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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.

Fashionable halftones collage. Startup business concept,fast business startup. Trendy modern retro illustration in bright trendy colors. Strategic planning concept and business success. Vector illustration
Startups
Dispatch Bio Launches With $216M To Develop Universal CAR T Therapy for Solid Tumors
Dispatch seeks to address two main challenges of immunotherapies in solid tumors: the lack of a target and the immunosuppressive tumor environment.
July 23, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
FDA signage at its headquarters in Maryland
Regulatory
FDA Opens Pilot Run of Commissioner Voucher Program
The FDA will select at most five companies that align with national priorities, including lower drug prices and increased domestic investment.
July 23, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
Boxes and prohibition symbol NO. Trade wars. A ban on the import of goods. Impossibility of transportation, oversupply. Shortage of goods. Sanctions and embargoes. Confiscation of contraband.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Following Sarepta’s Lead, Roche Suspends Elevidys Shipments to Some Ex-US Countries
The voluntary pauses follow two patient deaths associated with the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy.
July 23, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
ASD autism neurodevelopmental spectrum disorder, deficits in social communication and interaction, brain with impairment, hypersensitivity and abnormalities
GLP-1
GLP-1s Could Protect Against Neurodegeneration, Study Finds
A retrospective cohort study found that semaglutide and tirzepatide are linked with significantly lower risks of dementia and stroke, hinting at potential neuroprotective effects of GLP-1 therapies.
July 23, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
Close-Up Of Syringe With Bottles Against Blue Background
Mergers & acquisitions
Sanofi Makes $1.6B Vaccine Bet With Vicebio Acquisition
The acquisition, which will give Sanofi a combination vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus, follows the pharma’s potential $1.4 billion COVID vaccine licensing deal with Novavax last year, plus a number of other big-ticket commitments outside of the vaccine space.
July 22, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: AstraZeneca's manufacturing facility in Sweden
Manufacturing
With Potential Tariffs Weeks Away, AstraZeneca Makes $50B U.S. Manufacturing Push
The money will focus on a manufacturing plant in Virginia that will make the company’s weight management and metabolic drugs like the hypertension drug baxdrostat and oral GLP-1 therapies.
July 22, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
Big fish with a dollar badge wants to eat small fish
Mergers & acquisitions
Concentra Buys Beleaguered iTeos at Slight Discount
In May, biotech iTeos Therapeutics decided to close down after being abandoned by GSK over the disappointing mid-stage performance of its anti-TIGIT antibody belrestotug.
July 22, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
Illustration of man waving big white flag, surreal abstract concept
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Sarepta Concedes to FDA Request, Suspends US Shipments of Elevidys
After initially refusing to suspend Elevidys distribution after two deaths, Sarepta has now given in to the FDA’s request, noting the need to maintain a good working relationship with the regulator.
July 22, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
3d rendering of a red and silver realistic model of a retro rocket stands crashed into a wooden desk on a blue background. Failed launch. Technological progress. Technical mistake.
Immunology and inflammation
Roche Flunks Phase III Trial in COPD, Falling Further Behind Dupixent
The path to market for Roche’s astegolimab became more uncertain after the investigational antibody failed to significantly lower disease exacerbation rates versus placebo in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
July 21, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
a row of red down arrows and green up arrows. hand choose arrow. the concept of inflation. the concept of taking profit or increasing income. different options. difference of direction icon, business, arrow, arrows, marketing, green, success, red, sign, graph, investment, chart, corporate, growth, financial, currency, market, profit, exchange, stock, economic, motion, forecast, cursor, inflation, recession, investor, pointer, download, trend, loss, vertical, progress, statistic, direction, symbol, crisis, down, downward, increase, lift, pointing, previous, raise, two, up, upward, upwards, vote
Adcomms
Otsuka, Lundbeck Fail To Sway Adcomm on Rexulti Combo for PTSD
Otsuka and Lundbeck’s data are insufficient to establish significant efficacy of Rexulti plus sertraline in PTSD, according to the FDA’s outside experts.
July 21, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
Business despair concept as a stranded businessman lost at sea standing on an isolated rock as a corporate idea for financial crisis or being lost and needing career or financial help to escape in a 3D illustration style.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Sarepta Stands Ground Against HHS Request To Stop Elevidys Shipments
In light of recent patient deaths, the FDA has also revoked its platform designation for Sarepta’s AAVrh74 technology. The designation, granted last month, was the first of its kind to be announced publicly.
July 21, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
Contemporary art collage showing a hand giving a thumbs down surrounded by red arrows pointing down, concept of negative feedback and bad review
Complete response letters
Lack of US Data Stymie Roche’s Earlier-Stage Lymphoma Push for Columvi
Roche and Genentech were unable to sufficiently demonstrate the benefit of using Columvi in an earlier treatment setting for DLBCL in a U.S. population, according to the FDA.
July 21, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
vector illustration arrows miss the target board, concept of lost in focus, failure, fail, mistake
Clinical research
BMS’ Anemia Drug Reblozyl Flunks Phase III Myelofibrosis Trial
Despite the failure, BMS remains “encouraged” by Reblozyl’s clinical activity in myelofibrosis-associated anemia and will approach regulators to discuss potential submissions for this indication, for which few treatment options exist.
July 18, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
A person and a group of people are separated by a yellow line. Establishing contact. Distrust. Quarantine. Distance with strangers. Barrier to understanding, difficult integration. Rejection, refusal.
Cancer
GSK’s Blenrep Loses Adcomm Vote, Further Clouding Comeback Bid
The panelists flagged safety concerns with Blenrep and GSK’s failure to optimize its dosing regimen for the antibody-drug conjugate in multiple myeloma.
July 18, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
Courtesy of Sarepta Therapeutics
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Sarepta Reports a Third Gene-Therapy Related Patient Death
The patient, who was being treated with an investigational gene therapy for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, died of acute liver failure, the same complication responsible for the deaths of two boys taking Sarepta’s Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment Elevidys.
July 18, 2025
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Tristan Manalac
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