SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
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: Red and black graphic that reads "FDA Ac
FDA
FDA Action Alert: Biogen/Ionis, Seres, Otsuka/Lundbeck and More
This week, the FDA will release its verdict on Biogen and Ionis’ ALS candidate tofersen and three other investigational medicines for psychiatric disorders, hormonal insufficiency and gut infection.
April 21, 2023
 · 
5 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Aerial view of Skyscrapers_courtesy of Getty Image
Business
Abdera Debuts with $142M to Develop Precision Radiopharmaceuticals
Abdera Therapeutics will use the money to fund its ROVEr platform and advance its lead asset ABD-147 for small-cell lung cancer.
April 20, 2023
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Genentech Headquarters/iStock, Sundry Ph
FDA
FDA Greenlights Roche’s Polivy in First-Line DLBCL
Polivy is approved for front-line DLBCL as part of a combination regimen including Rituxan, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone.
April 20, 2023
 · 
3 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of Michael Vi/Getty Images
Drug Development
Data Leak Shows J&J and Legend’s Carvykti Exceeds Expectations
The leaked data show that Carvykti cuts the risk of disease relapse by 74% versus standard chemotherapy regimens.
April 19, 2023
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
AbbVie_© AbbVie Inc. All rights reserved.
FDA
AbbVie Wins FDA Approval for New Migraine Indication
Qulipta’s label expansion makes it the first oral CGRP receptor antagonist approved for episodic and chronic migraine.
April 19, 2023
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Leon Neal/Getty Images
Business
GSK Makes $2B Play to Challenge Merck in Chronic Cough Market
The acquisition of Bellus Health will give GSK access to camlipixant, a potentially best-in-class P2X3 antagonist for chronic cough.
April 18, 2023
 · 
3 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Exterior view of the headquarters of the
FDA
Gamida’s Long Regulatory Road Ends in Approval of Blood Cancer Cell Therapy
Omisirge is approved for patients who receive cord blood transplantation following myeloablative therapy.
April 18, 2023
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Pneumonia patient on a ventilator/Courte
Drug Development
FDA Adcomm Backs Innoviva’s Pneumonia Antibiotic
A unanimous FDA committee vote supported the favorable risk-benefit profile of Innoviva’s sulbactam-durlobactam for hospital-acquired A. baumannii infections.
April 18, 2023
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Drug Development
AACR Weekend Roundup: Roche, AstraZeneca, Moderna, Merck and Affimed
Roche, AstraZeneca, Moderna, Merck and Affimed presented new data in liver cancer, lung cancer, melanoma and lymphoma.
April 17, 2023
 · 
5 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Kirkland, Quebec, Canada - September 3, 2021: Merck Canada head office in Kirkland, Quebec, Canada. Merck is an American multinational pharmaceutical company.
Deals
Merck Finalizes $10.8B Prometheus Buy
Merck finalized the acquisition of immune-focused Prometheus Biosciences for approximately $10.8 billion, picking up mid-stage ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s asset.
April 17, 2023
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Judicial gavel and scales of justice/Cou
FDA
Supreme Court Extends Abortion Pill Stay Through Friday
The Supreme Court extended the stay deadline to Friday at midnight to keep mifepristone on the market in the interim without conditions.
April 17, 2023
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Man holding a cell phone in front of com
IPO Market Shows Signs of Life as Acelyrin Begins Nasdaq Bid
California-based Acelyrin could be seeking $100 million, based on a Filing Fee Table included in its SEC filing.
April 14, 2023
 · 
3 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Eli Lilly Campus in San Diego
Drug Development
FDA Rejects Lilly’s Ulcerative Colitis Drug over Manufacturing Concerns
The regulator found no issues with mirikizumab’s clinical or safety data.
April 14, 2023
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Stack of $100 bills / iStock, Nattakorn
Drug Development
Alentis Wins $105M in Series C to Advance Claudin-1-Based Therapies
The company has several targeted therapeutics in early-stage trials and preclinical development for cancer types with high expression levels of the protein.
April 13, 2023
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Merck KGaA logo with Fall trees/TF-Image
Drug Development
Merck’s BTK Inhibitor Evobrutinib Slapped with Partial Clinical Hold
Liver toxicities triggered a partial clinical hold on Merck KGaA’s trial studying its BTK inhibitor candidate for multiple sclerosis.
April 13, 2023
 · 
3 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Load More