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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.

Signage at Pfizer's world headquarters in New York City
Business
Activist Investor Starboard Carves $1B Stake in Pfizer, Enlists Former CEO for Help
Pfizer in recent months has implemented aggressive cost-cutting measures to help it weather the steep decline in sales of its COVID-19 products.
October 8, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Boy sitting in a wheelchair
Neurodegenerative disease
Scholar Rock’s Shares Soar 300% After Phase III Win in Spinal Muscular Atrophy
With Monday’s data from SAPPHIRE, Scholar Rock is building toward regulatory submissions for apitegromab in spinal muscular atrophy in the first quarter of 2025.
October 8, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Facade of AstraZeneca's office in Shanghai, China
Cardiovascular disease
AstraZeneca Puts $2B On The Line for Preclinical Heart Disease Drug
For an exclusive license to the preclinical Lp(a) disruptor, AstraZeneca is paying CSPC Pharmaceutical Group $100 million upfront and offering up to $1.92 billion in regulatory and commercial milestones.
October 7, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: J&J's office in Madrid, Spain
Infectious disease
J&J Discontinues Phase II Dengue Study as it Retreats from Infectious Disease
J&J has recently pulled back from the infectious diseases space, including winding down R&D activity in this area in August 2023.
October 7, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Man holds up his hand to signify a pause or stop
Regulatory
Kezar’s Lupus Trial Paused After Four Patient Deaths
The clinical hold doesn’t cover its drug’s Investigational New Drug application for autoimmune hepatitis, for which the Phase IIa PORTOLA trial is ongoing.
October 7, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Blue Sanofi sign on building in Germany at night
Rare diseases
Sanofi Offloads Rare Autoimmune Drug to Recordati in Potential $1B Deal
Under the deal announced Friday, the Italian pharma will make an upfront payment of $825 million to Sanofi for global rights to a biologic for the treatment of cold agglutinin disease, with milestone payments of up to $250 million.
October 4, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Update: AbbVie headquarters building in California
Earnings
AbbVie Trims Full-Year Earnings Guidance Due to R&D Milestone Costs
The company is lowering its previously issued guidance for 2024 adjusted earnings per share by $0.04 per share to account for acquired in-process research and development expenses incurred for acquisitions and collaborations in the third quarter.
October 4, 2024
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: BMS sign on a building in San Diego, California/iStock, JHVEPhoto
Approvals
BMS Wins FDA Nod for Perioperative Opdivo Regimen in NSCLC
Opdivo’s approval for patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer comes as the regulator recently raised concerns of overtreatment with this type of therapeutic regimen with platinum-doublet chemotherapy.
October 4, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Gloved hand holding a vial of mpox vaccine
Vaccines
Bavarian Nordic’s Mpox Shot Shows Antibody Responses Wane After 6 to 12 Months: Study
While a JAMA study found a decline in mpox antibody responses after vaccination, a University of Oxford expert cautioned that there is still not enough evidence to determine if this decline also leads to waning protections.
October 4, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Gilead's headquarters in Silicon Valley
Infectious disease
Gilead Partners With Generics Developers to Provide HIV Drug to Low-Income Countries
Gilead Sciences is granting licenses to six companies to produce lenacapavir for pre-exposure prophylaxis, as well as for treating human immunodeficiency virus in heavily pre-treated adults with multidrug-resistant infections.
October 3, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Sign of U.S. Department of Health & Huma
IRA
CMS Releases Updated Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Guidance, Offers More Flexible Timeline
The adjusted guidelines will provide drugmakers with more opportunities to engage with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regarding the initial maximum fair price offers, according to the agency.
October 3, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
U.S. and Chinese flags in concrete, broken in the middle
BIOSECURE Act
WuXi Mulls Sale of Some US, European Operations: FT
The Financial Times reported Thursday that WuXi AppTec is looking to sell its cell and gene therapy manufacturing unit, with facilities in Philadelphia, while WuXi Biologics wants to offload some of its production sites in Europe.
October 3, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: An Eli Lilly Research Laboratories sign/
Supply chain
Lilly’s Tirzepatide No Longer on FDA Drug Shortage List
BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman called it “another positive indication” for Eli Lilly, whose top-selling diabetes and weight loss drugs are gaining market share as manufacturing continues to expand, while noting the drugmaker could start to benefit heading into third quarter earnings.
October 3, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
External view of Eli Lilly's world headquarters in Indianapolis
Manufacturing
Lilly to Invest $4.5B in New Indiana Manufacturing and R&D Center
Eli Lilly’s investment in the LEAP Research and Innovation District in Lebanon, Indiana, has now jumped to more than $13 billion.
October 2, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Amgen's office in Massachusetts/iStock,
Legal
Amgen Faces Class Action Lawsuit for Allegedly Hiding $10.7B Tax Bill From Investors
Amgen’s motion for dismissal was denied after a New York judge agreed the company did not sufficiently disclose to shareholders back taxes and penalties owed to the Internal Revenue Service.
October 2, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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