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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.

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Funding
Merida Enters Autoimmune and Allergy Arena With $121M Series A
Merida is working on a selective therapy for Graves’ disease, leveraging targeted therapies that can deplete disease-causing autoantibodies.
April 8, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Sign of U.S. Department of Health & Huma
Government
HHS Leaves Door Open to Future Medicare Coverage of Obesity Drugs
Last week, The Trump administration reversed a Biden-era proposal for Medicare coverage of anti-obesity treatments. But on Monday, HHS suggested it is open to future policy considerations toward this end.
April 8, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Human heart. Inner organs disease treatment. Modern design concept with tiny doctor character, medical drugs, equipment, analysis. Vector Illustration
Gene therapy
Lexeo Plots Pivotal Path for Friedreich’s Ataxia Gene Therapy After ‘Compelling’ Phase I/II Data
Stifel analysts said that Lexeo’s data showing reduced size and thickness of the heart’s left ventricle are “supportive of a drug effect” for the company’s gene therapy in Friedreich’s ataxia cardiomyopathy.
April 8, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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Neuroscience
GSK Dives Deeper Into Neuro With $2.5B+ ABL Bio Pact
GSK is paying to access ABL Bio’s Grabody-B platform, which potentially enables therapies to cross the blood-brain barrier.
April 7, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
President Donald Trump delivers remarks at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., Friday, March 14, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)
Obesity
Trump Scraps Biden’s Proposed Medicare Coverage for Obesity Drugs
Under Friday’s final ruling anti-obesity medications for weight-loss will remain ineligible for Medicare coverage.
April 7, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Robert F Kennedy Jr speaking at the White House
Government
Kennedy Changes Tune on MMR Vaccine as Second Child Dies of Measles
Kennedy, a long-time opponent of vaccines, stated that the MMR vaccine is “the most effective way” to combat the measles outbreak, which has already claimed the lives of two children in the U.S.
April 7, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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Neuroscience
Centessa’s Narcolepsy Drug Shows ‘Compelling’ Effect in Early Study
Analysts at BMO Capital Markets said Centessa’s orexin receptor agonist has “best-in-class” potential for narcolepsy, putting the company in a strong position in the $15 billion market.
April 7, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Accumulated problems, contradictions. Dead end, we need to go back. You cannot continue further. Complete impossibility to continue. Rejection of an idea. Hard sanctions. Fatal error.
Immunology and inflammation
Aldeyra Shares Crash as Dry Eye Drug Gets Second Rejection from FDA
The FDA has asked for another well-controlled trial to establish the efficacy of reproxalap in dry eye disease.
April 4, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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Government
FDA Faces ‘Catastrophic Collapse’ as Massive Layoffs Endanger User Fee Program
The FDA derives just under half of its yearly funding from pharma user fees, which help support its operations and fund employee salaries. An analysis from AgencyIQ suggests that the agency is dangerously close to losing it all.
April 4, 2025
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Amgen sign at its headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California, USA.
Approvals
Amgen Wins Expansion for Uplizna as First Drug for IgG4-Related Disease
In the Phase III MITIGATE trial, Uplizna cut IgG4-related disease flares by 87% versus placebo.
April 4, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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Gene therapy
Lilly Throws Sangamo a Lifeline With Pact Worth Potential $1.4B+
Sangamo, which has been having cash problems, will receive $18 million upfront in licensing fees for its AAV capsid that in preclinical studies has shown the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier.
April 4, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
IV infusion set on light blue background, top view. Space for text
Pipeline
BeiGene Scraps TIGIT Candidate After Underwhelming Lung Cancer Data
An independent data monitoring board found that BeiGene’s ociperlimab was unlikely to significantly boost overall survival in patients with untreated NSCLC.
April 3, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Medical 2D illustration
FDA
FDA Misses Review Deadline for Novavax’s COVID-19 Shot, Days After Marks’ Resignation
The FDA was scheduled to release its decision on Novavax’s updated, protein-based COVID-19 vaccine on April 1, but the agency’s principal deputy commissioner intervened.
April 3, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Government
Trump Tariffs Miss Pharma For Now, But Uncertainties Loom
Pharma’s reprieve from Donald Trump’s tariffs is expected to be temporary, with Leerink analysts anticipating possible sector-specific duties “in the next month or so.”
April 3, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Aerial top down view of a large container cargo ship in motion over open ocean with copy space
Government
Drugmakers Ask Trump for Staggered Tariffs as ‘Liberation Day’ Arrives
Trump has repeatedly called April 2 “Liberation Day,” alluding to a more sweeping and aggressive set of tariffs. Leerink Partners analysts said that the risks from Trump’s tariffs on the biopharma industry are “underappreciated.”
April 2, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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