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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.
Business
BMS, Hengrui build 13-asset pipeline in $15B+ onco-immune deal
Of the 13 programs that the companies will advance, four will come from Hengrui Pharma and four from Bristol Myers Squibb. The remaining five assets will be jointly discovered.
May 12, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Indoor boxing ring corner with flooding spotlight .
Cardiovascular disease
BridgeBio stands up to Pfizer in ATTR-CM as late-stage data hint at better survival
Indirect comparisons between BridgeBio’s Attruby and Pfizer’s tafamidis products showed a numerical survival benefit with the biotech’s drug.
May 12, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Recycling symbol with arrows made of brown paper on a green textured background. Top view.
Policy
FDA turns to old drugs to address new diseases, persistent medical needs
The FDA is looking to retool drugs with sufficient evidence to support their use in other indications, particularly those with unmet need.
May 12, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
business
Government
Makary’s reported FDA removal could be ‘broad positive’ for biopharma
The widely covered impending ouster of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary not long after the exit of controversial biologics head Vinay Prasad highlights the severe turnover rates at the highest rungs of leadership at the health department.
May 11, 2026
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Modern collage with halftone hand holding pencil and drawing check mark. Confirmation. Concepts of agreement and choice
Approvals
Partner’s Bizengri cleared by FDA for ultra-rare cancer days after winning priority voucher
Partner Therapeutics announced last week that the FDA had granted Bizengri a Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher to accelerate drug review.
May 11, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Conceptual image of crumpled paper balls as steps leading to a light bulb, symbolizing failure as part of the creative or problem-solving journey toward success
Complete response letters
Published FDA rejections point to manufacturing, data gaps as key stumbling blocks
The FDA’s decision last year to make complete response letters public provides new insight into why therapies sometimes fail to get the regulatory greenlight. Analysts say the information could help sponsors refine their regulatory strategies.
May 11, 2026
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8 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Businessman carrying a stopwatch on a progress bar illustrating last minute deadline to complete a business project
Alzheimer’s disease
Biogen, Eisai hit with 3-month delay for starting SubQ Alzheimer’s therapy
The FDA’s extension will give reviewers more time to review a major amendment to Biogen and Eisai’s application for a subcutaneous induction formulation of Alzheimer’s therapy Leqembi. The new target action date is on Aug. 24.
May 8, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
3d render of the pole vault crossbar on blue sky background
Earnings
Gilead sets blockbuster bar for Yeztugo’s first full year on the market
With initial patients coming back for their second dose of Gilead’s twice-yearly PrEP injection, the pharma thinks the shot will hit $1 billion in sales this year, serving as “a cornerstone in Gilead’s revenue growth story.”
May 8, 2026
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2 min read
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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
Ascendis retreats to rare endocrinology wheelhouse as cancer plans falter
Before discontinuing the asset, Ascendis Pharma was studying onvapegleukin alfa in advanced or metastatic solid tumors, demonstrating a three- to four-month overall survival advantage over historical controls.
May 8, 2026
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2 min read
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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.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Entrada crashes as Duchenne therapy comes in ‘below expectations’ in early study
Entrada Therapeutics saw a 2.36% dystrophin increase in patients treated with its oligonucleotide asset—a number that fell short of the company’s prior guidance of a double-digit improvement.
May 7, 2026
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Concept of business growth,profit, development and success. Young plants increase on sunny background.Growing money,finance and investment
Earnings
Sarepta says to ‘exercise prudence’ in setting expectations for Elevidys’ recovery
Sarepta Therapeutics has put in place several initiatives to help its gene therapy Elevidys return to growth, but recovery will take a long time, according to company executives.
May 7, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Business negotiation and cooperation vector concept. Symbol of a deal, handshake, success. Minimal design eps10 illustration.
Weight loss
GSK goes beyond weight-loss with $1B buyout of Chinese siRNA specialist
With Siran Biotechnology under its fold, GSK will have access to a long-acting siRNA therapy that could induce weight loss while preserving lean mass, in addition to addressing other weight-related comorbidities.
May 7, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Hands reach out to each other. Handshake. Halftone retro hands. Body parts cut out of newspaper. Hands tied with thread. Shaking hands. Make a deal. Successful agreement. Modern collage
Deals
Bayer ends multi-year M&A drought with up to $2.45B Perfuse buy
For $300 million upfront, Bayer is purchasing Perfuse Therapeutics to advance an eye implant for glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, marking the company’s first pharma acquisition since 2021.
May 6, 2026
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Profit and Money Concept, Financial and Business Graph
Immunology and inflammation
Viridian turns green again as new Phase 3 data vindicate thyroid eye disease drug
Viridian Therapeutics’ elegrobart normalized the degree of eye protrusion and improved double vision in a Phase 3 study. The company plans to file for approval in the first quarter of 2027.
May 6, 2026
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Working man icon pushing the load on the line. Hard work, labor, effort and determination concept.
Inflammatory bowel disease
J&J pushes dual-antibody IBD therapy into Phase 3 despite mid-stage fails
Johnson & Johnson plans to advance the co-antibody therapy, which combines its IL-23 blocker Tremfya and the TNF-alpha inhibitor Simponi, into late-stage testing for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
May 6, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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