SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
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.

Lilly Institute for Genetic Medicine building in Boston, Ma, USA, on November 11, 2023. Eli Lilly and Company is an American pharmaceutical company.
Government
Lilly Wins Medicare Coverage for Zepbound in Sleep Apnea
According to BMO Capital Markets, Medicare coverage of Lilly’s Zepbound opens the door to using secondary indications to secure CMS coverage for obesity drugs.
January 9, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Roche's signage at its office in France
Mergers & acquisitions
Roche Nears Completion of Poseida Acquisition Worth Up to $1.5B
In a deal expected to close in Q1 2025, Roche will gain access to Poseida’s off-the-shelf CAR T candidates.
January 8, 2025
 · 
3 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Correct decision chosing - confused man character standing on the crossroads and looking at signpost with three different directions - conceptual vector illustration
Cell therapy
Galapagos to Spin Out Innovative Medicines, Lay Off 40%
By mid-2025, the biotech will split into two entities: a new, as-yet-unnamed innovative medicines specialist and a cell therapy company, the latter of which will inherit the Galapagos name.
January 8, 2025
 · 
3 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Photo of a GLP-1 injector pen on a blue background
Weight loss
FDA Proposes Draft Guidance for Weight-Loss Therapies as Obesity Space Heats Up
The FDA recommended maintaining a minimum of 5% weight-loss for drug developers seeking to establish the efficacy of their investigational obesity candidates.
January 8, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Art collage, hands and falling coins in orange circle. Modern design of finance and business.
IPO
Maze Opens 2025 IPO Class to Advance Kidney Disease Programs
Maze’s IPO comes on the heels of its oversubscribed Series D funding round, which infused the biotech with $115 million in funding to support the development of its kidney disease pipeline.
January 8, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Creative pattern made with a syringe on pastel pink background. Vaccine for Coronavirus infection. Pandemic concept.
Vaccines
GSK, Pfizer RSV Shots Required to Carry Guillain-Barré Syndrome Warnings
A post-marketing review by the FDA detected an increased risk of the autoimmune condition in patients inoculated with GSK’s Arexvy and Pfizer’s Abrysvo, prompting the regulator to require adjustments to the vaccines’ labels.
January 8, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Corporate headquarters of Novo Nordisk in Denmark
Collaboration
Novo Puts $4.6B on the Line to Expand Valo Deal, Maintain Cardiometabolic Leadership
The investment continues a Novo dealmaking spree to cement its leadership status in the cardiometabolic space, with partnerships with Photys Therapeutics, Ascendis Pharma and two Flagship-backed start-ups.
January 8, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Mechanical weight scale, body mass control concept : Bathroom scale on pale blue wood background. Analog scale operated with spring that pressure is calibrated to translate tension into a mass readout.
Obesity
Metsera Touts ‘Powerful’ Weight Loss Results—Again
Months after posting weight loss of 7.5% at 36 days for patients taking MET-097i, Metsera releases mid-stage results of just over 11% average body weight reduction at 12 weeks, with no plateau and a promising safety profile.
January 7, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
FDA signage at its headquarters in Maryland
Artificial intelligence
FDA’s New AI Guidance Highlights Risks of Technology, Urges Early Sponsor Engagement
The FDA’s guidance on AI in drug development points to potentially life-threatening consequences of the technology, highlighting the importance of providing the regulator with detailed information regarding models’ development and maintenance.
January 7, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Missed Target
ALS
Denali Suffers Another ALS Fail With Phase II/III Flop
Denali’s failure on Monday continues biopharma’s losing streak against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. PTC Therapeutics and Amylyx have seen similarly disappointing results.
January 7, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Facade of Novo Nordisk's office in Fremont, California
Diabetes
Novo Launches Citizen Petition to Block Compounded Victoza
In its Citizen Petition to the FDA, Novo Nordisk argued that there is no clinical need to allow compounding for liraglutide, the type 2 diabetes injection it sells as Victoza.
January 6, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Handshake gesture contemporary collage art. Celebrating success, congratulating for financial and business partnership, job contract deal, mutual friendship and respect. Abstract illustration isolated.
Mergers & acquisitions
Higher Biopharma M&A Activity ‘Almost Inevitable’ in 2025, With Viking as Top Candidate: Analysts
Seeking Alpha analyst Terry Chrisomalis regards Viking Therapeutics as the most attractive M&A candidate in 2025, bolstered by its strong obesity candidate VK2735 and largely de-risked MASH therapy VK2809.
January 6, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
FDA signage at its headquarters in Maryland
Regulatory
5 FDA Decisions to Watch in Q1
Among the FDA’s pending decisions for this quarter are Vertex’s non-opioid pain drug and Sanofi’s RNA interference therapy for hemophilia A and B.
January 6, 2025
 · 
8 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Multi-directional arrows on yellow background , choose between several potential future options and scenarios,3d rendering
GLP-1
7 Indications for GLP-1s Beyond Weight Loss
Already established as cornerstone therapies in diabetes and obesity, GLP-1 receptor agonists also show potential in several other indications, including cancer, addiction and neurodegenerative diseases.
December 23, 2024
 · 
11 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
GSK's headquarters office building in Poznan, Poland
Ovarian cancer
GSK Posts Mixed Survival Data for Jemperli/Zejula Combo in First-Line Ovarian Cancer
First approved in 2021, Jemperli has now become a cornerstone of GSK’s cancer business, earning more than $160 million in the third quarter.
December 20, 2024
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Load More