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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.

IV infusion set on light blue background, top view. Space for text
Pipeline
BeiGene Scraps TIGIT Candidate After Underwhelming Lung Cancer Data
An independent data monitoring board found that BeiGene’s ociperlimab was unlikely to significantly boost overall survival in patients with untreated NSCLC.
April 3, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Medical 2D illustration
FDA
FDA Misses Review Deadline for Novavax’s COVID-19 Shot, Days After Marks’ Resignation
The FDA was scheduled to release its decision on Novavax’s updated, protein-based COVID-19 vaccine on April 1, but the agency’s principal deputy commissioner intervened.
April 3, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Government
Trump Tariffs Miss Pharma For Now, But Uncertainties Loom
Pharma’s reprieve from Donald Trump’s tariffs is expected to be temporary, with Leerink analysts anticipating possible sector-specific duties “in the next month or so.”
April 3, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Aerial top down view of a large container cargo ship in motion over open ocean with copy space
Government
Drugmakers Ask Trump for Staggered Tariffs as ‘Liberation Day’ Arrives
Trump has repeatedly called April 2 “Liberation Day,” alluding to a more sweeping and aggressive set of tariffs. Leerink Partners analysts said that the risks from Trump’s tariffs on the biopharma industry are “underappreciated.”
April 2, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: J&J's building in Switzerland
Legal
J&J Pulls $7B Commitment as Court Swats Final Talc Settlement Plan
Johnson & Johnson will not appeal the dismissal of its bankruptcy proposal.
April 2, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
A woman's hand holding a scale.
Government
Democrats Push Back on Trump Health Cuts With Lawsuits and Longest Ever Senate Speech
Nearly two dozen states on Tuesday sued the Department of Health and Human Services over a planned $11 billion funding cut for public health projects while New Jersey Senator Cory Booker spoke for 25 hours in protest of Trump administration policies.
April 2, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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
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