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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.

Pictured: Bar and line graphs showing increasing t
Drug Development
Longboard Stock Skyrockets on Positive Epilepsy Data, Plans $150M Public Offering
Patients treated with Longboard Pharmaceuticals’ bexicaserin saw a 32.5% drop in the frequency of countable motor seizures relative to placebo in a Phase 1b/IIa study. The company’s shares soared 316% Tuesday on the news.
January 3, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Facade of Novartis building in Switzerland
Business
Novartis Inks Potential $1.3B Gene Therapy Deal with Voyager to Target Neuro
The Swiss pharma is looking to leverage Voyager Therapeutics’ capsid technology for gene therapies aimed at treating Huntington’s disease and spinal muscular atrophy.
January 2, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Businessmen shaking hands after closing a deal
Deals
Biopharma Closes 2023 with Flurry of M&A Activity from AstraZeneca, BMS, Roche
All three companies closed out the year, which saw significant growth in mergers and acquisitions, with high-value deals that could potentially set the tone for M&A in 2024.
January 2, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Medicines on dollar bills/iStock, Julia_
Pfizer, Sanofi, Takeda Look to Hike Drug Prices This Month: Reuters
Amid the Biden administration’s efforts to reduce drug prices, Reuters reported in an exclusive that several pharmaceutical companies will raise pharma prices in January 2024.
January 2, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: BMS sign on a building in San Diego, California/iStock, JHVEPhoto
Deals
BMS Closes the Year with $14B Karuna Buy to Bolster Neuro Portfolio
The acquisition announced on Friday will give Bristol Myers Squibb ownership of Karuna Therapeutics’ investigational antipsychotic KarXT, which is being tested for schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease psychosis.
December 22, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Man sitting on a bed looking stressed
Drug Development
Jazz’s Future in PTSD Left Uncertain Following Mid-Stage Trial Failure
In a Phase II study, Jazz Pharmaceuticals’ investigational fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor JZP150 did not significantly improve post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms compared to placebo.
December 22, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
AstraZeneca's sign on its office in California
FDA
AstraZeneca, Ionis Get FDA Approval for hATTR-PN Therapy
Wainua, which is jointly developed and commercialized by AstraZeneca and Ionis Pharmaceuticals, was given the FDA’s green light on Thursday and will now compete with Alnylam’s two approved hATTR-PN therapies.
December 22, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Merck Research Laboratories in South San Francisco, California
Policy
Merck’s Chronic Cough Drug Fails to Secure FDA Approval for Second Time
The regulator’s Complete Response Letter on Wednesday said Merck’s data package for gefapixant “did not meet substantial evidence of effectiveness.” The FDA also rejected the drug in 2022 due to a lack of efficacy evidence.
December 21, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Facade of the FDA's office in Maryland
FDA
Calliditas Therapeutics Nabs Full FDA Approval for IgAN Therapy Tarpeyo
The oral formulation of budesonide, marketed as Tarpeyo, is the only FDA-approved therapy that significantly reduces the loss of kidney function in immunoglobulin A nephropathy patients.
December 21, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Illustration showing a downward graph tr
Drug Development
Argenx Nixes Efgartigimod’s Development in Pemphigus After Phase III Flop
Argenx’s subcutaneous Fc receptor blocker efgartigimod was unable to induce a significantly higher rate of complete remission than placebo in the skin autoimmune disease. The company’s stock plummeted in response to the news.
December 20, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
FDA signage at its office in Maryland
FDA
Chiesi’s $1.25B Amryt Buy Pays Off with FDA Approval of Filsuvez
Chiesi Global Rare Diseases gained access to the Filsuvez topical gel in January 2023, when it bought Amryt Pharma. Tuesday’s approval comes nearly two years after an initial rejection by the regulator.
December 20, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Magnetic resonance imaging scans of the brain
Policy
Biogen Secures Tecfidera Exclusivity in EU Until Early 2025
The European Commission upheld exclusive marketing protection in Europe for Biogen’s multiple sclerosis therapy Tecfidera until February 3, 2025, staving off generic competition.
December 20, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: American cash shaped into a funnel/iStoc
Bluebird Looks to Raise $250M After Lukewarm Reception of SCD Gene Therapy
Cash-strapped bluebird bio is aiming to raise a quarter of a billion dollars through two funding vehicles—a public offering and a deal with finance firm Alterna—to support its general and commercialization operations.
December 19, 2023
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: GSK laboratories in Dresden, Germany
Drug Development
GSK’s Jemperli-Zejula Combo Aces Phase III Trial in Endometrial Cancer
The combination of Jemperli and chemotherapy followed by Zejula improved progression-free survival in a late-stage study of patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.
December 19, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Wall sign of the Novo Nordisk Foundation and Novo Holdings in Denmark
Novo Nordisk Foundation Pumps $260M into Vaccines for Respiratory Diseases
The new research and vaccine initiative seeks to develop immunizations against influenza, tuberculosis and other deadly respiratory diseases.
December 19, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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