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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.

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
Frog sitting atop a pile of coins pile high on table with green leaves in background, Symbol of good fortune and luck, Successful business leap and development financial and commit concept
Earnings
J&J Reigns as Top Pharma by Revenue While Lilly Leapfrogs on Strong Obesity Sales
While Johnson & Johnson retains the top revenue rank across the major pharma companies, Eli Lilly last year established itself as the clear leader in the obesity market, in the process capturing investors’ attention and enthusiasm.
March 18, 2026
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8 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Abstract creative art collage, market declines in the stock market. The concept of collapse or bankruptcy.
Obesity
Rhythm’s Imcivree Fails Late-Stage Weight Loss Trial in Rare Obesities
The Phase 3 EMANATE study is a basket trial looking at the efficacy of Rhythm Pharmaceuticals’ injectable obesity drug across four types of obesities driven by specific genetic mutations.
March 17, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Two hands locked in a handshake cut by a pair of scissors, symbolizing a severed relationship or partnership. Black and white collage illustration on paper textured background
Deals
Astellas Divorces CytomX Despite Positive Phase 1 Data for Antibody Platform
Astellas Pharma and CytomX Therapeutics first partnered up in March 2020. For $80 million upfront, the Japanese pharma gained access to the biotech’s Probody platform to generate masked antibody therapies for cancer.
March 17, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Creative photo collage or modern art collage featuring symbols of law and justice. Hand holding a gavel and scales of justice with books about law.
Legal
Kennedy’s Vaccine Policy Overhaul Stymied by Federal Judge
A Massachusetts judge called Kennedy’s efforts to reform the CDC’s vaccines advisory panel a “procedural failure,” adding that the new committee members do not “comport with governing law.”
March 17, 2026
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Art collage with male hand and graphs. Concept of business, finance, economy, professionalism and success. Symbolism and surrealism. Copy space.
Obesity
Structure Climbs on ‘Highly Competitive’ Profile for Weight Loss Pill
Structure Therapeutics’ oral obesity drug elicited a placebo-adjusted weight loss of 16.3% at 44 weeks in a Phase 2 trial. The biotech is planning to launch a late-stage program for the drug later this year.
March 16, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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