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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.

South side and Dome of the US Capitol in Washington DC, United States
Government
At Confirmation Hearing, RFK Jr. Downplays Anti-Vax Concerns
Kennedy’s confirmation hearing on Wednesday became heated as Democratic senators grilled the nominee for HHS Secretary on his previous statements about vaccine safety.
January 30, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Businessman jump careful on cracked or broken graph. Job opportunity and career. concept of under pressure. risk, financial, and tax
Neurodegenerative disease
Inhibikase Scraps Parkinson’s Drug After Disappointing Mid-Stage Data
Inhibikase’s setback continues biopharma’s losing streak against Parkinson’s, marked by several clinical failures and abandoned assets in recent months.
January 30, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Novo Nordisk's logo on the facade of its building in Germany
Approvals
Novo Expands GLP-1 Dominance With Ozempic Nod for Kidney Disease
The approval continues the trend of GLP-1s expanding into indications outside of diabetes and weight loss.
January 29, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Eli Lilly's biotechnology center in California
Pipeline
Lilly Cuts Mid-stage Relaxin Study in Chronic Kidney Disease for ‘Lack of Foreseeable Clinical Benefit’
The discontinuation comes after the investigational drug, volenrelaxin, failed a related heart failure study in an overlapping patient population.
January 29, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Corporate headquarters of Novo Nordisk in Denmark
IRA
With Wegovy, Ozempic on the Line, Novo Asks Court to Speed Up IRA Complaint
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has named Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus as part of the second round of the IRA drug price negotiation program, even as the pharma challenges the program.
January 29, 2025
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Business and financial success concept. Modern collage with halftone hand holding a launching rocket, sales chart icons. Income growth. Successful startup. Increasing profits illustration
Startups
Versant Launches Fourth Obesity Startup Helicore to Improve Weight Loss Quality
Versant Ventures continues to invest in the increasingly competitive obesity space, this time launching Helicore with $65 million and a GIP-targeting asset intended to induce higher-quality weight loss.
January 28, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Minimal Clip Art Collage. Pop Vector Design Composition with bright bold geometric shapes, halftone objects for ad, animation etc
Approvals
AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo Continue ADC Rally With Enhertu Expansion
Enhertu’s label expansion comes on the heels of the FDA’s approval of the partners’ Datroway for a related type of breast cancer.
January 28, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Signage at Pfizer's world headquarters in New York City
Business
Pfizer Gets Breather From Starboard’s Ongoing Assault
Starboard last year took a $1 billion stake in Pfizer, looking to turn the pharma around after alleged severe shortcomings by its current leadership. But Bloomberg reports it has missed the deadline for nominating a director to the pharma’s board.
January 28, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Reaching an agreement. Businessmen shake hands and make a deal. vector
Depression
Neurocrine Gains ‘High-Risk/High-Reward’ Depression Asset From Takeda
Little information has emerged about osavampator, a potentially first-in-class drug, since its promising Phase II performance last spring.
January 28, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: A muscle pattern dissolving/Nicole Bean
Weight loss
Veru’s Drug Spares Lean Mass in Overweight, Obese Adults on Wegovy—Is It Enough?
Patients taking Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy plus Veru’s enobosarm saw 71% lower lean mass loss than those who were taking Wegovy alone but investors await more data.
January 27, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Silhouette of a head with a cloud. Thought in the head of man. This is a 3d render illustration
Approvals
Biogen, Eisai Win Nod for Monthly Leqembi Maintenance Amid Stagnant Sales
The monthly maintenance regimen, which offers a more convenient frequency than the initially approved treatment schedule for patients with Alzheimer’s, could help with Leqembi’s thus far disappointing uptake and sales.
January 27, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Sign in front of Pfizer in Quebec, Canada
Legal
Pfizer Settles Biohaven Kickback Suit for Nearly $60M
From March 2020 through September 2022, Biohaven wielded meals at high-end restaurants and paid speaking opportunities to induce healthcare providers to prescribe its migraine therapy Nurtec ODT, according to the Department of Justice.
January 27, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Businessman holding a dart aiming at the target - business targeting, aiming, focus concept. Art collage.
Cancer
BMS, Pfizer Challenge Colorectal Cancer Standard Care With ASCO GI Readouts
Bristol Myers Squibb’s Opdivo plus Yervoy, as well as Pfizer’s Braftovi, have each shown strong Phase III performances that could position them as new standards of care in certain subtypes of metastatic colorectal cancer.
January 27, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Facade of Novo Nordisk's office in Fremont, California
Obesity
Novo Rebounds as Next-Gen Obesity Drug Elicits up to 22% Weight Loss
The readout comes on the heels of CagriSema’s disappointing Phase III performance, where it missed Novo’s projection of 25% weight reduction.
January 24, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Loaded syringe and opioids_iStock, Darwi
Legal
Purdue Pharma, Sacklers Settle Opioid Lawsuits For $7.4B
The settlement is the largest deal to date with the people primarily who played an “instrumental role” in driving the opioid crisis, according to the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell.
January 24, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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