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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: J&J's building in Switzerland
Policy
EU Panel Backs J&J, Legend’s Carvykti for Second-Line Multiple Myeloma
Johnson & Johnson and Legend Biotech got a positive opinion from a European Medicines Agency panel for earlier lines of treatment, as they ready for a March FDA advisory committee meeting.
February 26, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: FDA signage at its office in Washington, DC
FDA
Alvotech, Teva End Rough Road for Humira Biosimilar with FDA Approval
On Friday, Alvotech and Teva Pharmaceuticals finally secured the FDA’s greenlight for their Humira biosimilar Simlandi, which now has the regulator’s interchangeability designation.
February 26, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
FDA signage at its office in Maryland
Policy
Sanofi, Regeneron Secure FDA Priority Review for Dupixent in COPD
The FDA’s target decision date is June 27, 2024, the companies announced Friday. Sanofi and Regeneron are looking to expand blockbuster Dupixent into chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
February 23, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Doctor showing a patient their lung scan
Business
Blueprint’s Cancer Drug Gavreto Finds New Home at Rigel after Roche Split
A year after Roche returned Gavreto’s global rights to Blueprint Medicines, Rigel Pharmaceuticals has acquired the U.S. rights to the FDA-approved treatment for non-small cell lung cancer.
February 23, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Businessmen shaking hands after closing a deal
Drug Development
Frontier Medicines Raises $80M in Series C, Targets Amgen and BMS in KRAS
The biotech will use the oversubscribed Series C financing to advance its next-generation KRAS blocker FMC-376, which saw its first patient dosed in a Phase I/II clinical trial on Thursday.
February 23, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Man prepares his GLP-1 receptor agonist injection
Drug Development
India’s Drugmakers Look to Tap Weight-Loss Market with Versions of Wegovy
Seeking a slice of the lucrative obesity market, Indian pharma companies are developing their own versions of Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy, Reuters reports.
February 23, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Facade of Moderna's building in Massachusetts
Business
Moderna Posts Surprise Q4 Profit Despite Steep COVID-19 Sales Decline
While COVID vaccine revenue dropped 43% compared to the same period last year, Moderna on Thursday reported a profit of $217 million which beat analyst estimates, driven by deferred payments and cost savings.
February 22, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Boardroom overlooking a city/iStock, ism
Policy
PhRMA Names Gilead CEO O’Day as New Board Chair Following Loss of Members
With the departure of AbbVie and AstraZeneca from the trade group, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America has named new members to its leadership including Gilead Sciences chief Daniel O’Day.
February 22, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Illustration of antibodies attacking a nerve cell
Drug Development
Small Study Points to Big Potential of CAR-T Therapies for Autoimmune Diseases
After treatment with a CD19 CAR-T therapy, patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, idiopathic inflammatory myositis or systemic sclerosis achieved long-lasting remission, according to results published in the NEJM.
February 22, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Illustration of red blood cells
Drug Development
Protagonist Publishes Promising Phase II Blood Cancer Data for Therapy
On the heels of Takeda’s $300 million licensing deal for rusfertide, Protagonist Therapeutics’ peptide mimetic lowered hematocrit levels in patients with polycythemia vera, a type of blood cancer.
February 22, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: GSK's office in Poznan, Poland/iStock, W
Drug Development
GSK’s Injectable HIV Drug Bests Pills in Patients with Medication Adherence Issues
ViiV Healthcare and GSK’s Cabenuva in a Phase III study showed superior efficacy versus daily oral antiretroviral treatment in HIV patients with a history of difficulties in taking daily pills.
February 21, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: J&J's building in Switzerland
FDA
J&J Wins Bi-Weekly Dosing Approval from FDA for Tecvayli in Multiple Myeloma
Johnson & Johnson’s anti-BCMA antibody can now be dosed once every two weeks in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma patients who have achieved and maintained complete response for at least six months.
February 21, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Sign above the entrance to a U.S. courthouse
Policy
Four Drugmakers to Face Government Together in IRA Oral Arguments Next Month
A federal judge in New Jersey has agreed to hear legal challenges from BMS, J&J, Novartis and Novo Nordisk to the Inflation Reduction Act’s Drug Price Negotiation Program during the same March 7 hearing.
February 21, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: 3D illustration of antibody-drug conjugates with their toxic payloads
Job Trends
Daiichi Sankyo Drops $1B to Boost ADC Manufacturing Capacity at German Site
With the investment in the plant, Daiichi Sankyo is looking to create new laboratories for its antibody-drug conjugates used to develop and manufacture therapies for breast, lung and stomach cancers.
February 20, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: AstraZeneca signage at its office in Sweden
Drug Development
AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso Continues NSCLC Streak with New Phase III Data
In a late-stage study, Tagrisso induced a “statistically significant and highly clinically meaningful improvement” in progression-free survival in patients with unresectable stage III, EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer.
February 20, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
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