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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.

External view of AstraZeneca's headquarters building in Silicon Valley
Deals
AstraZeneca Boosts Rare Disease Portfolio with $1.05B Amolyt Acquisition
At the center of the deal is Amolyt Pharma’s late-stage candidate eneboparatide for the rare disease hypoparathyroidism. AstraZeneca also gains ownership of AZP-3813, which is being assessed for acromegaly in a Phase I trial.
March 14, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Sign above the entrance to a U.S. courthouse
Policy
PhRMA Loses Another Legal Battle as Court Sides with Arkansas Over Drug Discount Program
A lawsuit filed by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America failed to block an Arkansas law that empowers hospitals to use outside pharmacies to dispense discounted drugs.
March 14, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
FDA signage at its office in Maryland
FDA
Mirum Secures Livmarli’s Expansion into Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis
Wednesday’s FDA approval expands Mirum’s Livmarli into the rare genetic disorder that causes progressive liver disease. The biotech has also filed a supplemental New Drug Application for a higher dose of the drug and allowing its use in younger patients.
March 14, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
External view of the U.S. Capitol building
Policy
BIO Separates from China’s WuXi AppTec Amid National Security Concerns
In a change of position as congressional scrutiny of WuXi AppTec grows, the Biotechnology Innovation Organization announced it is taking steps to separate from the China-based biotech.
March 14, 2024
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: A scientist with pill bottles in front of FDA headquarters/Taylor Tieden for BioSpace
Policy
FDA Action Alert: Orchard, ITF, Merck and More
The FDA will close out a hectic month of March with a flurry of target action dates, including ones for lymphoma and CKD anemia treatments.
March 13, 2024
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8 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Eli Lilly's biotechnology center in San Diego, California
Drug Development
Lilly Makes Weight-Loss Drug Zepbound Available Through Amazon Pharmacy
Eli Lilly has partnered with Amazon Pharmacy to help fill online orders of its obesity drug Zepbound—as well as migraine and diabetes medicines—placed through the pharma’s online portal LillyDirect.
March 13, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
3D illustration of a T cell killing a cancer cell
Business
Allogene, Arbor Team to Develop Off-the-Shelf CAR-T Therapies with CRISPR
Allogene Therapeutics and Arbor Biotechnologies will use their allogeneic CAR T and next-generation gene-editing platforms to develop novel off-the-shelf CAR-T therapies for autoimmune diseases.
March 13, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: FDA signage at its office in Washington, DC
Policy
FDA Questions Benefit, Risk Profile of Geron’s MDS Candidate Ahead of Adcomm
In a briefing document for Thursday’s advisory committee meeting, the FDA pointed to efficacy and safety issues with Geron’s New Drug Application for imetelstat in myelodysplastic syndromes.
March 13, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Entrance to Pfizer's office in Belgium
Drug Development
Pfizer’s $43B Seagen Buy Starts to Pay Off with Adcetris Phase III Data in DLBCL
Antibody-drug conjugate Adcetris, when used with rituximab or lenalidomide, improved overall survival in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Pfizer secured access to Seagen’s ADC in March 2023.
March 12, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Facade of the FDA's office in Maryland
Policy
FDA Updates Use of Biomarkers in Draft Guidelines for Alzheimer’s Drug Development
The regulator’s new draft guidance, released on Monday, provides additional details regarding the use of surrogate and biomarker endpoints to support accelerated approvals.
March 12, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Roche Diagnostics building in California
Drug Development
Roche Plots Neuro Comeback with Promising Mid-Stage Alzheimer’s Data
In Monday’s neurology update for investors, Roche touted data from a small Ib/IIa trial for trontinemab, an investigational therapy for Alzheimer’s disease which demonstrated “rapid and robust” amyloid plaque reduction.
March 12, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Man leaning against wall/iStock, Katarzy
Policy
Acadia Axes Antipsychotic Candidate After Phase III Schizophrenia Failure
Acadia Pharmaceuticals is terminating development of its antipsychotic drug pimavanserin, which did not demonstrate a statistically significant improvement over placebo in the late-stage study’s primary endpoint.
March 12, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Illustration of antibodies attacking a nerve cell
Policy
FDA Rejects Viatris, Mapi’s Long-Acting Multiple Sclerosis Injection
With Monday’s FDA rejection of their long-acting glatiramer acetate formulation, Viatris and Mapi Pharma continue the biopharma industry’s recent losing streak in multiple sclerosis.
March 11, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Novartis' logo outside its building in S
Drug Development
Novartis’ Remibrutinib Shows Promise in Small Mid-Stage Hidradenitis Suppurativa Study
Early Phase IIb data from 66 patients showed Novartis’ BTK inhibitor remibrutinib has potential outside chronic spontaneous urticaria, leading to symptomatic relief in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa.
March 11, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Woman scratching skin lesions on her elb
Drug Development
Alumis’ TYK2 Blocker Clears Phase II in Plaque Psoriasis on Heels of Series C
Fresh off its $259 million Series C funding round, Alumis unveiled mid-stage data Saturday for its TYK2 inhibitor ESK-001 demonstrating strong symptomatic improvement in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.
March 11, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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