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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.

Courtesy of joreks/Getty Images
Job Trends
Novo Boosts Boston R&D Operations, Adds 200+ Jobs with New R&D Site
Novo Nordisk announced Thursday it plans to expand its research and development operations in the greater Boston area and add over 200 new jobs this year.
March 2, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Stan Wang, M.D., Ph.D., founder and CEO, Thymmune
Business
George Church-Backed Thymmune Launches to Target Overlooked Organ
Thymmune is backed by an A-list team of investors including Pillar VC, former Alnylam CEO John Maraganore and famed geneticist George Church.
March 2, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of Merck & Co. Inc.
Drug Development
Keytruda Offsets Back-to-Back Flops with Phase III NSCLC Win
Phase III KEYNOTE-671 study data showed Merck’s Keytruda improved event-free survival, one of the trial’s primary endpoints, in patients with stage II, IIIA or IIIB non-small cell lung cancer.
March 1, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Stop sign in front of FDA headquarters/S
Drug Development
FDA Rejects Cytokinetics’ Heart Failure Drug, Requests Another Trial
Citing lack of efficacy evidence, the FDA rejected Cytokinetics’ heart failure hopeful omecamtiv mecarbil in a decision announced Tuesday evening.
March 1, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Al Drago/CQ Roll Call
Drug Development
GSK’s RSV Vaccine Wins Adcomm Backing One Day after Pfizer
Wednesday, the FDA’s VRBPAC agreed that GSK’s respiratory syncytial virus vaccine candidate is safe and effective in older adults.
March 1, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock
Job Trends
AstraZeneca Rare Disease R&D Expansion Adds 500 Jobs At New Hub
On Rare Disease Day, Feburary 28, AstraZeneca announced the creation of the Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease Development Hub in Toronto, Ontario.
February 28, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Drug Development
Aptinyx’ Losing Streak Continues as Parkinson’s Candidate Falls Short
Aptinyx’s NYX-458 fell short of the primary endpoint in a Phase II trial of patients with cognitive impairment associated with Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies.
February 28, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Drug Development
Theravance Cuts JAK Inhibitor, 17% of Workforce in Wake of Shareholder Letter
Theravance Biopharma is discontinuing research activities for its JAK inhibitor program in lung inflammation and reducing its headcount by about 17%.
February 28, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pierre Suu/Getty Images
Deals
Seagen has a New Suitor as Pfizer Talks Begin
Seagen and Pfizer are in early-stage talks over a potential acquisition that could exceed $30 billion.
February 27, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of Getty Images
Drug Development
Fulcrum’s Clinical Hold Highlights Tough Road in Sickle Cell Space
The hits kept coming for the sickle cell disease space last week as the FDA placed a full clinical hold on Fulcrum Therapeutics’ Investigational New Drug application FTX-6058.
February 27, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of Getty Photos
Drug Development
Lilly, Nektar Stumble in Phase II Lupus Trial
Rezpegaldesleukin, Lilly’s and Nektar Therapeutics’ candidate for systemic lupus erythematosus, fell short of its primary efficacy endpoint in the Phase II ISLAND trial.
February 24, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
Policy
FDA Action Alert: Cytokinetics, Reata, Regeneron, Pfizer and GSK
The FDA is expected to cap off February with a trio of verdicts, including one for a heart failure treatment and another potential first approval for a rare, neurodegenerative disease.
February 24, 2023
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Chesnot/Getty Images
FDA
Sanofi, Sobi Score FDA Nod for Second Hemophilia A Treatment
The FDA approved Sanofi and Sweden-based Sobi’s efanesoctocog alfa, now marketed as Altuviiio, to treat bleeding in adults and children with hemophilia A.
February 24, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Graphite Bio CEO Josh Lehrer, M.D./courtesy of Gra
Drug Development
Graphite Bio Cuts Sickle Cell Therapy, Half of Staff
Graphite Bio is discontinuing the development of nulabeglogene autogedtemcel (nula-cel), its lead asset, and shaving off about 50% of its workforce.
February 23, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
SKYRIZI is the new option for psoriatic arthritis.
Business
AbbVie, Capsida Set Sights on Gene Therapies for Eye Diseases
With more than $600 million on the line, AbbVie is expanding its strategic collaboration with Capsida Biotherapeutics to advance three gene therapy programs for eye diseases.
February 23, 2023
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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