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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.

Pictured: Entrance to Pfizer's office in Belgium
Drug Development
Pfizer’s Paxlovid Ineffective Against Long COVID Using 15-Day Regimen: Study
While a prolonged, 15-day regimen of Paxlovid is safe, it appears to be ineffective at lowering the symptoms of long COVID, according to results of a Phase II trial funded by Pfizer and conducted by Stanford Medicine.
June 10, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: GSK's office in Poznan, Poland/iStock, W
FDA
GSK’s RSV Shot Wins Expanded FDA Approval for At-Risk Adults Aged 50 to 59
The FDA on Friday approved GSK’s application to use Arexvy to vaccinate adults aged 50 to 59 years who are at increased risk of developing severe respiratory syncytial virus.
June 10, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Boehringer Ingelheim's office in California
Drug Development
Boehringer, Zealand Heat Up MASH Race With Strong Phase II Data
The companies announced Friday that their candidate survodutide, which is licensed to Boehringer Ingelheim from Zealand Pharma, improved fibrosis in more than 50% of treated patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.
June 7, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Boardroom overlooking a city/iStock, ism
Deals
Vanda Gets $466M Unsolicited Offer from Cycle Amid Ongoing Row with FDA
After rejecting a previous takeover offer from Future Pak, Vanda Pharmaceuticals is now fielding another acquisition proposal from Cycle Pharmaceuticals, which values the biotech at $8 per share.
June 7, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
AbbVie's office in South San Francisco, California
Drug Development
AbbVie Sees Early ROI on $10B Immunogen Buy in Phase II Ovarian Cancer Win
AbbVie’s antibody-drug conjugate Elahere, developed by ImmunoGen, elicited a nearly 52% objective response rate in heavily pretreated patients with folate receptor-alpha-positive, platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer.
June 7, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Eli Lilly's biotechnology center in San
Policy
FDA Raises Concerns About Lilly’s Donanemab Alzheimer’s Candidate Ahead of Adcomm
In advance of an advisory committee meeting on Monday, the FDA’s internal reviewers have raised issues regarding Eli Lilly’s Alzheimer’s disease candidate donanemab, flagging problems with its study design and safety outcomes.
June 7, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Amgen's office in Tampa, Florida
Drug Development
Amgen Phase III Win Positions Uplizna for Label Expansion in Rare Autoimmune Disease
Amgen’s CD19-directed antibody Uplizna in a late-stage study showed it can suppress the risk of flares by nearly 90% in patients with IgG4-related disease, the company announced Wednesday.
June 6, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Novo Nordisk's corporate headquarters in Denmark
Drug Development
Novo’s Ozempic, Wegovy to Face Stiff Generic Competition in China: Reuters
Novo Nordisk will face strong generic competition from at least 15 companies in China for its blockbuster GLP-1 receptor agonist products Wegovy and Ozempic, according to Reuters.
June 6, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Nasdaq signage and building in New York City
Deals
Telix Targets $200M IPO in Hot Radiopharma Market as Biotech Nasdaq Offerings Slow
Telix Pharmaceuticals is looking to cash in on radiopharmaceuticals, which have emerged as one of the hottest spaces in oncology, with an initial public offering to help support its pipeline of targeted radiation products.
June 6, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Facade of Moderna's building in Massachusetts
Policy
Moderna’s mRNA Candidate Joins FDA’s Accelerator Program for Rare Diseases
Moderna on Thursday said its investigational mRNA-based therapy for methylmalonic acidemia has been selected for the FDA’s accelerator program for rare diseases, dubbed START.
June 6, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Eli Lilly's headquarters in Indianapolis
Drug Development
Lilly’s Tirzepatide Shows Positive Phase II NASH Data, Tees Up Potential Expansion
More than 50% of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis patients treated with Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide saw at least a one-stage improvement in fibrosis, according to the pharma’s latest mid-stage readout.
June 5, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Eli Lilly's biotechnology center in San Diego, California
Policy
Lilly’s Zepbound Wins NICE Backing for Obese Patients With Very High BMI
The U.K.’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has endorsed the use of Eli Lilly’s Zepboundfor weight management in patients with BMI of 35 kg/m2 and above and at least one weight-related comorbidity.
June 5, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: 3D illustration of a damaged liver/iStoc
Drug Development
Viking Builds Case for NASH Hopeful With Histological Data
Viking Therapeutics’ nonalcoholic steatohepatitis candidate VK2809 significantly improved secondary histologic endpoints at 52 weeks with no worsening of fibrosis, as assessed by hepatic biopsy.
June 5, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: FDA signage at its office in Washington, DC
Policy
FDA Adcomm Votes Against Lykos’ MDMA-Assisted PTSD Therapy
An FDA advisory committee on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected Lykos Therapeutics’ investigational MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder due to safety concerns and how the company conducted its trials.
June 5, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Doctor points to a heart ultrasound/iSto
Drug Development
BridgeBio Builds on Positive Phase III Data for Acoramidis in ATTR-CM
Additional analyses from BridgeBio Pharma’s late-stage study show the oral drug candidate improved clinical outcomes in transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy patients.
May 30, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
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