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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.

A flower in the middle of the desert
IPO
Latigo, BlossomHill detail IPO plans for pain and cancer push
Latigo Biotherapeutics is looking to raise up to $285.2 million for a non-opioid analgesic, while BlossomHill Therapeutics is eyeing up to $129.1 million in proceeds for its oncology pipeline.
August 4, 2026
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Reef knot, Square knot of red and blue rope isolated on white background
Cancer
Pathos inks back-to-back cancer contracts with AstraZeneca, China’s Alphamab
Pathos AI could pay more than $2 billion to a Jiangsu Alphamab Biopharmaceuticals subsidiary for a late-stage bispecific antibody-drug conjugate for breast cancer, while the financial details of the AstraZeneca agreement were not disclosed.
August 4, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Map location. Businesswoman using laptop to find location vector
IgA nephropathy
Vertex unfazed by competitive IgAN space as FDA verdict looms
Positive two-year follow-up data for Otsuka Pharmaceuticals’ IgA nephropathy drug Voyxact could support the FDA’s ongoing review of Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ povetacicept, CEO Reshma Kewalramani said on the company’s second quarter earnings call.
August 4, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
crack in ground after earthquake the rift on surface
Immunology and inflammation
Novo’s late-stage IL-6 stumble shakes inflammation space
Novo Nordisk was banking on the inflammatory benefits of its investigational therapy ziltivekimab to improve cardiovascular outcomes. Last week’s Phase 3 failure dashed not just the Danish pharma’s hopes but that of other drugmakers working on the same pathway.
August 3, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Hacker with laptop computer stealing confidential data, personal information and credit card detail. Hacking concept
Business
Amgen hit with cybersecurity breach, patient data affected
The hack is unlikely to affect Amgen’s financial reporting and other operations, nor does the pharma expect its ability to meet patient needs will be compromised.
August 3, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Rough road to money stock illustration
Pipeline
5 companies advancing ATTR assets in the wake of Wainua’s fail
The Phase 3 failure of AstraZeneca and Ionis Pharmaceuticals’ antisense therapy in transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy last month left the space reeling—and readjusting. BioSpace looks at five contenders and where they currently stand.
August 3, 2026
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8 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Illustration of man free fall, surreal failure concept
Earnings
Alnylam absorbs $10.8B blowback after cutting full-year guidance for TTR franchise
Alnylam’s revenue cut “may create a near term credibility overhang and could “raise questions on peak sales potential, even if there’s tailwinds in the competitive landscape,” according to Stifel.
July 31, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Stress burden, anxiety from work difficulty and overload, problem in economic crisis or pressure from too much responsibility concept, tried exhausted businessman carrying heavy messy line on his back
Regulatory
UniQure welcomes possible adcomm for Huntington’s asset as regulatory ‘jitters’ spread through biopharma
UniQure is ready to put its Huntington’s disease gene therapy through an advisory committee meeting—even as the broader rare disease space has been put on edge by recent FDA scrutiny of assets by Replimune and Capricor.
July 31, 2026
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Businessman on Red and white sailing boat in the ocean, Leadership and Business concept, Creative idea, Future success. Paper art vector and illustration. The sky after Raining and big strom.
CAR-T
J&J secures right to take the helm in up to $925M Sail CAR T pact
As part of the collaboration, Johnson & Johnson will have an exclusive option to acquire Sail Biomedicines for an additional $2.58 billion.
July 30, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Light
Earnings
Sanofi’s new CEO wants more ‘realistic view’ of Phase 3 go/no-go decisions
Sanofi is going to “look very deeply” at its late-stage pipeline as part of a portfolio prioritization initiative, though new CEO Belén Garijo didn’t commit to shelving a specific number of assets.
July 30, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Contemporary art collage of a hand holding scissors. Copy space for ad. Modern design.
Earnings
Incyte cuts early-stage cancer drug to focus on next-gen programs
Investors are focused on Incyte’s late-stage programs as the biotech braces for the 2028 patent cliff of its leading product Jakafi.
July 29, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Art collage, Two hands are shown holding a legal document and a gavel, with scales of justice in the center. The colorful background enhances the theme of law and order, highlighting the importance of justice.
Legal
Novo ordered to face CagriSema fraud claims from shareholders: New Jersey court
Shareholders allege that Novo Nordisk withheld information about crucial protocol changes in a Phase 3 study of the weight loss drug CagriSema, which led investors to buy company shares “at artificially inflated prices.”
July 29, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Rocket rising moving up with growthing graph bar. Marketing time, Start up business, Business success strategy, New project. Rocket launch. Business startup concept. 3d minimal render illustration
GLP-1
Altimmune rises as GLP-1/glucagon drug curbs heavy drinking in mid-stage study
Pemvidutide showed a “highly statistically significant” treatment effect in patients with alcohol use disorder. Altimmune is going up against Eli Lilly and newcomer Baseline Therapeutics, among others, in this space.
July 28, 2026
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Halftone hands shake coins out of paper money. Modern collage. Concept of inflation, bankruptcy, poverty. Financial difficulties
IPO
Apnimed eyes up to $160M IPO to prep for sleep apnea drug launch
If the offering closes, Apnimed will join the 2026 IPO class that has already far surpassed last year’s total.
July 28, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Winding road leads to the light of the lighthouse. Stock vector illustration
Rare diseases
Oak Hill takes SPAC track to Nasdaq with Roche asset in tow
Oak Hill Bio is developing the antisense therapy rugonersen, which it licensed from Roche in 2025, for Angelman syndrome.
July 28, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac