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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: Man sitting on a bed looking stressed
Policy
Lykos Therapeutics’ MDMA Therapy for PTSD to Face FDA Adcomm
As interest in psychedelic therapies ramp up, Lykos Therapeutics will go in front of the FDA’s Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee on June 4 to present its investigational treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
May 8, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Entrance to Pfizer's office in Belgium
Drug Development
Pfizer Halts Dosing in Late-Stage DMD Study Following Death of Young Patient
Pfizer’s investigational Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy fordadistrogene movaparvovec has been hit with another patient death, forcing the pharma to pause dosing in its Phase III study.
May 8, 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: Dynavax, Ascendis and BMS
The FDA is looking at four decision deadlines in the coming three weeks, including two for a CAR-T therapy and another for a hepatitis B vaccine.
May 7, 2024
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4 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Illustration showing several virus particles
Business
Flagship-Backed Prologue Launches with $50M to DELVE into Viral Proteome
The newest company by the life sciences venture capital firm, Prologue Medicines will search through the vast viral proteome to identify proteins with therapeutic potential.
May 7, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Entrance to Vertex's office in Boston, Massachusetts
Business
Vertex Touts 13% Revenue Jump, Beats Profit Estimates on Strong Cystic Fibrosis Performance
With a total revenue of nearly $2.7 billion, Vertex exceeded analyst estimates in the first quarter, bolstered by strong uptake of its cystic fibrosis products.
May 7, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: 3D illustration of antibody-drug conjugates with their toxic payloads
Drug Development
ADC Therapeutics Posts Early Phase II Lymphoma Data for Zynlonta as Revenue Drops 5.8%
ADC Therapeutics is positioning Zynlonta for a label expansion with new Phase II data showing that the treatment can elicit high rates of complete response in patients with relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma.
May 7, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
3D illustration of a T cell killing a cancer cell
Drug Development
Preliminary Findings Point to Low Risk of Secondary Cancers from CAR-T Therapies
In a joint conference event on Monday, cell therapy pioneer Carl June revealed unpublished results showing that in around 1,500 patients treated with CAR-T therapies, no cases of secondary malignancy could be definitively linked to the treatment.
May 7, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Sign outside BioNTech's building in Germany
Business
BioNTech Misses Q1 Earnings, Revenue on Lower COVID-19 Sales
Reeling from “endemic-level demand” for its COVID-19 vaccine, BioNTech on Monday reported a steep decline in revenues and a loss per share that fell short of analysts’ consensus estimates for the first quarter of 2024.
May 6, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: J&J's office in Madrid, Spain
Drug Development
J&J’s ‘Pretzel’ Drug-Device Combo Scores in Mid-Stage Bladder Cancer Study
Following the regulatory victory of Balversa in urothelial carcinoma, Johnson & Johnson on Friday continued its bladder cancer winning streak with an 82.8% complete response rate forTAR-200 in high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.
May 6, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: 3D concept art showing a bladder surrounded by cancer cells
Drug Development
CG Oncology Touts Bladder Cancer Complete Response Rate for Immunotherapy
Following an upsized IPO earlier this year, CG Oncology on Friday posted promising Phase III data for cretostimogene, which elicited a 75% complete response rate in high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer patients.
May 6, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Novo Nordisk's corporate headquarters in Denmark
Deals
Novo’s $16.5B Deal with Catalent Gets Another 30 Days Added to FTC Antitrust Review
The Federal Trade Commission has asked for an additional 30 days for its review of Novo Nordisk’s $16.5 billion acquisition of Catalent, with the companies expecting to complete the merger by the end of 2024.
May 6, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Boehringer Ingelheim's office in California
Drug Development
Boehringer, Walgreens Team Up for Obesity Trial as Weight-Loss Drug Race Heats Up
In an effort to improve diversity and accessibility in clinical trials, Boehringer Ingelheim is partnering with Walgreens to conduct a Phase III study in obesity and type 2 diabetes.
May 3, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: The front entrance to the FDA headquarters/iStock, Grandbrothers
Policy
FDA’s Accelerated Approval of Sarepta DMD Gene Therapy Comes Under Fire
Ahead of the FDA’s June target action date for Sarepta’s Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy, ICER Chief Medical Officer David Rind blasted the regulator’s accelerated pathway in a JAMA viewpoint article.
May 3, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: AstraZeneca signage at its office in Sweden
Drug Development
AstraZeneca Targets First-Line Mantle Cell Lymphoma Therapy with Phase III Data
AstraZeneca’s blockbuster BTK inhibitor Calquence significantly improved progression-free survival when used as a frontline treatment in patients with mantle cell lymphoma, according to Thursday’s late-stage results.
May 3, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Amgen's office in Tampa, Florida
Drug Development
Amgen Pushes Obesity Drug MariTide Forward, Reports 22% Q1 Revenue Growth
Following strong Phase II data, Amgen is going all in on its next-generation obesity treatment MariTide, with plans to run a Phase III trial and a separate mid-stage study for diabetes.
May 3, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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