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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.

FDA signage at its headquarters in Maryland
Regulatory
FDA Delays Decision on Merus Bispecific Antibody to Review CMC Information
Despite the PDUFA date being extended by three months for Merus’ zenocutuzumab, Truist Securities analyst Asthika Goonewardene in a Tuesday note to investors said the delay is not a cause for concern with an approval expected.
November 5, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: AstraZeneca's manufacturing facility in
Obesity
AstraZeneca Bolsters Obesity Pipeline With Promising Early Data for Candidates
While expected and seen as largely incremental, Jefferies analyst Peter Welford in a Tuesday note to investors said the detailed data for three early-stage assets support moving them into Phase IIb studies and creates a “foothold” for AstraZeneca in the weight loss space.
November 5, 2024
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Entrance to Vertex's office in Boston, Massachusetts
Earnings
Vertex Tops Q3 Forecast on Strength of Cystic Fibrosis Sales, Raises Full-Year Revenue Guidance
Coming off of a strong third quarter, Vertex Pharmaceuticals is nearing several important milestones, including the potential approvals of vanzacaftor triple in cystic fibrosis and the non-opioid therapy suzetrigine in pain—both slated for January 2025.
November 5, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Sign outside BioNTech's building in Germany
Earnings
BioNTech Handily Beats Q3 Expectations, Trims Full-Year Revenue Guidance
Driven by the early approval of its updated COVID-19 vaccine, BioNTech far exceeded analysts’ expectations in the third quarter and reported its first quarterly profit in 2024. However, the German biotech also cut its outlook for the year.
November 4, 2024
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Photo of a judge's gavel, a balance and a stack of papers
Drug pricing
AstraZeneca, BMS, J&J Renew Legal Challenge to IRA Before Appeals Court
The Big Pharma companies made a last-ditch effort asking a U.S. appeals court to reconsider their lawsuits against the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare drug price negotiations, which they contend infringe on their constitutional rights.
November 4, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
A white pill being held by a hand wearing a blue surgical glove. Medicine or drugs isolated on a black background.
Obesity
Viking Touts Promising Phase I Weight Loss Data for Obesity Pill Candidate
Jefferies analyst Roger Song in an investor note said that Viking Therapeutics’ readout for its investigational therapy VK2735 exceeded expectations, with “class-leading” weight loss. Patients on 100-miligram doses of the pill lost 8.2% of their body weight after 28 days.
November 4, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
A scientist with pill bottles in front of FDA headquarters
FDA
FDA Action Alert: Journey, Merus, PTC and Autolus
The FDA is set to decide on four promising therapies in the next two weeks, including a CAR T for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
November 4, 2024
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4 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Regeneron logo on a light brown building
Earnings
Regeneron Reports Mixed Q3 Sales as Eylea Franchise Remains Under Pressure
Despite disappointing third-quarter results for Regeneron’s high-dose Eylea injection, analysts continued to be cautiously optimistic about the company’s promising cancer, immunology and genetic medicines pipeline.
November 1, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Exterior view of the headquarters of the
Adcomms
Lexicon Loses FDA Adcomm Vote on Insulin Adjunct for Patients With Type 1 Diabetes
While an FDA advisory committee saw signals of efficacy for Lexicon Pharmaceuticals’ sotagliflozin, the panel of external experts found that the company did not provide enough data to support its drug application.
November 1, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Bristol Myers Squibb in NJ/iStock, arlut
Earnings
BMS Delivers Q3 Beat, Raises 2024 Guidance Amid Strong Demand for Legacy and Newer Drugs
Bristol Myers Squibb’s third-quarter results benefited from sales of its legacy brands Eliquis and Revlimid, as well as growth portfolio products such as Abecma, Breyanzi and Reblozyl.
November 1, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Feb 2, 2020 South San Francisco / CA / USA - Merck & Co. headquarters in Silicon Valley; Merck & Co. Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical company
Earnings
Merck Lowers Full-Year Sales Guidance Despite Strong Overall Q3 Results
Offsetting Merck’s growth in the third quarter were disappointing revenues from its HPV vaccine Gardasil and type 2 diabetes pill Januvia, with the company on Thursday narrowing its 2024 sales and adjusted profit outlooks.
October 31, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Update: AbbVie headquarters building in California
Earnings
AbbVie Beats Q3 Estimates as Skyrizi, Rinvoq Pick Up Slack for Humira
AbbVie’s Humira missed Wall Street’s expectations in the third quarter but Skyrizi and Rinvoq’s continuing outperformance demonstrated the overall strength of its immunology franchise.
October 31, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Amgen's office in Massachusetts/iStock,
Pipeline
Amgen Whets Investors’ Appetites for MariTide Obesity Data by End of Year
While Amgen’s third-quarter financial results on Wednesday were “somewhat uneventful,” investors continue to be focused on the highly anticipated MariTide Phase II results slated for late 2024, according to BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman.
October 31, 2024
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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
GLP-1
FDA Says All Doses of Novo’s Ozempic, Wegovy Now Available
Wednesday’s update to the regulator’s drug shortage database is good news for Novo Nordisk, which has struggled to keep up with demand for the blockbuster GLP-1 drugs.
October 31, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Eli Lilly's biotechnology center in California
Earnings
Lilly Hit With Lower-Than-Expected Mounjaro and Zepbound Q3 Sales, Narrows Full-Year Forecast
Eli Lilly’s blockbuster weight loss and diabetes drugs missed analysts’ expectations by 18% in the third quarter, which were negatively impacted by inventory stocking in the wholesaler channel. The company’s shares fell more than 13% in trading on Wednesday morning.
October 30, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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