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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.

Courtesy of Amgen
Policy
Amgen ‘Remains Committed’ to $27.8B Horizon Acquisition After FTC Challenge
The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking an injunction to prevent Amgen’s buyout of Horizon Therapeutics, which the agency says would “entrench monopoly drugs.”
May 16, 2023
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3 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Transmition Electron microscopy of an epithelial c
Drug Development
Therapies for Rare Mitochondrial Diseases Begin to See Traction
The approval of Reata Pharmaceuticals’ Skyclarys for Friedreich’s ataxia highlights progress being made in the treatment of rare mitochondrial diseases.
May 10, 2023
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7 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Sarepta sign on a brick building/courtes
Policy
Update: FDA Delays Decision on Sarepta’s DMD Gene Therapy
The FDA set a new action date of June 22 for Sarepta’s gene therapy for the neuromuscular disease, approximately three weeks after the original date of May 29.
May 10, 2023
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6 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Two scientists in a medical research lab
Business
Eisai Pays up to $2B for ADC Bearing Its Halaven as Payload
The deal with BlissBio is the latest in a cascade of multi-million- and billion-dollar acquisitions and collaborations centered on antibody-drug conjugates.
May 8, 2023
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: A neuroscientist looks at an MRI scan of
Policy
Will Biogen’s Qalsody Be a Catalyst for Gene-Specific ALS Research?
For people with, or at risk for, SOD1-ALS, the FDA’s approval of Qalsody is an important step toward advancing gene-specific research for this uniformly fatal disease.
April 27, 2023
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3 min read
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Heather McKenzie
John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Policy
FDA Approves Biogen and Ionis’ Qalsody as Fourth-Ever ALS Therapy
Tuesday, the FDA approved Qalsody—formerly tofersen—on a conditional basis to treat SOD1-ALS.
April 25, 2023
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6 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Facade of Moderna's building in Massachusetts
Moderna and Merck’s mRNA Cancer Vaccine Impresses but Experts Urge Caution
Moderna claims it can have vaccines ready for multiple cancer types by 2030, but experts say challenges remain.
April 20, 2023
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4 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: A neuroscientist looks at an MRI scan of
Drug Development
Top 2023 Neurodegenerative Readouts
Clinical results for experimental treatments in Alzheimer’s, ALS and more are expected over the coming months. BioSpace highlights a few of the more highly anticipated datasets.
April 14, 2023
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Scan of human brain /iStock, MyndziakVid
Drug Development
A New Era: Treating Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia
Karuna Therapeutics’ KarXT and Acadia Pharmaceuticals’ pimavanserin are sparking hope that a treatment for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia could be on the horizon.
April 11, 2023
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Novavax/Getty Images, STR/NurPhoto
Drug Development
Novavax Presents COVID-19 Booster and Flu Combo Vaccine Studies
At the World Vaccine Congress this week, Novavax presented data suggesting that its protein nanoparticle booster generated immune responses that could protect against severe infection.
April 6, 2023
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4 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Courtesy of Cristina Arias/Getty Images
Drug Development
Lilly Debuts Next Alzheimer’s Drug, Will Test Subcutaneous Potential
With data from the Phase III trial of donanemab expected in Q2, Eli Lilly presented the first clinical results from its next anti-amyloid antibody, remternetug, at AD/PD 2023.
April 4, 2023
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4 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Intellia office building with logo/compa
Business
Intellia Seeks to Broaden Gene Editing’s Potential with Full-Spectrum Approach
With several recent milestones, Intellia Therapeutics is setting a solid foundation for gene editing in rare diseases with an eye toward broader patient populations.
March 31, 2023
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: BrainStorm Co-CEO Stacy Lindborg
Drug Development
BrainStorm Secures FDA Adcomm for ALS Therapy NurOwn
The FDA has granted an advisory committee meeting for BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics’ investigational ALS therapy, NurOwn, the company announced Monday.
March 27, 2023
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6 min read
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Heather McKenzie
courtesy of Shutterstock
Drug Development
FDA Releases Briefing Docs for Upcoming Biogen/Ionis Tofersen Adcomm
Biomarkers as a surrogate endpoint in ALS will go on trial on March 22 as Biogen and Ionis’s tofersen faces the FDA’s Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee.
March 20, 2023
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Silvia Taylor, EVP, chief corporate affairs and ad
Drug Development
The Rise, Fall and Future of Novavax
On Feb. 28, Novavax issued a candid warning to investors: it may not be able to continue operations beyond February 2024. BioSpace takes a deep dive into the vaccine maker’s prospects.
March 17, 2023
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
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