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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.

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Drug Development
Merck’s antibody impresses with ‘highly competitive’ data in chronic skin disease
Merck has revealed detailed data for tulisokibart from a mid-stage trial in hidradenitis suppurativa that analysts say could help carve out a place in a crowded market that already includes AbbVie’s Humira and UCB’s Bimzelx.
October 1, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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Immunology and inflammation
Sanofi pays Regeneron $1B upfront to continue search for Dupixent successor
Sanofi and Regeneron have had a long and “sometimes contentious” partnership, BMO Capital Markets noted, as the companies contend with the looming loss of exclusivity of their blockbuster drug Dupixent.
October 1, 2026
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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Weight loss
Lilly builds commercial case for GLP-1 products over Novo with indirect analyses
Eli Lilly’s weight loss pill Foundayo has had a “slower-than-hoped” launch, according to BMO Capital Markets, which contended that the indirect comparison data—despite falling short of definitive proof of superiority—could help the Indiana giant build momentum for its oral drug.
September 30, 2026
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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Obesity
Roche cuts muscle-sparing obesity drug after mid-stage disappointment
Roche’s anti-myostatin therapy emugrobart is unlikely to elicit meaningful weight loss, according to an interim mid-stage analysis, prompting the pharma to return the asset rights to its subsidiary Chugai Pharmaceutical.
September 29, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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Business
Summit snags $2B investment from AstraZeneca, clearing financial overhang
The all-stock deal gives Summit Therapeutics enough money to see through Phase 3 trials for the PD-1/VEGF bispecific ivonescimab—but keeps the asset fully in-house without giving up licensing rights.
September 29, 2026
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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Approvals
AbbVie wins FDA approval for Parkinson’s drug from $8.7B Cerevel takeover
In the Phase 3 TEMPO program, AbbVie’s Juvmo elicited significant improvements in motor symptoms and prolonged periods with good symptom control.
September 28, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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Lung cancer
Merck, Daiichi Sankyo retract accelerated approval request for lung cancer ADC
Merck and Daiichi Sankyo’s withdrawal of an accelerated approval request for the antibody-drug conjugate ifinatamab deruxtecan is a “net positive” for rivals like GSK and Roche, according to RBC Capital Markets.
September 28, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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Immunology and inflammation
6 immunology targets to sustain a mammoth I&I market
Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Argenx and more are unlocking new immunology targets and looking to improve on existing ones in an attempt to catch some of the magic brought about by AbbVie’s Humira and Sanofi and Regeneron’s Dupixent.
September 28, 2026
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8 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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CAR-T
J&J, Legend tout long-term survival benefits for Carvykti in multiple myeloma
Ten patients out of 20 who received Johnson & Johnson and Legend Biotech’s Carvykti remained alive at five years of follow up.
September 25, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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Artificial intelligence
Genentech makes $1.5B+ deal with AI heavyweight Earendil for cancer bispecifics
Genentech’s agreement with Earendil Labs came the same day its parent company, Roche, inked a cardiometabolic and renal deal with Atavistik Bio for up to $2 billion.
September 25, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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Funding
Backed by NVIDIA, Basecamp bags $140M to advance AI-designed drugs
Basecamp Research joins the growing group of AI-forward biotechs that in recent months have brought in notable sums from investors, including Isomorphic Labs and Enveda.
September 24, 2026
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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China
Lilly sets aside up to $3.25B to tackle critical unmet need targets with InnoCare
InnoCare Pharma is the latest addition to Eli Lilly’s dealmaking spree, which includes some of the biggest acquisitions this year: up to $7 billion for Kelonia Therapeutics in April and up to $7.8 billion for Centessa Pharmaceuticals in March.
September 24, 2026
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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autoimmune disease
Amgen asset from $27.8B Horizon buy scores in Phase 3 Sjögren’s study
Amgen is awaiting another Phase 3 readout for the investigational Sjögren’s disease therapy, set for later this year. William Blair anticipates that at least two trials will be needed to support an FDA application.
September 23, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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Deals
Novartis bets up to $900M for radioligand therapy from China’s BoomRay
Novartis is the current radiopharma leader with two FDA-approved therapies in Pluvicto and Lutathera.
September 23, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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IPO
2026 IPO blitz continues with 4 new biotech filings
With more than 25 companies debuting on the public markets, 2026 has recorded the highest number of biotech IPOs since 2021. Now, four companies—including Iambic Therapeutics and ADARx Pharmaceuticals—are looking to grow this total even further.
September 22, 2026
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4 min read
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Tristan Manalac