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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.

Market failure, recession. Businessman falling into the trap. vector
Cardiovascular disease
Tenax shares nosedive as heart failure drug fails in Phase 3
Patients treated with Tenax Therapeutics’ heart failure drug TNX-103 did not show significantly better functional performance—though Leerink analysts found biomarker improvements and subgroup analyses in elderly and more severe patients “very encouraging.”
August 10, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
A flower in the middle of the desert
IPO
BlossomHill, Latigo bloom on Nasdaq with oversubscribed IPOs
BlossomHill Therapeutics will use its $150 million IPO proceeds to power the Phase 1/2 development of a non-small cell lung cancer drug, while Latigo Therapeutics will bring in more than $345 million for its late-stage non-opioid pain pill.
August 10, 2026
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5 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Axe holding in hand man lumberjack. Woodman, carpenter, joiner, icon. Template hard work. Vector illustration flat design.
Pipeline
BioMarin axes asset from $270M Inozyme takeover, ending run in rare metabolic indication
BioMarin’s discontinued drug showed biomarker benefits in a Phase 3 study for ENPP1 deficiency but these failed to translate to clinical improvements.
August 10, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Mushrooms and mental health as Psychedelic drug or psychedelics hallucinogenic drugs and hallucinogens representing medicine for brain disorders in a 3D illustration style.
Psychedelics
Psychedelics on the cusp of market breakthrough as clinical, policy support grow
While there are several FDA-approved psychiatric medicines on the market, many patients still struggle to achieve lasting symptom relief. Psychedelics could help fill this gap.
August 10, 2026
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8 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Silhouette of detective investigate is following footprints. Vector illustration
Gene Therapy
Intellia finds genetic suspect for liver safety signals with ATTR gene therapy
In November 2025, one patient died after receiving Intellia Therapeutics’ investigational gene silencer for transthyretin amyloidosis.
August 7, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
vector illustration arrows miss the target board, concept of lost in focus, failure, fail, mistake
Neuropsychiatric disorders
Vistagen’s repeat-dose anxiety nasal spray can’t beat placebo in mid-stage study
The Phase 2 study was small and was not designed to establish the statistical difference between Vistagen’s drug candidate and placebo, according to Vistagen. The biotech plans to meet with the FDA to determine a registrational path for the asset.
August 7, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
A single white door opens to glowing white light in a yellow room, representing new chances, hope, and creative transitions. 3d rendering
Approvals
Takeda’s narcolepsy nod opens orexin doors
Orzeyful is the first orexin agonist cleared by the FDA, and is the first narcolepsy therapy that addresses the full host of disease symptoms. It is “likely to reshape the treatment paradigm” for the condition, Jefferies told investors.
August 6, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Alarm clock with pause sign, take a break, menopause concept, hormone replacement therapy
Pipeline
Sanofi pauses mid-stage lung study amid new CEO’s ‘rigorous portfolio prioritization’
Since stepping in as Sanofi’s CEO in April, Belén Garijo has launched a deep look at the pharma’s pipeline, reassessing assets based on “scientific merit” and potential for long-term value in the quest for a Dupixent follow-up.
August 6, 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
Moderna’s flu shot crosses FDA finish line, bouncing back from regulatory roadblock
The FDA in February slapped Moderna’s vaccine with a refusal-to-file letter—though the agency backtracked a few days later and accepted a revised submission for review. An advisory committee in June unanimously backed mFLUVISA’s approval.
August 6, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Illustration showing businessperson looking through telescope at potential growth
Earnings
Gilead looks to upcoming inflammation, cancer catalysts as pressure to diversify mounts
HIV remained Gilead’s strongest franchise in the second quarter, but the pharma is building out its pipeline beyond virology, particularly focusing on inflammation and oncology.
August 5, 2026
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Last Man Standing Leader Among those who gave up on business victory in business battles
Obesity
Amgen’s MariTide stands alone after obesity cull while analysts seek more M&A
Amgen has discontinued Phase 1 obesity candidate AMG 513, leaving MariTide as its sole weight loss asset. Meanwhile, executives said the company’s late-stage pipeline is largely full and future business development will focus on earlier-stage opportunities.
August 5, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Drowning businessman hand in water getting lifebuoy from another businessperson helping business to survive support rescue concept.
Earnings
Novo CEO sees innovation as a matter of survival amid pipeline setbacks
Novo Nordisk CEO Maziar Mike Doustdar on a second quarter earnings call argued that failure is par for the course in the drug development business. The Danish pharma is focused on building out its pipeline to move past recent clinical roadblocks.
August 5, 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