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Tristan Manalac

Tristan Manalac

Senior Staff Writer

Tristan is BioSpace‘s senior staff writer. Based in Metro Manila, Tristan has 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.

Business people shaking hand in China.
Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC)
Genentech strikes second Asia deal in a week, betting up to $1B in oncology ADC alliance with DualityBio
Through its DualityBio deal, Roche’s Genentech hopes to create antibody-drug conjugates with payloads that can circumvent growing cancer drug resistance.
August 28, 2026
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
The female hand is showing a thumbs-up gesture on a pink background, in an art collage. Positive hand sign. Fashion collage in the style of thumbs up magazine. Contemporary art. Modern design.
Approvals
Priovant nabs first FDA approval for targeted tablet in dermatomyositis
Lisraya carries a boxed warning typical of JAK inhibitors, but otherwise has a broad label that allows use in all adults with the rare autoimmune disease, setting up the drug for blockbuster status in a few years, according to Leerink.
August 28, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
two Businessman Fighting on seesaw
Immunology and inflammation
AstraZeneca, Amgen poised to challenge Dupixent’s reign with esophagitis win
Even without specific Phase 3 data yet revealed, analysts see AstraZeneca and Amgen’s Tezspire as a potential threat for Dupixent in eosinophilic esophagitis.
August 28, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Vector illustration of businessman as a superhero standing on top of a mountain, optimism, confidence in business concept
Cancer
RevMed could become ‘next oncology titan’ with Rasonque nod
A future expansion of Rasonque into first-line pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma could set Revolution Medicines up to hit $2.3 billion in sales by 2028, according to Truist Securities.
August 27, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
A contemporary artistic collage featuring a hand holding a trophy. The concept of victory and achievement.
Immunology and inflammation
AstraZeneca, Amgen notch another late-stage win for Tezspire, this time in esophagitis
AstraZeneca and Amgen co-develop and co-commercialize Tezspire under an April 2012 agreement. The partners are now planning another FDA submission for the asthma drug, which received an expansion into chronic rhinosinusitis last year.
August 27, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
A piggy bank crammed with $100 bills on a background of American cash
Deals
Biohaven could get up to $795M in epilepsy alliance with SK Bio
At the center of Biohaven’s agreement with SK Biopharmaceutical is the ion channel platform and the lead epilepsy candidate opakalim, for which Phase 2/3 data are expected later this year.
August 26, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Success to win in business competition, overcome obstacles or motivation to solve problem and lead company achievement concept, confident businessman leader jump high over 3 hurdles to be winner.
Approvals
Jazz scores front-line gastric cancer nod from FDA for ‘practice-changing’ Ziihera
Gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma presents the biggest market opportunity for Jazz Pharmaceuticals’ Ziihera, according to Truist Securities, which forecasts peak sales of the drug to reach $2.5 billion.
August 26, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
people connection. HR human resource management and Business partner with connection line. High quality photo.
FDA
FDA eyes 2 new deputy commissioner posts: Report
Though the potential change is unconfirmed, media outlets reported Wednesday that one deputy commissioner would focus on the intersection between health and AI, while another will be dedicated to drugs.
August 26, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Working man icon pushing the load on the line. Hard work, labor, effort and determination concept.
Immunology and inflammation
Bausch + Lomb advances dry eye disease drug to Phase 3 despite mid-stage fail
While Bausch + Lomb’s dual-action eye drops failed to outperform active comparators at day 29, the investigational asset showed significant superiority at day 15.
August 25, 2026
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Vector Illustration Of Athletes Running On Race Track
Weight loss
Lilly takes oral obesity race abroad with UK launch of Foundayo
Eli Lilly’s best play for Foundayo is to bring it overseas, a more price-sensitive market where the pharma can more readily outcompete Novo Nordisk “given the high margins of a small-molecule therapy,” Truist analyst Srikripa Devarakonda told BioSpace.
August 25, 2026
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Salary negotiation, pay raise discussion or wages and benefit agreement, business deal or merger and acquisition concept, business people handshake on pile of money banknote after finish agreement.
Obesity
Roche bets up to $2.3B in Hanmi pact for next-gen weight loss drug
Roche, through its subsidiary Genentech, will gain access to the investigational asset HM17321, which is designed to not only elicit weight loss but also improve lean mass.
August 24, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Vaccines
Kennedy questions vaccination guidelines following Trump’s order to break up MMR
The current classifications of vaccine recommendations could imply that not all shots require the consent of patients or their parents, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
August 24, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Time on the hourglass stopped. Clock on table. Pause in business, collapse.
Pipeline
Boehringer Ingelheim suspends early study for pill candidate after ‘safety event’
Not much is known about Boehringer Ingelheim’s drug candidate, dubbed BI 3031185, though the asset has completed at least two other Phase 1 studies this year.
August 24, 2026
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Flat illustration of businessman using telescope on giant eye symbolizing vision future planning business insight strategy and goal direction
FDA
Capricor, Replimune reviews signal FDA’s return to reliability but every application will stand alone
Following a tumultuous stretch under ex-Commissioner Marty Makary, current FDA leadership is working to restore reliability, integrity and transparency to the agency—but experts say that doesn’t necessarily mean an easier regulatory road for drugmakers.
August 24, 2026
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6 min read
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Tristan Manalac
two Businessman Fighting on seesaw
Obesity
Novo takes first round of oral obesity duel. Can it stay ahead of Lilly?
Despite coming away with an early victory over Eli Lilly in the oral obesity face-off, analysts don’t expect Novo Nordisk’s lead to last for very long.
August 19, 2026
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7 min read
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Tristan Manalac