SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
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.

Concept World kidney day, handcraft paper blue kidneys and stethoscope on yellow background. Copy space. Banner.
Approvals
Otsuka Secures IgAN Win as FDA Approves First Anti-APRIL Antibody
Analysts at Guggenheim Partners expect Voyxact to see “broad commercial uptake” given its relatively broad label compared with previous accelerated approvals for IgA nephropathy.
November 26, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Stack of coins balancing on seesaw over a bottle of pills.
Drug pricing
Novo’s GLP-1s Highlight List as CMS Unveils Final Prices For Second Cycle of Drug Negotiations
The discounts should be compared against the drugs’ “ultimate net price” rather than their indicated list price to gauge the true impact of the negotiations, BMO Capital Markets analysts said.
November 26, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Female hand showing thumbs up gesture on blue background, art collage. Positive hand sign. Fashion collage in the style of Thumbs up magazine. Contemporary art. Modern design.
Approvals
AstraZeneca Notches Another Indication for Imfinzi, Pushing PD-L1 Blocker Into Stomach Cancer
Imfinzi is the first immunotherapy approved for perioperative use to treat gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers.
November 26, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Illustration of businessman with flag looking victorious on top of teetering blocks
Obesity
Novo Bounces Back With ‘Competitive’ Mid-Stage Weight Loss Data for Amycretin
Novo Nordisk’s amycretin showed no weight-loss plateau over 36 weeks in patients with type 2 diabetes, suggesting its efficacy could become even stronger with longer follow-up, according to analysts at BMO Capital Markets.
November 25, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Stand out from the crowd and different creative idea concepts , Longest light ladder glowing and aiming high to goal target among other short ladders on green background with shadows . 3D rendering.
Cancer
ASH25: Late-Stage Data For J&J’s Tecvayli/Darzalex Combo Could ‘Shift Paradigm’ in Myeloma
Tecvayli plus Darzalex led to an 83% boost to progression-free survival versus the current standard therapy in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, results analysts at Guggenheim Securities called “remarkable.”
November 25, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Richard Pazdur
FDA
Pazdur Questions Safety, Legality of FDA’s Expedited Drug Approval Programs
Richard Pazdur, the new director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, raised concerns amid the rollout of several FDA initiatives seeking to shorten the drug review process.
November 25, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Entrance to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, DC
Government
Former DARPA Official Jackson Named ARPA-H Head
Alicia Jackson formerly served as deputy director of the Biological Technologies Office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
November 25, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Achieve goal concept art collage. Rising arrow chart and halftone hand pointing to center of dartboard. Business goal, achieve targets, success. Trendy modern retro vector illustration
Neuroscience
NervGen’s Peptide Achieves Nervous System Repair in Phase II Spinal Cord Injury Study
NervGen will meet with the FDA early next year to align on a regulatory path forward for NVG-291 in chronic spinal cord injury.
November 24, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
The white plane flies against the blue sky, leaving a white trail. Vector illustration
Cardiovascular disease
Bayer Sets Up Redemption Arc for Anticoagulant With ‘Surprisingly Positive’ Phase III Data
Asundexian’s Phase III win could also bode well for Bristol Myers Squibb, which is also developing a Factor XIa inhibitor called milvexian for stroke prevention, analysts said.
November 24, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
FDA commissioner Marty Makary speaking on a Youtube video, wearing a dark suit and a blue tie
Regulatory
FDA Frictions Continue as White House Denies Promotion to Makary’s Aide
A source familiar with the matter said the White House initially requested the resignation of Sanjula Jain-Nagpal, a policy and research official at the FDA.
November 24, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Vector Illustration Of Athletes Running On Race Track
Regulatory
6 Biotechs With a Shot at the FDA’s Platform Technology Designation
After revoking Sarepta’s award in July and awarding one to Krystal last month, the FDA’s platform technology designation program appears to be back on track. These six biotechs could be on the regulator’s radar.
November 21, 2025
 · 
9 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Isometric businessman tightrope walker is on the rope. Teetering on the cable. Business challenge and risk concept. Simple minimal design. Trendy style graphic. Flat vector illustration.
Multiple sclerosis
J&J, Contineum Fail ‘Risky’ Mid-Stage Multiple Sclerosis Trial
While expressing disappointment, William Blair analysts were unsurprised by the Phase II failure, having assigned the VISTA study a high level of risk given the “mixed” performance of a similar drug in a prior multiple sclerosis study.
November 21, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Poznan, Poland - 5 October 2024: GSK -Glaxosmithkline headquarters office building in Poznan.
Legal
UPDATE: GSK’s Tesaro Sues AnaptysBio Over Current Jemperli Contract; Anaptys Countersues
After GSK subsidiary Tesaro filed a lawsuit Thursday claiming that AnaptysBio breached “certain requirements” under their 2014 license agreement involving GSK’s Jemperli, Anaptys responded Friday morning.
November 21, 2025
 · 
3 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Accumulated problems, contradictions. Dead end, we need to go back. You cannot continue further. Complete impossibility to continue. Rejection of an idea. Hard sanctions. Fatal error.
Pipeline
Moderna Cans 3 mRNA Vaccines, Secures $1.5B Loan in Quest for 10% Growth
Amid an aggressive savings push, Moderna has cut three assets and taken on a loan to increase “flexibility.”
November 21, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Female hand holds notebook with brain on yellow background
Funding
Aspen’s $115M Series C Opens Doors to Late-Stage Development for Parkinson’s Program
Aspen is now also considering the possibility of an initial public offering next year in an effort to bring its cell therapy to the market.
November 20, 2025
 · 
1 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Load More