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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.

Business
Merck and Nectin to Study Novel Anti-PVR Candidate with Keytruda
Merck and Nectin Therapeutics announced a research collaboration agreement to study the safety and efficacy of Nectin’s investigational antibody in locally advanced and metastatic solid tumors.
February 7, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Yuriko Nakao/Getty Images
Business
Astellas Taps New CEO in Nod to Accelerated Growth
Astellas named a new president and CEO and announced additional changes to its leadership structure in an effort to accelerate growth and chart its long-term business trajectory.
February 6, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Stop sign in front of FDA headquarters/S
Drug Development
4D’s Fabry Gene Therapy on Ice After FDA-Mandated Pause
The FDA placed 4D Molecular Therapeutics’ gene therapy program, 4D-310, on clinical hold, the company announced Thursday.
February 6, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Chesnot/Getty Images
Drug Development
Sanofi Admits Defeat for Myasthenia Gravis Candidate, Drops Phase III Trial
Sanofi is discontinuing its Phase III study of tolebrutinib, an investigational BTK inhibitor for myasthenia gravis.
February 3, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Magenta Cuts 5 Executives, 84% of Staff Following Patient Death
Magenta Therapeutics is cutting about 84% of its workforce after a patient’s death halted a Phase I/II trial in acute myeloid leukemia.
February 3, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Leon Neal/Getty Images
FDA
GSK Wins Approval for CKD Anemia Drug – with Conditions
Wednesday, the FDA approved GSK’s daprodustat, now to be marketed as Jesduvroq, for the treatment of anemia due to chronic kidney disease in adult patients.
February 2, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
Drug Development
Roche Abandons AKT Prostate Cancer Asset
Roche is dropping its investigational AKT inhibitor ipatasertib, which was being assessed in a Phase III trial for castration-resistant prostate cancer, as well as several other candidates.
February 2, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Don Murray/Getty Images
Business
GSK Culls Celiac, S. aureus Candidates on FDA Decision Day for CKD Drug
GSK has dropped two assets, an investigational celiac disease therapeutic and a Staphylococcus aureus vaccine hopeful, from its pipeline.
February 1, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Drug Development
Taysha’s GAN Gene Therapy Hits FDA Speedbump
The FDA asked Taysha Gene Therapies to dose more patients in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial before submitting a BLA for its giant axonal neuropathy candidate.
February 1, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of Getty Images
Business
Amgen Downsizes by 300 Amid Industry Constriction
Amgen is implementing organizational changes including laying off approximately 300 team members, confirmed Monday.
January 30, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of Getty Photos
Drug Development
FDA Approves First Reversible BTK Inhibitor
The FDA granted Eli Lilly’s Jaypirca accelerated approval for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma.
January 30, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of Kena Betancur/Getty Images
FDA
Merck’s Keytruda Snags Fifth NSCLC Nod
The FDA approved Merck’s Keytruda for the treatment of stage IB, II or IIIA non-small cell lung cancer after resection or platinum-based chemotherapy.
January 27, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
simonkr_Getty Images
Drug Development
AC Immune Expands Vaccine Candidate to Down Syndrome
Phase I/II data showed AC Immune’s anti-amyloid-beta vaccine candidate could safely elicit an antibody response in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Now, it will expand to Down Syndrome patients.
January 26, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Drug Development
Patient Death Pauses Another AML Trial
Following the death of a patient, Magenta Therapeutics placed a hold on Phase I/II dose-escalation trial of its acute myeloid leukemia therapy.
January 26, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Drug Development
A Hit and a Miss for Merck’s Keytruda
Merck posted a rare defeat Wednesday for its blockbuster Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in prostate cancer while simultaneously announcing a victory in biliary tract cancer.
January 25, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
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