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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.

Aleksander Kalka/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Lone Star Bio
FUJIFILM Continues Cell Culture Quest, Invests $1.6B in Texas, Denmark Facilities
The $1.6-billion infusion into its subsidiary is Fujifilm’s latest move to establish a more robust presence in the cell culture manufacturing space.
June 30, 2022
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Multiracial medical scientists in hazmat suit working with microscope and laptop computer inside modern laboratory hospital - Focus african man face
Drug Development
BeiGene, Lexicon and 9 Meters Wrap First Half with Clinical Wins
Capping off the first half of the year is a flurry of clinical trial wins. BioSpace takes a look at some of the most exciting ones:
June 30, 2022
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4 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Policy
FDA Advisory Committee Calls For Updated COVID-19 Boosters to Quell Omicron
Voting 19-2, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee favored redesigning booster shots to include the coronavirus’ Omicron variant.
June 29, 2022
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Drug Development
Eiger’s HDV Program Sees Cirrhosis in Younger Patients (Updated)
The findings, presented during a poster session at the EASL 2022 International Liver Congress, revealed that of the 407 D-LIVR participants, nearly 30% developed liver cirrhosis.
June 28, 2022
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Business
Ascletis, Takeda, Arrowhead & More Present New Findings at EASL Liver Conference
For the first time in two years, the European Association for the Study of the Liver’s International Liver Congress was back on-site with cutting-edge research in hepatology and other sectors.
June 27, 2022
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5 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Leon Neal/Getty Images
Drug Development
GSK, Ionis Present “Potentially Transformative” Data from Hepatitis B Hopeful
GSK and Ionis released promising trial data showing their investigational antisense oligonucleotide, bepirovirsen, could significantly reduce HBsAg and viral DNA levels in patients with CHB.
June 27, 2022
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Stop sign in front of FDA headquarters/S
Drug Development
Serious Safety Signal Slows Sarepta’s MOMENTUM in DMD Trial
Sarepta announced that the FDA has put the Phase II trial for its SRP-5051 (vesleteplirsen) for the treatment of patients with DMD on clinical hold following a serious safety signal.
June 24, 2022
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Drug Development
BridgeBio Sees Changes in Key Canavan Disease Markers
BridgeBio released early data from its Phase I/II CANaspire clinical trial, indicating that BBP-812 might be a promising gene therapy for the ultra-rare Canavan disease.
June 23, 2022
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Yuriko Nakao/Getty Images
Business
Galapagos Dives Into Cell Therapy with CellPoint & AboundBio Acquisitions
Galapagos announced that it had acquired CellPoint and AboundBio in an all-cash transaction, greatly expanding its drug portfolio.
June 22, 2022
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
Policy
Manufacturing Issues Trip up Acer, Relief in NDA Quest
Acer Therapeutics and Relief Therapeutics announced the FDA has denied their NDA for ACER-001 (sodium phenylbutyrate) for the treatment of urea cycle disorders.
June 21, 2022
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Drug Development
Scholar Rock Sees Modest Improvements in Phase II SMA Study
Extension data from the Phase II TOPAZ trial showed that apitegromab yielded sustained and continued benefits in non-ambulatory patients with types 2 and 3 spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
June 20, 2022
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Bodo Marks/picture alliance via Getty Images
Deals
AstraZeneca Rumored to Have Set Sights on Mereo BioPharma Buyout
AstraZeneca appears to have taken an interest in Mereo BioPharma and may be considering a buyout, according to speculations published by The Times UK.
June 17, 2022
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Getty Images
Drug Development
Bavarian Nordic Takes on Pfizer-BioNTech with COVID-19 Booster Candidate
Bavarian Nordic announced that the upcoming Phase III trial for its COVID-19 booster candidate has been redesigned to compete against licensed mRNA-based vaccines.
June 17, 2022
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Image courtesy of Getty Images
Business
ADC Space Continues to Thrive with Four More Companies Linking Up
This week sees Exelixis, BioInvent, ImmunoGen and Oxford BioTherapeutics coming together to develop antibody-based therapies for cancer.
June 16, 2022
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
2
Policy
Jazz and Redx Tout IND Acceptance while Omega Seeks First
Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Redx Pharma and Omega Therapeutics are pushing forward with their cancer treatments with Investigational New Drug approval and IND application submission.
June 15, 2022
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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