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.

After oncology and neuroscience headlined biopharma investment in 2023, experts anticipate increased interest in the autoimmune and obesity spaces this year.
Despite the approval of two novel therapies for this uniformly fatal neurodegenerative disease, experts say regulatory standards and expectations are still evolving.
The cancer space has been aflutter with notable approvals so far this year, but there are several more candidates with significant data expected over the next four months. BioSpace takes a closer look.
Two weeks after Vertex’s Phase III data for VX-548 reenergized the field, Latigo Biotherapeutics announced $135 million in Series A funds to push its own NaV1.8 inhibitor into Phase II.
The neuroscience space saw a late push in merger and acquisition activity, while oncology start-ups reeled in the most venture capital funds. Industry leaders expect these trends to continue.
Biotech companies are exploring multiple targets in the fight against neuroinflammation. Experts say these projects could yield the next breakthrough in treating Alzheimer’s disease.
Positive Phase III results for VX-548 could signal a new chapter in the fight against opioid addiction, but experts say there is still room to do better.
From ALS to depression to Huntington’s disease, many neuroscience-focused companies are anticipating key data over the next few months.
CBER Director Peter Marks recently spoke in favor of single-arm trials in certain situations, but clinicians and ethicists say there are several variables to consider.
Following the FDA’s November announcement of an investigation into 20 cases of T cell lymphoma recipients of CAR-T therapies, a cadre of cancer and cell therapy leaders published their assessment in Nature.
The therapeutic targets of many of our top startups are also reflected in recent big biopharma acquisitions and partnerships.
Iovance’s lifileucel for advanced melanoma and Madrigal’s resmetirom for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis are just a couple of the key decisions on the FDA’s docket this quarter.
FDA
Along with CRISPR/Cas9-based Casgevy—developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics—the regulator on Friday approved bluebird bio’s Lyfgenia, a second gene therapy for sickle cell disease.
As Vertex and CRISPR Therapeutics’ exa-cel and Verve Therapeutics’ VERVE-101 move forward, questions remain about possible drawbacks of such therapies.
From the skin to the lungs to the central nervous system, biotech companies are making progress toward delivering RNA therapeutics to multiple targets throughout the body. But challenges remain.