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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.

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Business
J.P. Morgan Launches Life Sciences Fund to Support Early-Stage Biotech
J.P. Morgan launched its new life science-focused private equity team, Life Sciences Private Capital, to support early- and growth stage biotech companies.
November 2, 2022
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Business
J&J Expands Cardiovascular Business with $16.6B Abiomed Acquisition
Johnson & Johnson announced it was acquiring all outstanding shares of Abiomed for $16.6 billion to expand Abiomed’s cardiovascular technologies and increase patient access.
November 1, 2022
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Michael Vi/Shutterstock
Drug Development
FDA Keeps Jazz’s SCLC Treatment on the Market Despite Failed Confirmatory Trial
The FDA has upheld the accelerated approval of Jazz Pharmaceuticals’ Zepzelca (lurbinectedin), even though the drug failed to reach its primary endpoint in the confirmatory Phase III ATLANTIS trial.
October 27, 2022
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Business
Candel Pairs HSV Vectors with Carl June’s CAR-T Cells in Solid Tumor Pact (Updated)
Candel revealed a collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania to assess the combination of Candel’s viral immunotherapy and UPenn’s CAR-T cell treatments in solid tumor models.
October 27, 2022
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of Michael Vi/Getty Images
Drug Development
J&J Maintains Momentum in Multiple Myeloma with Tecvayli Approval
The FDA has greenlit the use of Johnson & Johnson’s Tecvayli in heavily pretreated adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
October 26, 2022
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Drug Development
Early Data Indicate Gritstone’s Self-Amplifying mRNA Vaccine could Fill COVID-19 Gaps - Updated
Data from two Phase I trials indicate Gritstone Bio’s samRNA vaccine can safely induce a strong and durable immune response against COVID-19.
October 25, 2022
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of inside-studio/Getty Images
Drug Development
Rare Liver Disease Wins Mount as Mirum’s PFIC Trial Meets Endpoint - Updated
Mirum Pharmaceuticals announced that Livmarli oral solution met its primary endpoint in the Phase III MARCH study in young patients with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis.
October 25, 2022
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Drug Development
Tricida Stocks Plummet Following Trial Failure in Kidney Disease
Top-line data from Tricida’s VALOR-CKD trial showed veverimer failed to meet its primary endpoint and does not slow progression in patients with metabolic acidosis and CKD.
October 24, 2022
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Drug Development
Scholar Rock Continues to Build Case for SMA Drug with New Data (Updated)
New data from Scholar Rock’s Phase II TOPAZ trial showed its investigational antibody apitegromab improves quality of life in types 2 and 3 spinal muscular atrophy patients.
October 24, 2022
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
FDA
FDA Releases Much-Anticipated Guidance around Trial Endpoints
The FDA released guidelines Thursday in an attempt to clarify processes for assessing a drug candidate’s efficacy while examining several endpoints, simultaneously.
October 21, 2022
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Business
Pfizer and Erasca Target Pancreatic, Colorectal Cancer with “Synergistic” Pairing (Updated)
Erasca announced that it was expanding its existing partnership with Pfizer to assess its ERAS-007 in combination with the Big Pharma’s Ibrance.
October 20, 2022
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Stop sign in front of FDA headquarters/S
Policy
FDA Adcomm Votes 14-1 to Pull Covis’ Makena from the Market
The FDA’s Obstetrics Reproductive and Urologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted nearly unanimously to withdraw the approval of Covis’ preterm birth drug Makena.
October 20, 2022
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Michael Vi/Shutterstock
Business
Jazz Drops $50M for Exclusive Rights to Zymeworks’ Bispecific HER2 Hopeful
Jazz and Zymeworks entered into a $50 million licensing agreement over zanidatamab, Zymeworks’ bispecific antibody targeting HER2.
October 19, 2022
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Asian woman holding cardboard box containing personal belongings after being fired by employer
Business
Ambrx Drops Lead Asset, Cuts 15% of Staff in Strategic Reprioritization (Updated)
Ambrx Biopharma Inc. announced it will lay off 15% of its workforce and suspend development of its lead candidate in a strategic realignment initiative.
October 19, 2022
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock
Deals
Lilly Continues Foray into Gene Therapies with $487M Akouos Buyout
Eli Lilly is acquiring precision medicine biotech Akouos for $487 million in cash in a deal focused on developing gene therapies for hearing loss.
October 18, 2022
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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