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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: Novartis headquarters in Basel, Switzerl
Business
Sandoz to Commercialize Samsung Bioepis’ Biosimilar to J&J’s Stelara
As the Novartis generics and biosimilars division nears its spin-off, Sandoz has signed a commercialization agreement with Samsung Bioepis, gaining rights to the latter’s Stelara biosimilar.
September 12, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Close-up of a skin lesion in a patient w
Drug Development
Acelyrin’s Lead Asset Izokibep Fails in Late-Stage Hidradenitis Suppurativa Trial
Following a $540 million IPO in May, Acelyrin’s lead candidate izokibep failed to meet the primary endpoint in a Phase IIb/III study of patients with the chronic inflammatory skin condition.
September 12, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Facade of Novartis building in Switzerland
Deals
Novartis Drops Eye Disease Gene Therapy from $800M Gyroscope Acquisition
Following a Phase II review, Novartis has cut the development of a gene therapy candidate for geographic atrophy. In June, the company sold a dry eye disease drug to Bauch + Lomb for $1.75 billion.
September 11, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Test-tube containing a patient's sample
Drug Development
Crinetics Aces Phase III in Rare Disease Acromegaly with Once-Daily Pill
The California pharma is building up to its first-ever approval with promising late-stage data for its once-daily investigational acromegaly pill paltusotine, an alternative to the injectable standard of care.
September 11, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Gilead's corporate headquarters in Silicon Valley
Drug Development
Gilead’s Trodelvy Shows Potential as First-Line Treatment in NSCLC
The first-in-class antibody-drug conjugate—in combination with Merck’s Keytruda—has shown promising results in a Phase II study of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
September 11, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
AstraZeneca's sign on its office in California
Business
AstraZeneca Signs AI-Powered Drug Discovery Pact with Verge
Seeking to deepen its neurology and rare disease pipelines, AstraZeneca’s Alexion has joined forces with Verge Genomics to leverage its artificial intelligence platform in drug discovery and development.
September 8, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Illustration of an antibody molecule/iSt
Business
Seagen, Nurix Team to Create New Class of Antibody Conjugates for Cancer
The companies have started a collaboration worth up to $3.4 billion to develop a portfolio of degrader-antibody conjugates, a potentially new class of antibodies that selectively kill cancer cells.
September 8, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Illustration of a virus vector/iStock, p
Business
Otsuka, Shape Ink Potential $1.5B Deal to Develop Eye AAV Gene Therapies
To build its ophthalmology portfolio, Japan’s Otsuka Pharmaceuticals has teamed with RNA editing biotech Shape Therapeutics to develop adeno-associated virus gene therapies for ocular diseases.
September 8, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Facade of the FDA's office in Maryland
Drug Development
FDA Action Alert: GSK and Alnylam
After a three-month delay, GSK expects an FDA verdict for its myelofibrosis candidate, while Alnylam gears up for an advisory committee meeting discussing patisiran in cardiomyopathy of ATTR amyloidosis.
September 7, 2023
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: J&J's office in Madrid, Spain
Drug Development
J&J Terminates Phase III Study of Cardio Asset in Pulmonary Hypertension
At the recommendation of an independent data monitoring committee, J&J decided to stop the MACiTEPH trial in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension due to futility.
September 7, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Bristol Myers Squibb office in California
Policy
BMS Accused by HMO of Patent Fraud to Allegedly Sustain Pomalyst Monopoly
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana has filed a case against Bristol Myers Squibb alleging the company conducted patent fraud to extend protections for its multiple myeloma drug Pomalyst.
September 7, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Astellas' Americas headquarters in Illin
Policy
Astellas Withdraws IRA Lawsuit After Xtandi Avoids Drug Price Negotiations
The company has withdrawn a suit against the Department of Health and Human Services after its prostate cancer therapy was not included in Medicare’s initial drug price negotiation list.
September 7, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
External view of AstraZeneca's production plant in Sweden
Policy
FDA Rejects AstraZeneca’s Ultomiris Label Expansion in NMOSD
Citing the need to improve its Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy, the regulator has declined AstraZeneca’s bid to get its C5 complement inhibitor approved in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.
September 6, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Medicines on dollar bills/iStock, Julia_
Policy
CMS Should Monitor Effects of Drug Rebates with Eye Towards IRA: GAO
Monitoring rebates from drugmakers will be critical as provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act are implemented, including drug price negotiations, the Government Accountability Office contends.
September 6, 2023
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Illustration of a base nucleotide being
Drug Development
Beam Launches Early-Stage Study of Allogeneic, Base-Edited CAR-T Therapy
Biotech Beam Therapeutics has dosed the first patient in a Phase I/II study of its base-edited CAR-T therapy in relapsed or refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma.
September 6, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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