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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: Cigna Group signage outside its office i
Drug Delivery
Cigna’s Evernorth to Offer Humira Biosimilar with No Out-of-Pocket Cost
Starting in June 2024, Evernorth Health Services will offer Humira biosimilar products with no out-of-pocket cost through its Accredo specialty pharmacy.
April 26, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Sign above the entrance to a U.S. courthouse
Policy
GSK Sues Pfizer and BioNTech Over Alleged COVID-19 Patent Infringement
With its lawsuit filed against Pfizer and BioNTech, the British multinational biopharma has joined the high-profile patent battle over mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines.
April 26, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Entrance to Pfizer's office in Belgium
FDA
Pfizer Secures FDA Approval for Hemophilia B Gene Therapy, Launches Warranty
Pfizer will go toe-to-toe with CSL Behring following the FDA’s Friday approval of its hemophilia B gene therapy Beqvez and will launch a warranty program based on the durability of response.
April 26, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Bristol Myers Squibb office in California
Business
BMS to Cut 2,200 Jobs in $1.5B Restructuring as Opdivo Sales Drop in Q1
Bristol Myers Squibb announced Thursday it is implementing major cost-cutting measures including thinning out its management layers. The pharma also reported modest revenue growth despite taking a 6% sales hit for lung cancer therapy Opdivo.
April 25, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Facade of Novo Nordisk's office in Fremont, California
Policy
Sanders Launches Probe of ‘Outrageously High Prices’ of Novo’s Ozempic, Wegovy
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Wednesday launched an investigation into the exorbitant prices of Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy blockbusters, and has asked the Danish drugmaker to justify their price tags.
April 25, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: FDA signage at its office in Washington, DC
FDA
FDA Approves UTILITY’s New Antibiotic for Uncomplicated UTI in Women
The regulator on Wednesday gave its approval for a new oral antibiotic to treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women. UTILITY therapeutics expects to launch Pivya in the U.S. in 2025.
April 25, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Biogen's headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Business
Biogen Beats Q1 Profit Estimates as Leqembi Sales Start to Take Off
Biogen on Wednesday exceeded analyst profit estimates for the first quarter of 2024 as the biotech’s cost-cutting measures took hold and sales of its Alzheimer’s disease therapy Leqembi started to pick up.
April 24, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Roche's tower in Shanghai, China
Business
Roche Trims Four Early Assets as Q1 Sales Slip 6% on Currency, COVID Headwinds
Despite being hit with a continuing decline in COVID-19 sales and a strong Swiss franc, Roche on Wednesday reported first-quarter sales were up 2% at constant exchange rates.
April 24, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Anxious man with his head in his hands/i
Drug Development
Neurocrine’s Takeda-Partnered Drug Candidate Aces Phase II Depression Study
An undisclosed once-daily oral dose of Neurocrine Biosciences’ Takeda-partnered investigational drug significantly reduced symptom severity in adults with major depressive disorder.
April 24, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: The front entrance to the FDA headquarters/iStock, Grandbrothers
FDA
Day One’s Ojemda Gets FDA Accelerated Approval for Pediatric Brain Tumor
The FDA on Tuesday approved Day One Biopharmaceuticals’ type II RAF inhibitor Ojemda, which is designed to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, for the treatment of relapsed or refractory pediatric low-grade glioma.
April 24, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Sanofi Distribution Center
Drug Development
Sanofi’s $3.7B Principia Buy Starts to Pay Off with Phase III Rilzabrutinib Win
Data from the Phase III LUNA 3 study on Tuesday showed that Sanofi’s BTK inhibitor rilzabrutinib significantly improved durable platelet response in patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia.
April 23, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washi
Policy
Supreme Court Denies Vanda’s Petition in Hetlioz Patent Case Against Teva
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday indicated that it will not hear Vanda Pharmaceuticals’ petition in its patent case against Teva Pharmaceuticals regarding the former’s sleep-wake disorder drug Hetlioz.
April 23, 2024
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Tristan Manalac
FDA signage at its office in Maryland
Policy
FDA Rejects Abeona’s Epidermolysis Bullosa Cell Therapy, Asks for CMC Data
The regulator on Monday slapped Abeona Therapeutics with a Complete Response Letter for its investigational cell therapy pz-cel due to chemistry, manufacturing and controls issues.
April 23, 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
FDA
ImmunityBio Wins FDA Approval for First IL-15 Superagonist for NMIBC
Bouncing back from a previous rejection, ImmunityBio on Monday secured the FDA’s green light for its IL-15 superagonist Anktiva for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.
April 23, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
3D illustration of an RNA molecule
Business
Ipsen, Skyhawk Ink Potential $1.8B Deal to Target RNA in Neuro Diseases
Ipsen is looking to deepen its expertise in movement disorders in a research collaboration with Skyhawk Therapeutics to develop small molecule drugs for RNA targets in neurological diseases.
April 22, 2024
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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