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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.

Seamless gummy bears pattern with pink and blue jelly candy shapes on a bright pink background. Sweet repeating confectionery texture for packaging, wrapping paper, textiles, stationery and prints.
HIV
Merck, Gilead serve ‘sweet and sour’ spread after HIV win, cancer stumble
While Merck and Gilead Sciences reported back-to-back late-stage victories for their weekly HIV pill, the partners also discontinued a Phase 3 program for their cancer combo after disappointing lung cancer survival data.
June 9, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Two businessman taking competition.Overtaking
Weight loss
ADA: AstraZeneca hands Structure a win with ‘relatively underwhelming’ GLP-1 pill data
AstraZeneca is pushing its small molecule GLP-1 drug to Phase 3 development for weight control, diabetes and other cardiometabolic conditions despite the asset failing to best one from Structure Therapeutics.
June 9, 2026
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Big fish with a dollar badge wants to eat small fish
Mergers & acquisitions
GSK pays $10.6B for cancer biotech Nuvalent in industry’s second-biggest buy of the year
Nuvalent Bio is GSK’s third big-ticket purchase this year, after the pharma dropped $2.2 billion in January for RAPT Therapeutics and $950 million in February for 35Pharma.
June 9, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Isometric Business people pushing cubes. Winner easily moving the cube. Winning strategy, efficiency, innovation in business concept
Diabetes
ADA: Lilly bests Novo again, takes GLP-1 pill Foundayo to FDA for diabetes approval
Newly approved weight loss pill Foundayo reduced blood sugar more than Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide and other comparators in multiple Phase 3 type 2 diabetes trials. Eli Lilly will seek approval in this indication.
June 9, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
A city with electric wires and pipes underground.
Series B
City Therapeutics builds RNAi pipeline with $99.5M series B
City Therapeutics, one of BioSpace’s NextGen companies for 2026, was started by RNA royalty John Maraganore, former CEO of Alnylam.
June 8, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Reaching an agreement. Businessmen shake hands and make a deal. vector
Deals
Roche makes up to $2.3B blood cancer play with Nurix’s protein degrader
Roche and Nurix Therapeutics will advance their BTK degrader for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, as well as immunology and neurology indications.
June 8, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Lagging behind competitors, businessmen stand behind competitors on the race track
Obesity
ADA: Boehringer leans on fat mass benefits as obesity bet delivers ‘less competitive’ weight reduction
While survodutide’s 16.6% overall weight loss was underwhelming, Boehringer Ingelheim and Zealand Pharma’s drug achieved “impressive” fat loss, according to BMO Capital Markets.
June 8, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
illustration of people racing along arrows
Obesity
ADA: Metsera asset data support Pfizer’s ‘entry point’ into obesity market
Much work needs to be done for Pfizer to be able to catch up to the weight-loss frontrunners, according to Guggenheim Partners, but new data from Metsera’s lead asset could set the pharma apart from competitors with a monthly injection.
June 8, 2026
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4 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Hand holds up a bunch of gold, silver, and bronze medals in bright blue sky
Obesity
ADA: Lilly sets ‘new record in Weight Loss Olympics’ with next-gen asset
Over two years of treatment, Eli Lilly’s triple-G drug cut body weight by more than 30% in certain patients with obesity, cementing the pharma’s position as the frontrunner in the metabolic space.
June 8, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
City of New Orleans at sunset
Obesity
Lilly and Novo face off at ADA 2026 as others seek to compete in obesity
The American Diabetes Association’s annual congress will feature a superstar lineup, including weight loss giants Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. But several scrappy biotechs will also present obesity candidates with the potential to match—if not outperform—their deep-pocketed competitors.
June 5, 2026
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8 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Stagflation, economic slow down or recession while inflation high up, GDP growth decrease causing by unemployment concept, fearful businessman riding fall down economic graph with inflation high up.
Sickle cell disease
Fulcrum lays off 85% of staff after dropping asset, leaving 9 employees
After discontinuing development of its lead asset, Fulcrum Therapeutics has provided more details on its restructure, with 48 of 57 employees headed out the door.
June 5, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Concept World kidney day, handcraft paper blue kidneys and stethoscope on yellow background. Copy space. Banner.
IgA nephropathy
Otsuka energizes IgA neuropathy space with new Phase 3 Voyxact data
By inhibiting the APRIL cascade, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals’ Voyxact slowed kidney function decline in patients with IgAN, opening up a potential path for full approval while also reading through to Vertex and others with similar assets.
June 5, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Time on the hourglass stopped. Clock on table. Pause in business, collapse.
Regulatory
Stakeholders want Makary’s voucher program paused, call for FDA independence
The FDA hasn’t been transparent and open enough with how it has implemented the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher program, patient, industry and trade groups said Thursday.
June 5, 2026
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Business and financial crisis vector concept with businessman falling down the hole. Symbol of market crash, recession, risk, bankruptcy and loss. Eps10 illustration.
Lymphoma
ADC Therapeutics nosedives on 27 deaths in confirmatory trial for lymphoma drug
In addition to a high rate of deaths, ADC Therapeutics’ Zynlonta plus rituximab showed no overall survival benefit in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma, casting doubt on its value as a second-line treatment in this indication.
June 4, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
A handshake of businessmen. Modern design with a positive context. Concept of help, support, and agreement between businessmen. Modern art collage, trendy magazine style.
Deals
Regeneron deepens relationship with CytomX, adding up to $2B and eight targets
All told, CytomX Therapeutics now stands to receive up to $4 billion over the course of its partnership with Regeneron, if all milestones are met.
June 4, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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