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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.

Big fish with a dollar badge wants to eat small fish
Mergers & acquisitions
Concentra Buys Beleaguered iTeos at Slight Discount
In May, biotech iTeos Therapeutics decided to close down after being abandoned by GSK over the disappointing mid-stage performance of its anti-TIGIT antibody belrestotug.
July 22, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Illustration of man waving big white flag, surreal abstract concept
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Sarepta Concedes to FDA Request, Suspends US Shipments of Elevidys
After initially refusing to suspend Elevidys distribution after two deaths, Sarepta has now given in to the FDA’s request, noting the need to maintain a good working relationship with the regulator.
July 22, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
3d rendering of a red and silver realistic model of a retro rocket stands crashed into a wooden desk on a blue background. Failed launch. Technological progress. Technical mistake.
Immunology and inflammation
Roche Flunks Phase III Trial in COPD, Falling Further Behind Dupixent
The path to market for Roche’s astegolimab became more uncertain after the investigational antibody failed to significantly lower disease exacerbation rates versus placebo in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
July 21, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
a row of red down arrows and green up arrows. hand choose arrow. the concept of inflation. the concept of taking profit or increasing income. different options. difference of direction icon, business, arrow, arrows, marketing, green, success, red, sign, graph, investment, chart, corporate, growth, financial, currency, market, profit, exchange, stock, economic, motion, forecast, cursor, inflation, recession, investor, pointer, download, trend, loss, vertical, progress, statistic, direction, symbol, crisis, down, downward, increase, lift, pointing, previous, raise, two, up, upward, upwards, vote
Adcomms
Otsuka, Lundbeck Fail To Sway Adcomm on Rexulti Combo for PTSD
Otsuka and Lundbeck’s data are insufficient to establish significant efficacy of Rexulti plus sertraline in PTSD, according to the FDA’s outside experts.
July 21, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Business despair concept as a stranded businessman lost at sea standing on an isolated rock as a corporate idea for financial crisis or being lost and needing career or financial help to escape in a 3D illustration style.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Sarepta Stands Ground Against HHS Request To Stop Elevidys Shipments
In light of recent patient deaths, the FDA has also revoked its platform designation for Sarepta’s AAVrh74 technology. The designation, granted last month, was the first of its kind to be announced publicly.
July 21, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Contemporary art collage showing a hand giving a thumbs down surrounded by red arrows pointing down, concept of negative feedback and bad review
Complete response letters
Lack of US Data Stymie Roche’s Earlier-Stage Lymphoma Push for Columvi
Roche and Genentech were unable to sufficiently demonstrate the benefit of using Columvi in an earlier treatment setting for DLBCL in a U.S. population, according to the FDA.
July 21, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
vector illustration arrows miss the target board, concept of lost in focus, failure, fail, mistake
Clinical research
BMS’ Anemia Drug Reblozyl Flunks Phase III Myelofibrosis Trial
Despite the failure, BMS remains “encouraged” by Reblozyl’s clinical activity in myelofibrosis-associated anemia and will approach regulators to discuss potential submissions for this indication, for which few treatment options exist.
July 18, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
A person and a group of people are separated by a yellow line. Establishing contact. Distrust. Quarantine. Distance with strangers. Barrier to understanding, difficult integration. Rejection, refusal.
Cancer
GSK’s Blenrep Loses Adcomm Vote, Further Clouding Comeback Bid
The panelists flagged safety concerns with Blenrep and GSK’s failure to optimize its dosing regimen for the antibody-drug conjugate in multiple myeloma.
July 18, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of Sarepta Therapeutics
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Sarepta Reports a Third Gene-Therapy Related Patient Death
The patient, who was being treated with an investigational gene therapy for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, died of acute liver failure, the same complication responsible for the deaths of two boys taking Sarepta’s Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment Elevidys.
July 18, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
Novartis' office building in Marburg, Germany
Tariffs
Novartis ‘Moving as Fast as Possible’ to Fully Manufacture Key Drugs in US as Tariffs Near
In its Q2 earnings call Thursday, Novartis said it is moving quickly to reshore its drug manufacturing operations, but CEO Vas Narasimhan told reporters that for most medicines, it typically takes three to four years to completely relocate production.
July 17, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
Illustration of businesspeople heading to exit
Government
CDER Employees Leave FDA in Droves Amid HHS Overhaul
In the first six months of 2025, 385 employees resigned from the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, compared with under 130 staff during the same period last year.
July 17, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Exclusive magazine sketch collage image of happy businesswoman businessman stand question mark strategy ceo magnifier search job.
Neuropsychiatric disorders
Otsuka, Lundbeck’s PTSD Bid for Rexulti Hits Speedbump as FDA Questions Efficacy
FDA reviewers flag “discordant results” in a briefing document published ahead of Friday’s advisory committee meeting for the partners’ application for the antipsychotic in post-traumatic stress disorder.
July 17, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Adult hand intends to puncture a balloon held by a girl. Child neglect and suppression dreams and wishes of kid. Parental control and authoritarian nurturing. Psychological abuse and domestic violence
Antibody-drug conjugate
GSK’s Blenrep DREAMMs Turn Fitful as FDA Questions Comeback in Multiple Myeloma
In advance of this week’s adcomm, the FDA flags ocular toxicities associated with the antibody-drug conjugate, which received accelerated approval in August 2020 but was pulled from the market two years later after a confirmatory trial failed to improve progression-free survival.
July 16, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
Creative collage illustration of financial business. Two businessmen shaking hands for partners agreement. Conceptual illustration of success deal, corporate ethic, connection.
Mergers & acquisitions
Merck, AstraZeneca Cancer Collaborator Gets Swallowed Up by Sino Biopharm
Shanghai-based LaNova Medicines—which has captured the attention of some of the biggest Western pharmas—will be folded into fellow Chinese company Sino Biopharmaceutical in a deal worth up to $951 million.
July 16, 2025
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
COVID-19
Vinay Prasad Overruled Reviewers on Moderna’s COVID-19 Shot for Kids
In a July 9 memo, the director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research contended there was not enough evidence that the benefits of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax outweighed its risks in healthy children.
July 16, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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