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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.

Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Deals
Sanofi Bolsters Diabetes Position with $2.9B Provention Buyout
Sanofi will acquire diabetes leader Provention Bio for $25 per share for a total of $2.9 billion, the companies announced Monday.
March 13, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: SBV sign/Courtesy Bloomberg/Getty Images
Deals
SVB’s Fall Leaves Biotechs in Limbo
The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation shut down the Silicon Valley Bank Friday, a top financial institution for the life sciences industry, leaving biopharmas scrambling.
March 13, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
FDA
FDA Action Alert: Apellis, Pfizer, Biogen/Ionis
The FDA has one target action date and one advisory committee meeting scheduled for this week. It is also gearing up for an adcomm that could prove to be pivotal for neurodegenerative diseases.
March 10, 2023
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of JHVEPhoto/Getty Images
Business
Pfizer’s Biohaven Bet Pays Off Again as Migraine Nasal Spray Wins Approval
The FDA has approved Pfizer’s nasal spray, zavegepant, now to be marketed as Zavzpret, for the acute treatment of migraine in adults, the company announced Friday.
March 10, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
Drug Development
Fulcrum’s Sickle Cell Trial Given Greenlight to Proceed After Hold
The FDA has lifted the clinical hold it had placed on the Phase Ib study following the occurrence of hematological malignancies.
March 10, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Bodo Marks/picture alliance via Getty Images
Drug Development
AstraZeneca Notches Back-to-Back Late-Stage Wins in Lung Cancer
AstraZeneca reported positive data from both the Phase III ADAURA trial studying Tagrisso (osimertinib) and the Phase III AEGEAN studying Imfinzi (durvalumab) in NSCLC patients.
March 9, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of Cristina Arias/Getty Images
Drug Development
Lilly’s Alzheimer’s Struggles Continue as Preclinical Disease Asset Fails Phase III
Data released Wednesday from the Phase III A4 study showed solanezumab fell short of its primary endpoint, failing to slow cognitive decline in patients with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease.
March 9, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
BioMarin HQ/courtesy of BioMarin
Drug Development
BioMarin Answers BridgeBio’s Challenge with sNDA for Achondroplasia
BioMarin announced Tuesday that the FDA has accepted its supplemental New Drug Application to expand Voxzogo for children younger than five years with achondroplasia.
March 8, 2023
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Tristan Manalac
Young team during virus lab tests. Multi ethnic scientists focused on work. Wearing protective workwear
Business
Lilly-Backed Volastra Enters Clinic with Amgen’s KIF18A Inhibitor
Volastra Therapeutics has in-licensed Amgen’s sovilnesib, a KIF18A inhibitor being studied for high-grade ovarian cancer, triple-negative breast cancer and other solid tumors.
March 7, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Merck building/courtesy Michael Vi/Getty
Drug Development
Merck Preps Potential First Oral PCSK9 Inhibitor for Phase III
Merck presented Phase IIb data at ACC Monday showing that its hypercholesterolemia hopeful met the primary endpoint.
March 7, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Drug Development
Moderna Eyes Accelerated Approval for mRNA Cancer Vaccine
Moderna may seek the FDA’s accelerated approval for its personalized cancer vaccine, president Stephen Hoge said Monday.
March 7, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
Policy
FDA Action Alert: Roche and Acadia
The FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee will meet March 9 to discuss Roche’s sBLA for Polivy in first-line DLBCL, while Acadia awaits potential approval of the first therapy for Rett Syndrome.
March 4, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Sen. Bernie Sanders/Courtesy of Gage Skidmore, Cre
Policy
Sanders Calls on Sanofi, Novo to Follow Lilly in Cutting Insulin Prices
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), chairman of the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, sent a letter to Sanofi and Novo Nordisk urging them to lower insulin prices.
March 3, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Exelixis headquarters/Company courtesy
Drug Development
Roche, Exelixis Suffer Another Late-Stage Cancer Combo Failure
Phase III data showed the combination of Roche’s Tecentriq and Exelixis’ Cabometyx fell short of its primary endpoint in renal cell carcinoma.
March 3, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Yichuan Cao/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Business
FDA Rejected Human Trial for Elon Musk’s BCI Tech - Reuters
In 2022, Elon Musk’s Neuralink tried – and failed – to secure permission from the FDA to run a human trial of its implantable brain-computer interface, according to a report published Thursday.
March 3, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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