Aerpio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company. The Company is focused on developing compounds that activate Tie2 to treat ocular diseases and diabetic complications. Its lead product candidate is AKB-9778. AKB-9778 works by inhibiting VE-PTP, an enzyme that is upregulated in diabetic eye disease and that is responsible for inactivating Tie2. The Company is also developing a bispecific antibody that binds both VEGF and VE-PTP, which is designed to inhibit VEGF activation and activate Tie2. The Company’s pipeline includes the humanized monoclonal antibody, ARP-1536, directed at the same target as subcutaneous AKB-9778.