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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.

Pictured: Cyrus Arman, Ph.D., CEO, CytoDyn/Courtes
Policy
Embattled CytoDyn Sets New Course Toward NASH, Tough Tumors
CytoDyn has spent the past two years under siege. In an exclusive interview, Cyrus Arman, president, told BioSpace how the company is looking to turn the page.
March 14, 2023
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4 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Kathie Bishop, Ph.D._courtesy of Acadia
Drug Development
Acadia Wins FDA Approval for First Rett Syndrome Medicine
Acadia Pharmaceuticals announced the approval of Daybue (trofinetide) as the first and only drug to treat Rett Syndrome, a rare, neurodegenerative disorder affecting primarily girls.
March 9, 2023
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3 min read
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Heather McKenzie
QurAlis’ Biomarker-Driven Approach Attracts $88M in Series B
QurAlis has taken a biomarker-driven approach to treating ALS all the way to another bank deposit, closing an oversubscribed $88 million Series B round Thursday.
March 9, 2023
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3 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Iris Grossman, Ph.D., chief therapeutics
The Decade of RNA Delivery – Beyond the Liver
The past two decades were all about nucleic acid reading and writing. The next is about delivering DNA and RNA, Yogev Debbi, CEO of Mana.bio, told BioSpace in an interview.
March 7, 2023
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Voyager CEO Al Sandrock/courtesy of Voyager Therap
Business
Voyager Rolls on as Novartis Selects Two of Three CNS Targets
Voyager Therapeutics unlocked a potential $600 million plus $25 million upfront as Novartis exercised its option to leverage the company’s capsids against two undisclosed neurologic disease targets.
March 6, 2023
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
FDA
FDA Approves First Therapy for Friedreich’s Ataxia (Updated)
The FDA greenlit Reata Pharmaceuticals’ omaveloxolone (Skyclarys) as the first and only treatment for Friedreich’s ataxia, a rare, life-limiting neuromuscular disorder.
February 28, 2023
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4 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Al Drago/CQ Roll Call
Business
Billy Dunn Steps Down from Post as FDA Neuroscience Head
Billy Dunn, director of the FDA’s Office of Neuroscience, is stepping down from his post to “explore other opportunities,” according to an internal FDA e-mail.
February 27, 2023
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Courtesy of PR Newswire
Drug Development
The ALS Puzzle Gets Two New Pieces: SYF2 and PIKFYVE
ALS is the 5,000-piece jigsaw puzzle of the therapeutic world. As the regulatory edges come together, new research pieces are also connecting.
February 27, 2023
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4 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Drug Development
Reata Stock Reels as Dunn Departs on Eve of Friedreich’s Ataxia Decision
There are currently no disease-modifying treatments for Friedreich’s ataxia. That could change when the FDA makes a decision about Reata Pharmaceuticals’ omaveloxolone on Feb. 28.
February 24, 2023
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Courtesy of Getty Images
Drug Development
Astellas Presents Update on Recently Cleared Pompe Gene Therapy Trial
After overcoming a clinical hold, Astellas presented preliminary safety and efficacy data from the Phase I/II FORTIS trial of AT845 in late-onset Pompe disease at the 19th Annual WORLDSymposium 2023.
February 22, 2023
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Michael Vi/Getty Images, Mark Wildgust_Janssen Bio
Business
Janssen Returns Phase I NASH Candidate to Arrowhead
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals has gained full rights to ARO-PNPLA3, formerly JNJ-75220795, the company announced Wednesday.
February 15, 2023
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
courtesy of Enveda Biosciences
Drug Development
Enveda’s Matured Platform Drives Toward Three INDs in 2023
Enveda’s primary R&D efforts will focus on inflammation, fibrosis and neurosensory biology within the GI, dermatology and pulmonary therapeutic areas.
February 14, 2023
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6 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Courtesy of Getty Images
Biopharma Execs Adopt Creative Mindset at BIO CEO
As biopharma executives sought funding last week at the BIO CEO & Investor Conference, the strategic mindset could be summed up in three words: flexibility, creativity and concession.
February 14, 2023
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3 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Yair Benita, Ph.D., chief technology officer, AION
Novel Alliance Responds to Big Pharma’s Most Pressing AI/ML Needs
AI/ML applications are being deployed at large pharmaceutical companies, but in order to truly maximize their potential, better infrastructure is needed. AION Labs believes it is answering that call.
February 7, 2023
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Advances in Genome Sequencing could Further Precision Cancer Therapies
At the Advances in Genome Biology and Technology general meeting, innovators from industry and academia discuss how recent advances in whole genome sequencing are propelling cancer research.
February 7, 2023
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4 min read
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Heather McKenzie
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