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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: A man in a suit examines drugs with a ma
FDA
FDA Greenlights 35 Novel Approvals in H1, Biologics Stand Out
The FDA’s CBER approved nine novel therapies in the first half of 2023, with several more high-profile decisions on deck for the second half of the year.
July 21, 2023
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4 min read
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Heather McKenzie
A scientific analysis of Alzheimer's disease/istoc
Drug Development
Exploring Leqembi Combinations in the Fight Against Alzheimer’s
With Eisai and Biogen’s Leqembi now fully approved, researchers are exploring combinations—including with therapies targeting tau and microglial function—that could increase its effectiveness.
July 20, 2023
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6 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Alnylam CEO Yvonne Greenstreet, Alnylam
Drug Development
AAIC: First Clinical Data from an RNAi Therapeutic for Alzheimer’s Continue to Impress
Part B of the study, cleared to proceed in Canada, remains on hold in the U.S. due to findings from non-clinical chronic toxicology studies.
July 17, 2023
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: A physician studies a brain scan/iStock,
Drug Development
AAIC: Lilly’s Donanemab Data, Analyses Show Additional Benefit for Younger Patients
Full data for Eli Lilly’s Phase III TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 study, presented Monday at the 2023 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, confirm positive results announced in May.
July 17, 2023
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4 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Roche tower in Basel, Switzerland
Deals
Roche in Talks to Buy Stomach Drug from Roivant for $7B: Report
The Swiss pharma is in talks to acquire Roivant Sciences’ RVT-3101, an anti-TL1A antibody that recently showed promising results in a Phase IIb ulcerative colitis trial, reports The Wall Street Journal.
July 14, 2023
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2 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Pictured: Doctor holding a brain scan with an elde
Drug Development
Untangling the Amyloid-Tau Connection to Inform New Drug Development
Recent data from the Phase III study of donanemab emphasize a correlation between amyloid and tau. Experts say a greater understanding of this link could further Alzheimer’s drug development.
July 13, 2023
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5 min read
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Heather McKenzie
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
Silver Spring, MD, USA 11/10/2020: Exterior view of the headquarters of US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This federal agency approves medications, vaccines and food additives for human use.
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
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