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Tristan Manalac

Tristan Manalac

Senior Staff Writer

Tristan is BioSpace‘s senior staff writer. Based in Metro Manila, Tristan has 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: Man prepares his GLP-1 receptor agonist injection
Drug Development
Real-World Data Shows Lilly’s Tirzepatide Beats Novo’s Semaglutide at Weight Loss
Using electronic health records, healthcare analytics firm Truveta contends that Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro (tirzepatide) could achieve stronger and faster weight loss than Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic (semaglutide).
November 29, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Facade of Novartis building in Switzerland
Novartis Raises Growth Target, Trims Pipeline Under ‘Pure-Play’ Strategy
The Swiss pharma is adopting a more streamlined strategy focusing on core therapeutic areas: cardiovascular, immunology, neuroscience and oncology, as well as renal and metabolic diseases.
November 29, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Syringe drawing from a series of vials/i
Drug Development
Acelyrin Flags CRO Errors in Izokibep Program After Late-Stage Failure
The biotech blames contract research organization Fortrea for incorrectly coding the dosing sequence in a psoriatic arthritis trial, which it contends resulted in some patients being given the wrong treatments.
November 28, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Person applies eye drops/iStock, megaflo
Policy
FDA Rejects Aldeyra’s Dry Eye Drug, Cites Need for Additional Trial
Aldeyra Therapeutics is planning to run another trial, in line with the regulator’s requirements, and is expecting top-line data and a New Drug Application resubmission in the first half of 2024.
November 28, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: FDA signage at its office in Washington, DC
FDA
SpringWorks Wins First FDA Approval for Non-Cancerous Desmoid Tumors
The Ogsiveo tablets are the first approval therapy for the rare subtype of soft tissue sarcomas, which can lead to severe pain and disability and previously were treated primarily through surgery.
November 28, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: GSK laboratories in Dresden, Germany
Drug Development
GSK Builds Case for Blenrep’s Comeback with Promising Phase III Data
A year after exiting the U.S. market, GSK is setting the stage for the antibody-drug conjugate’s possible return in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.
November 27, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Facade of Novo Nordisk's office in Fremont, California
Novo Warns EU of GLP-1 Drug Shortages, Expands Production at French Site
Novo Nordisk is diverting manufacturing capacity away from its older GLP-1 drug Victoza in order to cater to sky-high Ozempic demand.
November 27, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Red line graph showing a downward trend/
Drug Development
InDex Scraps Phase III Ulcerative Colitis Trial on Disappointing Data
After a negative review by an Independent Data Monitoring Committee, InDex Pharmaceuticals has decided to discontinue the late-stage CONCLUDE program evaluating its cobitolimod in ulcerative colitis.
November 22, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Facade of Moderna's building in Massachusetts
Policy
European Patent Office Declares One of Moderna’s mRNA Patents Invalid
Pfizer and BioNTech scored a win over Moderna on Tuesday as the European Patent Office decided that a key patent held by the Massachusetts biotech related to its COVID-19 vaccine is invalid.
November 22, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Cancer cell in the bloodstream/iStock, D
Drug Development
ASH Preview: Darzalex Faspro in Multiple Myeloma, Imbruvica-Venclexta in Mantle Cell Lymphoma
J&J, AbbVie, Genmab and Genentech are presenting new data at next month’s American Society of Hematology meeting on the therapeutic potential of their therapies in multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma.
November 22, 2023
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Businessmen shaking hands after closing a deal
Business
BeiGene Inks Potential $1.3B Deal with Ensem for Early-Stage CDK2 Inhibitor
The biotech company has bought the global rights to an investigational oral CDK2 inhibitor from Ensem Therapeutics in a licensing agreement valued at up to $1.33 billion if all milestones are met.
November 21, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Bristol Myers Squibb in NJ/iStock, arlut
Policy
FDA Delays Decision on BMS, 2seventy bio’s Push for Earlier Line Abecma Treatment
The regulator has decided to hold an advisory committee meeting regarding BMS and 2seventy bio’s bid to move the CAR-T cell therapy into earlier lines of treatment, missing its previous target action date of Dec. 16.
November 21, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Scans of human brain /iStock, Nur Ceren
Drug Development
With New Phase III Data in Hand, Servier Eyes FDA Filing for Glioma Candidate
Vorasidenib decreased tumor volume by a mean of 2.5% every six months, compared to growth of 13.9% for placebo over the same time span. The candidate is also being tested in a regimen with Keytruda.
November 20, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Bayer's office in New Jersey
Drug Development
Outclassed by Eliquis, Bayer Halts Atrial Fibrillation Study of Factor XIa Inhibitor
Bayer’s investigational factor XIa inhibitor asundexian was inferior to BMS’ and Pfizer’s blockbuster blood thinner Eliquis (apixaban) in the Phase III OCEANIC-AF study.
November 20, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Nasdaq signage and building in New York City
Deals
Playing in the Hot Obesity Market, Carmot Braves Chilly IPO Waters
Armed with a pipeline of obesity and diabetes hopefuls, Carmot Therapeutics joins the small group of biotechs to attempt a Nasdaq debut this year.
November 20, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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