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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.

Balloon and missed bow spears arround . Target audience and marketing concept . This is a 3d render illustration .
Infectious disease
Insmed Delivers ‘Rare Disappointment’ as Brinsupri Flops in Mid-Stage Rhinosinusitis Study
Insmed pointed to a strong placebo response as the reason for the trial’s failure.
December 19, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Man holds up his hand to signify a pause or stop
ADCs
Patient Deaths Put Merck, Daiichi Sankyo’s Antibody-Drug Conjugate on Hold
The fatalities were attributed to interstitial lung disease, a known side effect of Daiichi Sankyo’s DXd-based antibody-drug conjugates. A spokesperson declined to say how many patients died.
December 19, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA - 30 July 2024. Takeda Pharmaceutical Company logo on office building.Biotech industry
Immunology and inflammation
Takeda’s $4B Nimbus Bet Pays Off With ‘Best-in-Class’ Phase III Plaque Psoriasis Data
With zasocitinib, Takeda is looking to challenge Bristol Myers Squibb’s kinase inhibitor Sotyktu, for which the Japanese pharma is running a head-to-head study in plaque psoriasis. Takeda expects to file for zasocitinib’s FDA approval next year.
December 19, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Weigh scales on pink background, top view with space for text. Overweight concept
Obesity
Lilly’s Obesity Pill Maintains Weight Loss as Estimated Approval Timelines Inch Closer
Participants in a Phase III trial who switched to Eli Lilly’s orforglipron after 72 weeks of treatment with Wegovy or Zepbound largely maintained their weight loss for up to a year.
December 18, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Merck & Co. headquarters in Silicon Valley; Merck & Co. Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical company
Regulatory
FDA Mulls National Priority Vouchers for Two Potential Merck Blockbusters: Report
The tickets could go to the lipid-lowering pill enlicitide decanoate and the antibody-drug conjugate sacituzumab tirumotecan, though a spokesperson for the HHS did not confirm the news.
December 18, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Orange life buoy floating in vast expanse of sea. Red lifebuoy float on ocean waves. Lifeguard equipment with rope swimming in lake. Concept of help, rescue, drowning, saving, surviving, protection
Layoffs
Voyager Throws 30 Staff Overboard After Novartis Sinks Two Programs
Novartis has discontinued two undisclosed programs under its current partership with Voyager, the biotech announced last month. Projects under the deal for spinal muscular atrophy and Huntington’s disease continue to advance.
December 18, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Reaching an agreement. Businessmen shake hands and make a deal. vector
Collaboration
GSK Makes $400M+ RNA Play With CAMP4 Collab, Targets Neuro, Kidney Diseases
The Massachusetts biotech will also be eligible to milestone payments, though the exact amount has yet to be disclosed.
December 18, 2025
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
2006 James Gathany Captured by James Gathany, Centers for Disease Control's biomedical photographer, this 2006 image depicted the exterior of the new "Tom Harkin Global Communications Center", otherwise known as Building 19, located on the organization's Roybal Campus in Atlanta, Georgia. The facility houses the CDC's Information Center/Library, auditoria and meeting halls, which are used to accommodate in-house staff meetings, and national/international conferences hosted by the CDC, and the National Center for Health Marketing's, Division of Creative Services, which includes a full service television broadcast facility. The exhibit area currently features the "Global Symphony", the first of several permanently installed exhibitions, and changing exhibitions that focus on a variety of public health topics. The exhibits in the Center are self-guided, and require no advance reservations. Additional curriculum-based exhibits and programming will be added in the future. Tom Harkin Global Communications Center Exhibit Area Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - 1600 Clifton Road, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30333 - Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm, except for federal holidays Admission is free - Government-issue photo ID is required for entry. Please note that CDC is a working federal facility and as such does not provide public tours of its campus and laboratories. - For more information please call 404-639-0830.
Vaccines
CDC Formally Adopts Delayed Hepatitis B Vaccine Dose
The CDC accepted the recommendation of its advisory committee that the shot be delayed for many patients until they are at least two months of age due to safety concerns. The CDC itself has said the vaccine is safe and effective.
December 17, 2025
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4 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Bristol Myers Squibb office in California
China
BMS Forges $1B+ Antibody Alliance With Chinese Firm Harbour
BMS is Harbour’s second powerhouse partner this year after the Chinese biotech signed a potential $4.68 billion deal with AstraZeneca in March.
December 17, 2025
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Halftone collage with hand chart. Growth finance business and marketing. Bright concept with halftone hand. Vector contemporary illustration
Autoimmune disease
Nektar Digs Into Mid-Stage Data to Establish Alopecia Efficacy of Rezpeg
Despite falling short of its primary Phase II objective, Nektar plans to push its T cell stimulator rezpeg into Phase III development.
December 17, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
A human hand and a robot hand shake hands over a white circle on a green background
Artificial intelligence
Roche Makes Good on Dealmaking Promise With $1.1B Caris Cancer Collab
Roche CEO Thomas Schinecker said during the company’s Q3 call that it is “not done” with deals—a promise he delivered on with Tuesday’s solid tumor pact with AI-focused Caris Life Sciences.
December 17, 2025
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Poznan, Poland - 5 October 2024: GSK -Glaxosmithkline headquarters office building in Poznan.
Approvals
GSK Wins Asthma Approval for Anti-Inflammatory Antibody
The FDA rejected the use of Exdensur, however, for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.
December 17, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Piggy bank rocket launcher with smoke trail on blue background. Savings growth concept. 3D Rendering, 3D Illustration
Startups
Addition Debuts With $100M to Advance One-Time Therapies for Rare, Chronic Diseases
Addition joins a growing list of launches this year, following in the footsteps of startups like Crystalys Therapeutics and Ollin Biosciences.
December 17, 2025
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Blue Sanofi sign on building in Germany at night
Alzheimer’s disease
Sanofi’s Neuro Push Arrives in Seoul With $1B+ Alzheimer’s Play
The star of the agreement targets a specific type of tau protein, helping to prevent toxic accumulation in the brain while also preserving the function of healthy tau.
December 16, 2025
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Sketch image trend artwork montage 3D photo collage of target trader business charts stats young lady hold laptop run up ladder success.
Rare diseases
Kyverna’s CAR T Therapy Delivers ‘Impressive’ Mobility Benefits in Stiff Person Syndrome
Kyverna plans to submit mivocabtagene autoleucel to the FDA for approval in the first half of 2026. If approved, it would be the first CAR T therapy for an autoimmune disease.
December 16, 2025
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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