SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
Tristan Manalac

Tristan Manalac

Contributing Writer | News

Tristan is an independent science writer based in Metro Manila, with more than eight years of experience writing about medicine, biotech and science. Being formally trained in molecular biology, he once dreamed of collecting degrees and starting his own lab. But these days, he finds his greatest joy in a bottle of beer and a beautiful sentence. He can be reached at tristan.manalac@biospace.com, tristan@tristanmanalac.com or on LinkedIn.

Pictured: 3D illustration of antibody-drug conjugates with their toxic payloads
Drug Development
Five Deaths in Prostate Cancer Trial Send MacroGenics’ Stock Plummeting
Two of the five fatalities were found to be unrelated to MacroGenics’ investigational antibody-drug conjugate vobra duo, while the other three are still under investigation.
May 10, 2024
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Hand holding an inhaler
Policy
Verona Secures Up To $650M in Funding as it Gears Up for Potential COPD Approval and Launch
Anticipating approval for its COPD therapy ensifentrine, Verona has entered into a $650 million financing deal with Oaktree Capital Management and OMERS Life Sciences.
May 10, 2024
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Businessmen shaking hands after closing a deal
Business
Royalty Pharma Drops $525M for Royalties and Milestones on Sanofi-Licensed MS Therapy
With its $525 million investment, Royalty Pharma will acquire the royalties and milestones for ImmuNext’s anti-CD40 therapy frexalimab, which is currently in Phase III trials for multiple sclerosis.
May 10, 2024
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: bluebird bio logo on wall/device, courtesy of Pavlo Gonchar
Business
Bluebird Boasts Nearly 140% Revenue Jump, Still Misses Target
With 15 patients started across its three gene therapies, bluebird bio claims a 138% year-over-year revenue growth and aims to initiate up to around 100 new patients in the current year.
May 10, 2024
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Novo Nordisk's corporate headquarters in Denmark
Business
Novo Inks $600M Deal With Metaphore to Develop Next-Gen Obesity Drugs
As competition with Eli Lilly heats up, Novo Nordisk has partnered with Flagship’s Metaphore Biotechnologies to take a biomimicry approach to GLP-1s.
May 9, 2024
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: 3D illustration of stem cells used for cell therapy
Drug Development
Lisata’s Autologous T Cell Therapy Is Safe but Fails to Slow T1D Disease Progression, Trial Finds
An autologous and personalized regulatory T cell therapy is safe in patients with type 1 diabetes, but does not help preserve β-cell function.
May 9, 2024
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Facade of Takeda's office in Massachusetts
Business
Takeda Lowers Profit Outlook Amid Vyvanse Loss of Exclusivity, Eyes $900M Restructuring in 2024
Takeda saw a 57% drop in profit in its 2023 fiscal year and has lowered its outlook for the coming fiscal year, mostly driven by increasing generic competition for its ADHD treatment Vyvanse.
May 9, 2024
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Regeneron logo on a light brown building
Drug Development
Regeneron’s Gene Therapy Shows ‘Dramatic’ Hearing Improvement in Deaf Kids
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals on Wednesday revealed that its investigational gene therapy DB-OTO restored hearing in two young children, according to an oral presentation at the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy annual meeting.
May 8, 2024
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
AstraZeneca's sign on its office in California
Drug Development
AstraZeneca Withdraws COVID-19 Vaccine Worldwide as Demand Craters
AstraZeneca announced that it will voluntarily pull Vaxzevria from the global market amid a sharp decline in demand and following the company’s recent admission that its vaccine is linked with a rare side effect.
May 8, 2024
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Man sitting on a bed looking stressed
Policy
Lykos Therapeutics’ MDMA Therapy for PTSD to Face FDA Adcomm
As interest in psychedelic therapies ramp up, Lykos Therapeutics will go in front of the FDA’s Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee on June 4 to present its investigational treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
May 8, 2024
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Entrance to Pfizer's office in Belgium
Drug Development
Pfizer Halts Dosing in Late-Stage DMD Study Following Death of Young Patient
Pfizer’s investigational Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy fordadistrogene movaparvovec has been hit with another patient death, forcing the pharma to pause dosing in its Phase III study.
May 8, 2024
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: A scientist with pill bottles in front of FDA headquarters/Taylor Tieden for BioSpace
Policy
FDA Action Alert: Dynavax, Ascendis and BMS
The FDA is looking at four decision deadlines in the coming three weeks, including two for a CAR-T therapy and another for a hepatitis B vaccine.
May 7, 2024
 · 
4 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Illustration showing several virus particles
Business
Flagship-Backed Prologue Launches with $50M to DELVE into Viral Proteome
The newest company by the life sciences venture capital firm, Prologue Medicines will search through the vast viral proteome to identify proteins with therapeutic potential.
May 7, 2024
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Entrance to Vertex's office in Boston, Massachusetts
Business
Vertex Touts 13% Revenue Jump, Beats Profit Estimates on Strong Cystic Fibrosis Performance
With a total revenue of nearly $2.7 billion, Vertex exceeded analyst estimates in the first quarter, bolstered by strong uptake of its cystic fibrosis products.
May 7, 2024
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: 3D illustration of antibody-drug conjugates with their toxic payloads
Drug Development
ADC Therapeutics Posts Early Phase II Lymphoma Data for Zynlonta as Revenue Drops 5.8%
ADC Therapeutics is positioning Zynlonta for a label expansion with new Phase II data showing that the treatment can elicit high rates of complete response in patients with relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma.
May 7, 2024
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Load More