SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. 4)*

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box. ☐

Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See Rule 13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person’s initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

---

1	NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
	venBio Global Strategic Fund II, L.P.
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP			(a)	☐
				(b)	☐
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	WC
5	CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(D) OR 2(E)				☐
6	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
	Cayman Islands
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH		7	SOLE VOTING POWER
			0
		8	SHARED VOTING POWER
			2,315,893
		9	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
			0
		10	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
			2,315,893
11	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
	2,315,893
12	CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)				☐
13	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
	6.65%
14	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	PN

1	NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
	venBio Global Strategic GP II, L.P.
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP			(a)	☐
				(b)	☐
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	AF
5	CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(D) OR 2(E)				☐
6	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
	Cayman Islands
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH		7	SOLE VOTING POWER
			0
		8	SHARED VOTING POWER
			2,315,893
		9	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
			0
		10	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
			2,315,893
11	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
	2,315,893
12	CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)				☐
13	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
	6.65%
14	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	PN

1	NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
	venBio Global Strategic GP II, Ltd.
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP			(a)	☐
				(b)	☐
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	AF
5	CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(D) OR 2(E)				☐
6	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
	Cayman Islands
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH		7	SOLE VOTING POWER
			0
		8	SHARED VOTING POWER
			2,315,893
		9	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
			0
		10	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
			2,315,893
11	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
	2,315,893
12	CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)				☐
13	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
	6.65%
14	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	CO

1	NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
	Robert Adelman
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP			(a)	☐
				(b)	☐
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	AF
5	CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(D) OR 2(E)				☐
6	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
	United States of America
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH		7	SOLE VOTING POWER
			0
		8	SHARED VOTING POWER
			2,315,893
		9	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
			0
		10	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
			2,315,893
11	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
	2,315,893
12	CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)				☐
13	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
	6.65%
14	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	IN

1	NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
	Corey Goodman
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP			(a)	☐
				(b)	☐
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	AF
5	CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(D) OR 2(E)				☐
6	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
	United States of America
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH		7	SOLE VOTING POWER
			0
		8	SHARED VOTING POWER
			2,315,893
		9	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
			0
		10	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
			2,315,893
11	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
	2,315,893
12	CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)				☐
13	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
	6.65%
14	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
	IN

CUSIP No. 00973Y108

Page 7 of 10 Pages

Item 1 of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended and supplemented as follows:

This Amendment No. 4 to Schedule 13D (“Amendment No. 4”) relates to the shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”) of Akero Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Issuer”). This Amendment No. 4 amends and supplements the initial statement on Schedule 13D filed by the Reporting Persons with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on June 26, 2019, as amended by Amendment No. 1 filed on January 15, 2020, Amendment No. 2 filed on July 8, 2020, and Amendment No. 3 filed on September 9, 2020  (together with this Amendment No. 4, the “Schedule 13D”). All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the initial Schedule 13D. Except as specifically provided herein, this Amendment No. 4 does not modify any of the previous information reported in the initial Schedule 13D.

Item 5(a), (b) and (c) of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended and supplemented as follows:

(a)-(b) The information set forth in rows 7 through 13 of the cover pages to this Schedule 13D is incorporated by reference. The percentage set forth in row 13 is based on 34,820,319 outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Issuer as of April 5, 2021, according to the Issuer’s proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed on April 27, 2021.

The Fund directly holds 2,315,893 shares of Common Stock. As the sole general partner of the Fund, the General Partner may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held by the Fund and as the sole general partner of the General Partner, the GP Ltd. may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held by the Fund. As directors of the GP Ltd., each of the Directors may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held by the Fund.

(c) Except for the transactions listed in Schedule D to this Amendment No. 4 to Schedule 13D, all of which were effected in the open market through a broker, there have been no transactions in the Common Stock by the Reporting Persons during the past sixty days.

Item 7 of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended and supplemented as follows:

Schedule D - Schedule of Transactions, in response to Item 5(c) (filed herewith).

CUSIP No. 00973Y108

Page 8 of 10 Pages

SIGNATURES

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

May 7, 2021

This Schedule 13D was executed by David Pezeshki on behalf of the individuals listed above pursuant to a Power of Attorney, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 4 to the Schedule 13D.

Schedule D

The following table sets forth all transactions with respect to the shares of Common Stock effected during the

past sixty days prior to the filing of this Amendment No. 4 to Schedule 13D by any Reporting Person.