation of Responses:

(1)

This option, which provided that 1/4th of the shares would vest one year after July 9, 2020 and 1/48th of the shares would vest monthly thereafter over the next three years, was cancelled in connection with the merger of the Issuer with a wholly owned subsidiary of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in exchange for a cash payment of $1,215,000.00, representing the difference between the exercise price of the option and the acquisition price of $18.15.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Andrews William T. C/O AKCEA THERAPEUTICS, INC. 22 BOSTON WHARF ROAD, 9TH FLOOR BOSTON, MA 02210			Chief Medical Officer

Signatures
/s/ Joshua F. Patterson, Attorney-in-Fact		10/12/2020
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date