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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.

Illustration showing a handshake, signaling cooperation, goodwill
Immunology and inflammation
Sanofi Keeps Immuno Deals Coming With Kali Bet Worth Potential $1B+
Kali Therapeutics’ T cell engager, for which Sanofi is initially paying $180 million, could potentially be developed for a range of B cell–driven autoimmune disorders.
March 23, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Focal seizure. Vector illustration of human brain and electroencephalograhy or EEG originating from temporal lobe.
Parkinson’s disease
FDA Warns of Seizure Risk With Some Parkinson’s Drugs
The FDA detected 14 cases of vitamin B6 deficiency–linked seizures and two deaths in patients with Parkinson’s disease taking carbidopa/levodopa drugs. Both AbbVie and Novartis market levodopa-based products.
March 23, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Closeup of businessman give money to robot. Man pass banknote bribe to robotic assistant. AI and technology. Vector illustration.
Funding
Backed by Sanofi, Pfizer, Earendil Bags $787M for AI-Driven Biologics Design
Earendil Labs’ AI-centered platform has produced more than 40 programs, including anti-inflammatory assets that have attracted a pair of partnership agreements with Sanofi.
March 23, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Brain neuro cell growth or damaging drawing with texture shading illustration isolated on dark background
Parkinson’s disease
Oryon Splashes Onto Parkinson’s Scene With $42M for Cell Therapy
Oryon Cell Therapies’ lead cell therapy is an autologous treatment designed to replace dopaminergic neurons in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Phase 1b/2a data showed that the asset can improve motor function and mobility in patients.
March 23, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Female ear in paint close-up. Copy space. Torn paper, blue background. The concept of eavesdropping, espionage, gossip and the yellow press.
Gene therapy
Gene Therapies for Hearing Loss Strike an Encouraging Note in Embattled Modality
Eli Lilly and Regeneron are leading the push to treat congenital deafness with gene therapies, seeking a piece of a potential billion-dollar market and banking on local delivery and the small amount of drug required to overcome key safety concerns.
March 23, 2026
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7 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.
Government
HHS Denies Disbandment of CDC Vaccine Advisory Group in Wake of Court Ruling
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services refuted the claim, made Thursday on social media by ACIP Vice Chair Robert Malone, calling it “baseless speculation.”
March 20, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Illustration of businessman with flag looking victorious on top of teetering blocks
Approvals
Rhythm Bounces Back from Phase 3 Fail with FDA Nod for Rare Obesity Injection
At its peak, Imcivree’s sales in hypothalamic obesity could reach over $2 billion worldwide, according to analysts at Stifel.
March 20, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Hand collage holding dollar paper money isolated on yellow background. Using cash to buy concept. Halftone effect in pop art style illustration.
Breast cancer
Novartis Buys Breast Cancer Drug for $2B to Keep Up With Myriad Rivals
Aside from the $2 billion upfront payment, Novartis is also putting up to $1 billion on the line in milestones for Synnovation Therapeutics’ pan-mutant-selective PI3Kα blocker.
March 20, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Business people and concepts vector art exit
Spinal muscular atrophy
Roche Ends Run for Muscular Atrophy Drug, Leaving Door Open for Competitors
The main beneficiary of Roche’s discontinuation of an investigational spinal muscular atrophy drug is Scholar Rock, which was hobbled by manufacturing concerns at a Novo Nordisk facility last year but is now nearing a potential resolution.
March 20, 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.
Diabetes
Lilly Builds Differentiated Profile for Triple-G Agonist With Late-Stage Diabetes Data
Eli Lilly’s retatrutide could present a “differentiated option” for patients with type 2 diabetes who want to control their blood sugar and achieve maximal weight loss, according to analysts at BMO Capital Markets.
March 19, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Businessman makes employee cuts as part of layoff
Layoffs
Gossamer Nearly Halves Workforce in Savings Push After Late-Stage Hypertension Fail
Gossamer Bio reported last month that its only late-stage candidate failed a Phase 3 study in pulmonary arterial hypertension, casting doubt on the asset’s future prospects.
March 19, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Business and HR concepts for leaders and teams. Circular wooden blocks with hand icons printed on them are connected to wooden blocks with business people icons printed on them. Teamwork concept, business concept
Mergers & acquisitions
Revolution, Ascendis Named Top Buyout Targets as Industry Awaits The Big One
Prime biotech buyout targets such as Revolution Medicines and Ascendis Pharma have recently found themselves in the middle of acquisition rumors—though no deals have panned out so far.
March 19, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Editable vector illustration of a man winning a race. Hi-res jpeg file included.
Approvals
J&J Wins FDA Nod for First Targeted Oral Anti-IL-23 Therapy for Plaque Psoriasis
Icotyde, co-developed by Johnson & Johnson and Protagonist Therapeutics, is backed by data from the Phase 3 ICONIC program, which, among other advantages, showed significant superiority over Bristol Myers Squibb’s Sotyktu.
March 18, 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
Venture capital
Lilly-Backed China Startup Debuts With $68.7M Seed to Advance Next-Gen T Cell Engagers
Excalipoint Therapeutics will use its seed money to advance a pipeline of cancer therapies, including a tri-specific antibody for small cell lung cancer and neuroendocrine tumors.
March 18, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Investment mistakes, taxes, expenses, and unknown costs drain money, concept of Businessman carries a money bag with a big hole, banknotes falling out
Funding
R1 Leads Busy Fundraising Day With $77.5M Series A Raise for Kidney Disease
Alongside R1 Therapeutics, Mestag Therapeutics and iDEL Therapeutics also brought in money on Tuesday, helping to push their respective cancer portfolios forward.
March 18, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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