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Heather McKenzie

Heather McKenzie

Senior Editor

Heather McKenzie is a professional journalist with more than 8 years’ experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. Since joining BioSpace, she has written more than 300 features and breaking news articles, including multiple award-winning stories. Her particular focuses are neuroscience, rare disease and regulatory science. She has also traveled internationally to cover global biotech hubs, including 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, watching her American League champion Toronto Blue Jays, 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.

People are looking far ahead on the growth graph..
Obesity
ADA: Novo boasts deep pipeline, ‘breadth of assets’ after analysts award Lilly weight loss gold
Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly presented data extolling the benefits of their relative weight loss therapies in obesity-linked indications, while analysts at BMO Capital Markets were “encouraged” by the strategy communicated by Novo management.
June 8, 2026
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
businessman chooses the path strategy 3d illustration
FDA
Post-Makary, new rare disease framework faces fresh uncertainty
As the FDA tries to clarify its intent for former FDA Commissioner Marty Makary’s plausible mechanism framework for bespoke therapies, experts emphasize the importance of expanding its scope to encompass rare diseases that affect more than just one or a few individuals.
June 8, 2026
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7 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Limited resources, profit distribution, resource sharing concept. Three hands with forks and one pie chart. Minimalist collage
Obesity
ADA: Obesity partners Zealand and Roche aim for weight loss ‘sweet spot’ with amylin agonist
Analysts and investors were unimpressed by Phase 2 data posted in the spring showing that an amylin analog developed by Roche and partner Zealand Pharma elicited 9% weight loss, less than Eli Lilly’s rival candidate. Executives from both companies told BioSpace that premium weight loss is not the point of petrelintide.
June 5, 2026
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4 min read
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Annalee Armstrong
Hands holding trophies winner cups. Business or sporting achievements, the championship winner. victory. Vector illustration in flat style on green background
Cancer
ASCO’s biggest winners showcased a new era of cancer innovation
Revolution Medicines stole the show at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting as full data from its pancreatic cancer drug lived up to expectations, while Summit and Akeso proved the PD-(L)1/VEGF mechanism and Eli Lilly showed that its in vivo CAR T bet is paying off.
June 3, 2026
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7 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Podcast
ASCO wins from RevMed, Akeso/Summit, more; plus more Lilly and more China; ADA on deck
Improved survival on display at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago; Pfizer’s unusual pact with China’s Innovent highlights a new type of collaboration; Eli Lilly continues its nonstop deal streak, including with Chinese biotechs; and looking ahead to this weekend’s American Diabetes Association meeting.
June 3, 2026
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2 min read
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Jef Akst
Balance, equilibrium and stability in a risky environment concepts. Spheres balancing on a seesaw. Abstract 3D render.
ALS
BrainStorm levels up, bringing on former FDA leader Peter Pitts for new ALS bid
For Peter Pitts, a former associate commissioner at the FDA, the appointment to the board of BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics is an opportunity to fulfill a promise he made long ago to a patient with ALS.
June 2, 2026
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
3D Illustration of a White pawn Surrounded by Intimidating Circle Pieces on Semi-Reflective Chess Board With Black Background
Pancreatic cancer
ASCO: Biopharma has pancreatic cancer ‘surrounded’ as Immuneering’s drug adds 9 quality months
In addition to eliciting 17.3 months median overall survival vs. 8.5 months for patients given standard of care treatment in a prior study, Immuneering’s atebimetinib demonstrated a robust tolerability profile—something CEO Ben Zeskind said equates highly with survival.
June 1, 2026
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
spring on background
Obesity
Biohaven looks to obesity to bounce back from run of clinical and regulatory failures
After trial flops in spinal muscular atrophy, depression and bipolar disorder—and a costly rare disease drug rejection—Biohaven is undergoing a reset, recasting its former SMA candidate for obesity.
June 1, 2026
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Find Business Growth Opportunity, Business Standing Analyzing Arrow Gate
Rare diseases
FDA accepts BridgeBio’s application for potential first limb-girdle muscular dystrophy drug
The FDA’s priority review acceptance of BridgeBio’s BBP-418 is another step toward what William Blair previously dubbed a “diversified commercial portfolio.” It also adds to the rapidly building momentum in muscular dystrophy more broadly.
May 27, 2026
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3 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Business team running towards goal step by step, Timeline, Short-term, medium-term and long-term business goals concept, Corporate success target creation, Flat vector design illustration.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
REGENXBIO, Novartis, Dyne near FDA submissions in muscular dystrophies
Analysts homed in on Duchenne muscular dystrophy and myotonic dystrophy type 1 assets during first quarter earnings as major players like REGENXBIO and Novartis as well as Dyne, Wave, Solid and Sarepta near the regulatory finish line.
May 26, 2026
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9 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Richard Pazdur
Regulatory
Pazdur declines to announce candidacy for vacated FDA commissioner role
FDA veteran Richard Pazdur outlined his priorities for the next FDA commissioner but stopped short of putting himself forward as a candidate to lead the agency at an RBC Capital Markets event on Tuesday.
May 20, 2026
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4 min read
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Heather McKenzie
FDA
FDA’s absent leaders, the millions pharma CEOs make, and pancreatic cancer’s momentum
Fallout from the resignation of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary continues as several other senior regulators are removed from their posts; pharma’s top paid CEOs make up to 358 times more than their employees; Revolution Medicine’s pancreatic cancer results highlight movement in the deadly disease space; more.
May 20, 2026
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1 min read
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Jef Akst
Obesity
Deep dive: The oral obesity wars
BioSpace examines how the FDA approval of Eli Lilly’s oral obesity drug Foundayo has ignited a key race with Novo Nordisk.
May 18, 2026
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3 min read
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Heather McKenzie
3D. rocket soaring. Different rockets fly high and stand out. different from others, concept startup idea, new generation, faster work better
Drug Development
Is Revolution ‘the next oncology titan’? Truist analysts make the case
A month after reporting that its RAS inhibitor daraxonrasib doubled survival in advanced pancreatic cancer, Truist said Revolution Medicines “is evolving into a major revenue-generating oncology company,” and projects an approval in second-line disease by the end of the third quarter.
May 18, 2026
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3 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Stairs in sky With Light
Pancreatic cancer
Can Revolution’s ‘miracle’ pancreatic cancer drug be topped? Immuneering, Actuate say yes
Last month, Revolution Medicines’ RAS inhibitor doubled survival in a Phase 3 pancreatic cancer trial. On the biotech’s heels are Immuneering, Actuate Therapeutics, Erasca and more, looking to improve on that result with increased tolerability—and more time for patients.
May 18, 2026
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7 min read
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Heather McKenzie
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