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Heather McKenzie

Heather McKenzie

Senior Editor

Heather McKenzie is a professional journalist with more than five years experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. Since joining BioSpace, she has written more than 200 features and breaking news articles with a particular focus in neuroscience and gene therapy. She has also traveled internationally to cover global biotech hubs such as Israel. In previous roles, she has covered current affairs, sports, education and politics. She previously spent eight years as a senior content producer for executive-level business conferences in the pharma/biotech, legal, energy and business strategy sectors. In her free time, Heather enjoys creative writing, spending time with family and playing with her energetic Russian Blue cat Roofus. She hails from Toronto and has also lived in Chicago and Chesapeake, Virginia. You can reach her at heather.mckenzie@biospace.com.

Podcast
Pfizer’s Q3 Earnings Win, Deals Galore, Countdown to Election, More
Pfizer, Sanofi and others report Q3 beats; AbbVie, Roche and Novartis strike big deals; the 2024 presidential election looms; and BioSpace takes a look back at 10 years of NextGen, our annual pick of young biotechs to watch.
October 30, 2024
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1 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: A scientist works behind an FDA sign/Tay
FDA Tracker
Shorla, Protega Win Expanded Nods for Cancer/Autoimmune, Pain Therapies
In 2023, the FDA greenlit 55 new drugs and 34 cell and gene therapies. Follow along as BioSpace keeps you up to date on all of the FDA’s decisions in 2024.
October 29, 2024
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195 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Psychological concept. Chaotic thought process
Business
AbbVie Doubles Down on Alzheimer’s With $1.4B Aliada Buy
The acquisition of Aliada Therapeutics gives AbbVie access to a Phase I anti-amyloid antibody as well as the biotech’s novel platform engineered for efficient blood-brain barrier transport.
October 28, 2024
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Courtesy of Sarepta Therapeutics
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Sarepta’s Recent Elevidys Presentations Leave Duchenne Community Wanting
With Sarepta’s gene therapy Elevidys now available to a majority of Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients, experts express cautious optimism while emphasizing the need for further data.
October 28, 2024
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6 min read
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Heather McKenzie
searching for the virus cure medical pills in pattern on vibrant background
FDA
Evolving FDA Accelerated Approval Pathway Suffers Spate of Withdrawals
As therapies for rare and neurological diseases earn accelerated approval, experts laud the program’s intent while remaining concerned about confirmatory trials and clinical efficacy, especially as products greenlit under this pathway are pulled from the market.
October 28, 2024
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7 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Podcast
Trodelvy’s Bladder Cancer Withdrawal, Sage Therapeutics Layoffs, Sanofi’s Radiopharma Investment, More
Yet another therapy with FDA accelerated approval suffers a setback; Sage’s tough year continues; Sanofi drops $326 million in radiopharma while selling its consumer health unit; Novo Nordisk’s positive Rybelsus results in cardiovascular disease; and more.
October 23, 2024
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1 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Facade of Novo Nordisk's office in Fremont, California
GLP-1
Novo Scores Late-Stage CV Win for Rybelsus on Heels of Wegovy Label Expansion
Novo Nordisk on Monday reported the oral version of its drug semaglutide reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes by 14% in a large Phase III trial.
October 21, 2024
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1 min read
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Heather McKenzie
FDA signage at its headquarters in Maryland
FDA
Lykos Announces ‘Productive’ Meeting With FDA Regarding Rejected MDMA Drug
In a short statement Friday, Lykos Therapeutics expressed optimism about a recent meeting with the regulator to discuss next steps for the embattled program, following the FDA’s rejection in August 2024.
October 21, 2024
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1 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Massachusetts MA Puzzle Pieces Map Working Together 3d Illustration
Psychedelics
Massachusetts Proposal to Legalize Plant-Based Psychedelics Ahead of Science: Experts
As Massachusetts prepares to vote on a measure that would legalize psilocybin and other plant-based psychedelic substances, researchers raise concerns around safety and a lack of epidemiological data.
October 21, 2024
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6 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Podcast
Q3 Earnings Kick Off With J&J, Bluebird in Tough Spot, Novo-Catalent Deal Under Fire, More
J&J beat expectations this week to launch the Q3 earnings season; a study about children treated with bluebird bio’s Skysona comes at a bad time for the company; Sen. Warren calls for scrutiny of Novo’s purchase of Catalent; and other news.
October 16, 2024
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1 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Opioid health risk and medical crisis with a prescription painkiller addiction epidemic concept as a group of people running away from a dangerous falling bridge of pills as a medicine addict problem with 3D illustration elements.
FDA
5 Accelerated Approvals Gone Wrong
Since its inception in 1992, the FDA’s accelerated approval pathway has helped shepherd nearly 300 new drugs to the market. However, recent years have seen a number of high-profile market withdrawals and failed confirmatory trials.
October 14, 2024
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7 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Podcast
BioSpace at Meeting on the Mesa, WuXi Considers Selling U.S. Facilities, Big Pharma Layoffs, More
Cell and gene therapy investment rebounds; WuXi Biologics and other companies named in BIOSECURE Act mull options; Bayer, J&J and Pfizer’s recent layoffs; updates from the weight loss space.
October 9, 2024
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1 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Podcast
BMS’ Schizophrenia Approval, Pfizer’s Sudden Sickle Cell Withdrawal and Roche’s Pharma Day
Bristol Myers Squibb wins approval for the first novel schizophrenia drug in decades; Pfizer pulls Oxbryta from the market; new IVF and abortion laws could derail women’s health research; Roche touts CDK inhibitor deal and obesity pipeline and BioSpace heads to Meeting on the Mesa.
October 2, 2024
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1 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Brain shaped maze. Conceptual image of science and medicine. 3D illustration.
Schizophrenia
The Making of BMS’ Cobenfy: From Alzheimer’s to Schizophrenia
From Eli Lilly to Karuna Therapeutics to current owner Bristol Myers Squibb, the newly approved schizophrenia drug had quite the journey to market. Former Karuna and Lilly executives discuss the “accidental” and “serendipitous” discovery.
October 1, 2024
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6 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Roche's signage at its office in France
M&A
Roche Doubles Down on Breast Cancer With $850M for Regor’s CDK Inhibitors
The acquisition was featured Monday in Roche’s Pharma Day presentation, which also included projections of more than $3 billion in annual sales from three early-stage obesity and diabetes drugs.
September 30, 2024
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
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