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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: Vedere Bio II CEO Cyrus Mozayeni/company
Business
Vedere Bio II Closes Doors After Preclinical Studies Fall Short
Almost two years after its launch, eye-focused gene therapy start-up Vedere Bio II is closing its doors, company leaders announced through a LinkedIn post over the weekend.
April 3, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: FDA sign at headquarters/Courtesy of Get
Drug Development
Phase III Failure Leaves Cytokinetics with One Last Late-Stage Hopeful
Cytokinetics is discontinuing the Phase III COURAGE-ALS trial in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis after its candidate reldesemtiv failed a planned interim analysis, the company announced Friday.
April 3, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Drug Development
HUTCHMED Completes FDA Submission for High-Potential Colorectal Cancer Drug
HUTCHMED has completed the rolling submission of its New Drug Application to the FDA for fruquintinib, its candidate for refractor metastatic colorectal cancer.
March 31, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Business
Mathai Mammen Finds New Home at FogPharma
Nearly eight months after leaving his post as head of R&D at Johnson & Johnson, Mathai Mammen has found a new job as CEO of cancer focused FogPharma.
March 31, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy Niels Wenstedt/BSR Agency via Getty Image
Drug Development
J&J Drops Out of RSV Race, Cuts Late-Stage Vaccine Candidate
The RSV race has lost one high-profile contender as Janssen announced it is discontinuing the Phase III EVERGREEN trial studying its RSV vaccine candidate.
March 30, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Business
Bluebird Faces Another Delay with BLA for Sickle Cell Gene Therapy
In an earnings call Wednesday, bluebird bio revealed it is unlikely to meet its first-quarter goal to submit a Biologics License Application for sickle cell disease (SCD) gene therapy lovo-cel.
March 30, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Woman stepping onto scale/Courtesy Getty
Drug Development
Viking Enters Weight-Loss Arena with Promising Phase I Data
Tuesday, Viking Therapeutics released Phase I results for its weight-loss candidate VK2735, which demonstrated a good safety and tolerability profile and resulted in significant weight reductions.
March 29, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
courtesy of Shutterstock
Drug Development
Positive Phase III Builds Case for Intra-Cellular’s Depression Drug
Intra-Cellular Therapies’ Caplyta met its primary endpoint in the Phase III Study 403 trial, easing the burden of depressive episodes in patients with major depressive disorder or bipolar depression.
March 29, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images
Business
Evotec Up for Potential $4B More in Lucrative BMS Partnership
Bristol Myers Squibb is expanding its strategic collaboration with German partner Evotec for eight more years to discover and develop treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
March 28, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of Kena Betancur/Getty Images
Drug Development
Keytruda Maintains Edge over GSK’s Jemperli in Endometrial Cancer (Updated)
Merck’s Keytruda appeared to outperform GSK’s Jemperli in a key endometrial cancer patient subgroup, based on late-stage data revealed Monday during the Society of Gynecologic Oncology 2023 Annual Meeting.
March 28, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
A Novartis building under a blue sky/courtesy of C
Drug Development
Novartis’ Kisqali Cuts Recurrence Risk in Early-Stage Breast Cancer
Topline data from the Phase III NATALEE study showed Novartis’ Kisqali met its primary endpoint, reducing the risk of recurrence in early breast cancer.
March 27, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Drug Development
Pharming’s Leniolisib Gains FDA Approval in Ultra-Rare Disease
The FDA approved Pharming’s leniolisib, now to be marketed as Joenja, for the treatment of the ultra-rare disease-activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta syndrome, the company announced Friday.
March 27, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
Policy
FDA Action Alert: Roche, Emergent and More
The FDA is expected to make decisions on Emergent BioSolutions’ sNDA for OTC Narcan and Roche’s Polivy in frontline DLBCL.
March 24, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
The PTC Therapeutics logo is pictured on a phone s
Policy
NICE Backs PTC’s Gene Therapy for Ultra-Rare Pediatric Disease
Upstaza is the first targeted therapy for aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency. PTC expects to submit a Biologics License Application to the FDA in the first half of 2023.
March 24, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
SKYRIZI is the new option for psoriatic arthritis.
Drug Development
AbbVie Clinches Back-to-Back Clinical Wins in Ulcerative Colitis, Lupus
In a double data drop Thursday, AbbVie touted two clinical trial wins, for Skyrizi in ulcerative colitis and Rinvoq in systemic lupus erythematosus.
March 24, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
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