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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.

Blue cells under a microscope_iStock, Anikbananik
Drug Development
After First Approval, Experts Point to Barriers in Cell Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes
The FDA recently approved the first cellular therapy for Type 1 diabetes and others may not be far behind. But experts say challenges still exist to the widespread application of these treatments.
July 12, 2023
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Bristol Myers Squibb office in California
Business
BMS Pays Combined $95M to Evotec, Prothena for Neuro-Focused Options
Bristol Myers Squibb is paying a total of $95 million to the two companies for exclusive global rights to programs developed within long-term partnerships designed to further BMS’ neuro pipeline.
July 11, 2023
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: FDA Headquarters, iStock, Grandbrothers
FDA
Leqembi Wins Full FDA Approval as First Anti-Amyloid Antibody for Alzheimer’s
Thursday, Eisai and Biogen’s Leqembi also became the first disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer’s to win traditional approval. CMS coverage is expected to begin immediately.
July 6, 2023
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3 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Physician with notepad_iStock, Everyday
Drug Development
Safety Concerns About New Weight Loss Drugs Brew as Demand Soars
The European Medicines Agency recently flagged a safety signal related to GLP-1 receptor agonists and sent a list of questions to manufacturers including Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, Sanofi and AstraZeneca.
July 6, 2023
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Illustration of Merck's Keytruda (pembro
Drug Development
Keytruda Keeps Racking Up Approvals and Clinical Wins in 2023
The Inflation Reduction Act could put an end to blockbuster runs like that of Merck’s Keytruda, experts told BioSpace. In the meantime, the drug keeps picking up more indications and positive clinical results.
July 6, 2023
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Gilead sign in front of tree_JOSH EDELSO
Policy
Gilead and Teva Prevail in Potentially $3.6B ‘Pay-to-Delay’ Lawsuit
The verdict, rendered by a California jury on Friday, found that the companies did not engage in an anticompetitive conspiracy to delay generic versions of HIV PreEP medicines.
July 3, 2023
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Glucose testing device/iStock, dragana991
FDA
FDA Approves First Cell Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes
Of the 30 patients given CellTrans’ Lantidra in two studies, 21 were insulin-free for at least a year and 10 were insulin-free for more than five years.
June 29, 2023
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
FDA Headquarters_Grandbrothers/Adobe Stock
Policy
9 Highly Anticipated FDA Decisions in the Second Half of 2023
After a series of milestone approvals in the first half of 2023, the FDA is slated to decide on four more firsts before the year’s end.
June 28, 2023
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7 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Kena Betancur/VIEWpress/Corbis via Getty
Drug Development
Bayer’s BlueRock Reports Positive Early Data for Parkinson’s Stem Cell Therapy
While early, the Phase I study results for 12 patients represent a promising return on Bayer’s investment in BlueRock, which it launched with Versant Ventures in 2016 and fully acquired three years later.
June 28, 2023
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Sarepta sign on a brick building/courtes
FDA
Sarepta Shares Fall Due to Concerns Over Elevidys’ Potential for Label Expansion
Shares of Sarepta dropped 11% a day after securing accelerated approval for the first gene therapy to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy over concerns about the potential for label expansion.
June 22, 2023
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4 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Gavel and scales of justice_iStock, Bria
Policy
US Government Seeks New Judgment, Trial After Gilead’s HIV PrEP Victory
The government asked a federal judge to overturn a verdict in which a Delaware jury ruled in favor of Gilead, deciding that its preventative HIV drugs Truvada and Descovy did not infringe on its patents.
June 22, 2023
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Doctor and patient_Stock, ArLawKa AungTun
Drug Development
Expanding ALS Trial Eligibility Could Benefit Patients, Therapeutic Progress
The majority of ALS patients are excluded from clinical trials. Experts say using biomarkers and stratifying trial populations can expand eligibility and provide additional scientific insights.
June 21, 2023
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6 min read
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Heather McKenzie
neural blueprint_iStock, Clayton Machado Gallego
Drug Development
Hope and Confusion for Huntington’s Patients as PTC, UniQure Report New Data
The Huntington’s disease space saw a flurry of activity Wednesday as PTC and uniQure released data from their respective mid-phase trials.
June 21, 2023
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3 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Medicare Enrollment Form_iStock, zimmytws
Policy
Biopharma Execs Weigh Controversial Move: Opting Out of Medicare to Escape Drug Price Negotiations
Biopharma executives suggested that some companies might seek to bypass the U.S. government’s national health insurance program altogether, among other sweeping changes to drug development.
June 20, 2023
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: A physician studies a brain scan/iStock,
Policy
On the Cusp of Full Approval, Leqembi’s Rollout Could Face Challenges
After an FDA advisory committee unanimously recommended Leqembi’s full approval, questions linger around amyloid-related imaging abnormalities and a potentially cumbersome patient registry.
June 16, 2023
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
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