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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.

3d render of an immune system T cell killing a cancer cell
Drug Development
Secondary Cancer Risk Is Low After CAR T Cell Treatment: Stanford Study
Results of a large Stanford Medicine study, published Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine, finds CAR-T therapies carry a low risk of secondary malignancies not related to the T cells.
June 13, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Photo illustration of hundred dollar bill and graph
Foresite Raises $900M in Sixth Fund to Invest in Life Science Startups
Among the biggest raises this year, Foresite Capital’s $900 million fund will support biotech companies working in precision medicine and life science infrastructure.
June 13, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Liver damage such as Fatty liver, Fibrosis, Cirrhosis, and Liver cancer. 3d illustration
Drug Development
Coherus, Junshi’s PD-1 Blocker Loqtorzi Aces Phase III Liver Cancer Trial
Coherus BioSciences and Junshi Biosciences’ PD-1 inhibitor Loqtorzi significantly boosted progression-free and overall survival in a late-stage study of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.
June 13, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
New York City, NY, USA - August 22, 2022: Pfizer world headquarters in New York City, USA. Pfizer Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation.
Drug Development
Pfizer’s Gene Therapy for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Fails Phase III Trial
Pfizer’s investigational Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy, fordadistrogene movaparvovec, failed in a late-stage study to significantly improve motor function in patients versus placebo.
June 13, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
The United States Capitol building with the dome lit up at night.
Policy
BIOSECURE Act Left Out of Department of Defense Spending Bill by House Rules Committee
The BIOSECURE Act, which seeks to protect U.S. national security from Chinese biotech companies, will not be part of the House of Representatives vote on the 2025 fiscal year National Defense Authorization Act.
June 12, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: A scientist with pill bottles in front of FDA headquarters/Taylor Tieden for BioSpace
Policy
FDA Action Alert: Merck, BMS, Sarepta and More
The FDA has a packed calendar this week, with six decisions on the docket, including ones for Merck’s Keytruda, BMS’s Krazati and Sarepta’s Elevidys.
June 12, 2024
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4 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Facade of courthouse with columns.
Policy
Teva Loses Inhaler Patent Case Against Amneal, Must Delete or Amend Orange Book Listing
Teva Pharmaceuticals lost its patent row with Amneal Pharmaceuticals on Monday as a New Jersey court ruled that some of Teva’s claims over its inhaler product ProAir HFA were improperly listed on the FDA’s Orange Book.
June 12, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Merck Research Laboratories headquarters building in Silicon Valley. An experimental covis-19 treatment pill called molnupiravir being developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics - South San Francisco, CA, USA - 2021
Drug Development
Merck Eyes Next-Generation Obesity Drugs That Offer Additional Benefits
Seeking to target the lucrative obesity market, Merck is focusing its R&D efforts on next-generation GLP-1 therapies that offer additional benefits beyond weight loss, according to company executives.
June 12, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Corporate headquarters of Novo Nordisk. A pharmaceutical company headquartered in Denmark. Copenhagen, Denmark - august 12, 2023.
Policy
Sanders Seeks Subpoena for Novo Nordisk President Regarding Ozempic, Wegovy Pricing
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), chair of the Senate health committee, has proposed issuing a subpoena to Novo Nordisk President Doug Langa forcing him to testify regarding the company’s pricing for Wegovy and Ozempic.
June 12, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: 3D illustration of an intestine undergoi
Business
Syntis Bio Launches in Effort to Challenge GLP-1s in Lucrative Weight Loss Market
Seeking to carve out its own niche in the obesity space, Syntis Bio launched on Tuesday to develop an oral weight-loss treatment that mimics the effects of gastric bypass surgery.
June 11, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: GSK's headquarters in West London/iStock
Policy
GSK Appeals Delaware Court’s Decision in Zantac Cases as Plaintiff Drops Lawsuit
On Monday, GSK reported that a plaintiff voluntarily dropped her Zantac case against the company and that it is in the process of appealing a Delaware State Court’s decision to admit expert testimony in other cases.
June 11, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
External view of Eli Lilly's world headquarters in Indianapolis
Drug Development
Lilly Sees More Zepbound Out-of-Pocket Payments as Obesity Pill Nears Phase III Readout
More patients are having to pay out-of-pocket for Eli Lilly’s weight-loss medication Zepbound than they did for type 2 diabetes drug Mounjaro, according to Lilly USA President Patrik Jonsson.
June 11, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
FDA signage at its headquarters in Maryland
FDA
Ipsen, Genfit’s Elafibranor Wins FDA Approval for Primary Biliary Cholangitis
Ipsen and Genfit’s elafibranor will now be marketed as Iqirvo and is the first new medicine approved in nearly a decade for the treatment of the rare liver disease, according to the companies.
June 11, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Facade of Moderna's building in Massachusetts
Drug Development
Moderna’s COVID-Flu Combo Shot Beats Separate Vaccines in Phase III Study
Moderna’s combination vaccine candidate for COVID-19 and influenza outperformed licensed vaccines in older adults, according to late-stage results reported on Monday.
June 10, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Eli Lilly Campus in San Diego
Drug Development
Lilly’s Tirzepatide Improves Liver Fibrosis in Phase II MASH Trial
Lilly’s tirzepatide achieved an absence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis without the worsening of fibrosis in more than 50% of patients in a mid-stage study, the company reported Saturday.
June 10, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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