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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.

PictureDesignSwiss / Shutterstock
Business
Biogen Shareholders Elect Susan Langer to Board of Directors Despite Controversy
The company announced Monday its shareholders elected Susan Langer, current president of Souffle Therapeutics, to its board of directors, replacing her reputed romantic partner Alex Denner.
June 13, 2023
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Novartis/Courtesy of Adobe Stock, Yingko
Drug Development
Novartis Boosts Kidney Business with $3.2B Chinook Buy
The company is paying $3.2 billion upfront in cash for Chinook’s two immunoglobulin A nephropathy candidates, atrasentan and zigakibart, which will complement its own IgAN hopeful iptacopan.
June 12, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Pills spilling out from a yellow contain
Policy
Pharma Companies, Pharmacies Agree to Pay $19B in Opioid Settlement
More than 3,000 state and local governments will receive nearly $19 billion in payments from drugmakers and pharmacy chains in the most recent round of opioid settlements.
June 12, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Illumina sign on a building/Courtesy of
Business
Illumina CEO DeSouza Steps Down Amid Activist Attack, Anti-Trust Battle
Francis deSouza resigned from Illumina’s helm after strong campaigning from activist investor Carl Icahn and the ongoing regulatory roadblocks facing the company’s acquisition of GRAIL.
June 12, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Graphic of DNA helix structure/iStock, a
Drug Development
Gene Editing Race Between Editas and Vertex, CRISPR Heats Up
Data show the potential of Editas’ sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia gene therapy candidate, but it might not be enough to overtake Vertex and CRISPR Therapeutics.
June 9, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Front of FDA headquarters/Grandbrothers/
Policy
AstraZeneca, Sanofi Win FDA Panel’s Unanimous Backing for Pediatric RSV Antibody
The FDA’s Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee voted 21–0 that the companies’ respiratory syncytial virus antibody, nirsevimab, has a favorable benefit-risk profile in infants and young children.
June 9, 2023
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: FDA Action Alert logo/@Nicole Bean for B
Policy
FDA Action Alert: BMS, GSK, Ironwood, Ipsen/Albireo
The FDA has four target action dates this week for three supplemental approvals and one New Drug Approval.
June 8, 2023
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5 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Illustration of stacks of coins and a gr
Drug Development
Upstream Bio Adds Another $200M for Asthma, Allergy Pipeline
The company said Thursday it has closed $200 million in Series B financing—on top of last year’s $200 million Series A haul—to help initiate a registrational Phase II study for its lead candidate UPB-101.
June 8, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Jar of money / Adobe Stock, juliasudnits
Bitterroot Launches with $145M Series A to Advance Cardio-Immuno Therapies
The start-up’s lead program, BRB-002, is designed to target the CD47/SIRPα pathway and the underlying causes of vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis.
June 8, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Judicial gavel and scales of justice/Cou
Policy
Lilly, Takeda Face Class-Action Racketeering Lawsuit Over Diabetes Drug
A class-action lawsuit from thousands of third-party payers alleges that the companies broke racketeering laws to market their diabetes drug Actos, while not disclosing its bladder cancer risk.
June 8, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Cancer patient in bed looking out window
Study: Biosimilars ‘Fulfilling Their Promise’ of Lowering Biologic Prices
Biosimilars effectively lowered cancer therapy Herceptin prices and made trastuzumab more accessible to patients, finds a new study from the USC Schaeffer Center.
June 7, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: The Statue of Justice/courtesy of iStock
Policy
Moderna, Pfizer Hit with New COVID Vaccine Patent Lawsuits
Promosome filed lawsuits Tuesday against Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech, alleging that the vaccine developers used patent-protected mRNA technology without a license.
June 7, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
PictureDesignSwiss / Shutterstock
Drug Development
Biogen Terminates Phase III Parkinson’s Study in Favor of Earlier Readout
Biogen, and partner Denali, are discontinuing the Phase III LIGHTHOUSE study of BIIB122 in Parkinson’s disease due to the trial’s long timeline and complexity.
June 6, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
FDA Headquarters_Grandbrothers/Adobe Stock
Policy
FDA Removes Expert with Ties to Eisai, Biogen from Leqembi Adcomm
Neurologist David Weisman, with financial ties to the companies, was removed from the FDA’s upcoming advisory committee meeting slated to consider Leqembi’s traditional approval.
June 6, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Kitty Yale and Tim Rolph_Akero Therapeutics
Drug Development
Akero’s NASH Candidate Clears Phase IIb, Cuts Liver Fat by up to 65%
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patients treated with the company’s efruxifermin saw significant improvements in liver fat and biomarkers of liver damage, fibrosis and cardiometabolic health.
June 5, 2023
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4 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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