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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.

Cardiovascular disease
Merck’s Winrevair Cuts Morbidity, Mortality Risk by Over 75% in Phase III PAH Study
Merck continues to build the case for the pulmonary arterial hypertension drug that won FDA approval in 2024.
April 1, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Concept of money prize. Vector illustration. Halftone hand holds bouquet of money flowers. Gift prize, donation, earnings, bonus or cashback concept. Retro poster or banner. Creative trend collage.
Funding
AIRNA Hits $155M Series B Haul To Advance RNA Editor for Rare Genetic Disease
AIRNA’s lead candidate AIR-001 works by correcting the most common pathologic mutation driving the rare disease alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
April 1, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Robert F Kennedy Jr speaking at the White House
Government
Calls To End Kennedy’s Leadership Follow Marks’ Abrupt Exit
Analysts at financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald are urging President Donald Trump to rethink his appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
April 1, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Hand holding pencil erasing an employee. Dismissal or bankrumptcy concept. Vector illustration.
Layoffs
Tenaya Slashes a Third of Workforce To Fund Development of Cardio Gene Therapies
The layoffs will take place throughout 2025 and will mostly affect Tenaya’s research and manufacturing operations. The company is continuing to test its hypertrophic cardiomyopathy gene therapy.
April 1, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Blood transfusion from person to person, art collage.
Approvals
Sanofi, Alnylam Win First RNAi Approval for Hemophilia A and B
Unlike other hemophilia therapies, Qfitlia is indicated for both hemophilia A and B, and can be given in patients regardless of the presence of neutralizing antibodies against clotting factor VIII or IX.
March 31, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
World heart day. Sketch style human heart. Retro halftone hands reaching out to each other. Modern collage. Valentines day banner. Healthcare medical concept. Healthy lifestyle.
Cardiovascular disease
Lilly’s RNA Silencer Lowers Key Cardiovascular Biomarker by Almost 94%
BMO Capital Markets analysts said the results potentially position lepodisiran as “one of the most durable assets in development to date” in the competitive Lp(a) space, where drugs are designed to lower the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke.
March 31, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Digital collage modern art. Hand giving and receiving money
Mergers & acquisitions
Bluebird Draws Another Suitor Amid Plans To Go Private
Ayrmid’s offer is 50% higher than bluebird’s previously announced deal with Carlyle and SK Capital Partners.
March 31, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Success roadmap journey, milestone or career path achievement, route or pathway to achieve goals, accomplishment, assessment or way to success, businessman look at achievement milestone to success.
GLP-1
Novo Paints Murky Cardio Picture for Semaglutide Franchise
According to BMO Capital Markets, Rybelsus’ outcomes in SOUL were “inconsistent,” failing to significantly lower cardiovascular death and nonfatal stroke.
March 31, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
3d rendering of Radiopharmaceuticals, these are radioactive medications or radioisotopes. These medications can be delivered orally in pill form.
Radiopharmaceuticals
5 Big Pharmas Push Boundaries in Radiopharmaceuticals
While Novartis and Bayer got there first, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb and Eli Lilly are all vying to bring their radiopharmaceutical assets to a market projected to be worth over $13 billion by 2033.
March 31, 2025
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9 min read
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Tristan Manalac
A scientist with pill bottles in front of FDA headquarters
Regulatory
FDA Action Alert: Amgen, Aldeyra and Argenx
In the coming two weeks, the FDA is expected to announce three big decisions, including one for a dry eye disease therapy.
March 31, 2025
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Trendy halftone collage. Concept of contracting, negotiation, contracting, favorable terms. Trendy modern retro illustration on business theme. Concept of teamwork. Vector illustration
Obesity
Novo’s Obesity Pipeline Keeps Evolving With up to $1B Lexicon Deal
Lexicon’s LX9851 targets ACSL5, a liver enzyme involved in fat metabolism that helps moderate fat accumulation and slow down gastric emptying.
March 28, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Businessman makes employee cuts as part of layoff
Layoffs
Arbutus Down to ‘Core Team’ After Laying Off More Than Half of Staff
Arbutus is also exiting its corporate headquarters in Pennsylvania and will terminate all in-house scientific research. The company’s focus is now an RNAi asset for hepatitis B.
March 28, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Businessman holding a dart aiming at the target - business targeting, aiming, focus concept. Art collage.
Cancer
BioNTech’s Bispecific Elicits Treatment Response in Majority of SCLC Patients
BNT327, a PD L1/VEGF antibody, belongs to a class of next-generation immunotherapies hoping to beat out Keytruda.
March 28, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Contemporary art collage of a hand holding scissors. Copy space for ad. Modern design.
Policy
RFK Jr. to Cut 10,000 Jobs Across HHS
The announcement by the Department of Health and Human Services highlighted a flurry of moves, which include the shifting of departments. Also this week, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tapped fellow vaccine critic David Geier to investigate vaccine safety within the CDC.
March 27, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Community expansion. Collaboration, of new members. Cooperate on project development. Find like-minded people, join the team. Spread influence and power.
Mergers & acquisitions
Alcon Secures Majority Stake in Aurion, Deposes CEO
Last month, Deerfield Management accused Alcon of obstructing Aurion’s IPO plans so it could acquire the startup “at a discount.”
March 27, 2025
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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