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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.

Set your goals is shown using the collage with aim and the hand. Business targeting, aiming, focus concept and way to achieve a goal
Ovarian cancer
Corcept’s Ovarian Cancer Drug Hits ‘Robust’ Efficacy in Phase III, Setting Up Challenge to Merck, AbbVie
Corcept’s overall survival data “look competitive” with AbbVie’s Elahere and Merck’s blockbuster Keytruda, Truist Securities said Thursday.
January 26, 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
Mergers & acquisitions
Merck Backs Off Revolution After Failing To Agree on Price: WSJ
Merck had previously offered anywhere from $28 billion to $32 billion to swallow Revolution Medicines.
January 26, 2026
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Brain neurons synapse in human head isolated on black background, 3D rendering.
Parkinson’s disease
5 Investigational Therapies That Could Change the Parkinson’s Landscape
From opening new therapeutic mechanisms to repairing neuronal damage, investigational molecules from Ventyx Therapeutics, AC Immune, Gain Therapeutics and more could shape the future of Parkinson’s disease treatment.
January 26, 2026
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9 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pros and cons collage. Mixed media thumbs up and thumbs down hand gestures with speech bubbles. Review concept, positive and negative feedback vector illustration.
Immunology and inflammation
Sanofi Stumbles Again in Eczema—But Plans FDA Filing for OX40 Blocker Anyway
The mixed data from the Phase III COAST 2 trial follows an underwhelming data drop from COAST 1 in September that Leerink Partners said “fell well below expectations.”
January 23, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Capitol in Washington
Government
Spending Bill Clears House, Keeping Priority Review Voucher Hopes Alive
The $1.2 trillion budget package will now move to the Senate, which is expected to hold a vote next week.
January 23, 2026
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Concept art showing a money icon and human hands
Funding
China’s Corxel Nabs $287M Series D1 to Bankroll GLP-1 Pill
Corxel will use the fundraising proceeds to advance the oral GLP-1 therapy CX11 through mid-stage development in the U.S., as well as prepare for its Phase III studies.
January 23, 2026
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel
Vaccines
Moderna Won’t Run Phase III Vaccine Trials as Skepticism Grows in US: Bloomberg
Growing opposition to vaccines in the U.S., driven by recent government policy changes, makes it difficult to see a return on investment in vaccine development, Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said this week.
January 23, 2026
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2 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.
Vaccines
ACIP Chair Questions Polio Vaccines, Values Individual Choice Over Public Benefit
“I don’t like established science,” ACIP chairperson Kirk Milhoan said in an interview on the Why Should I Trust You? podcast. “Science is what I observe.”
January 23, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Bristol Myers Squibb office in California
Cancer
BMS Bets $850M on Janux’s Tumor-Activated Drugs, Deepening Cancer Investments
The partnership will allow BMS to advance a T cell–based therapy that is only activated once in the vicinity of a tumor.
January 22, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Start early or business advantage. Businessman starts running ahead of competitors vector
Pain
Lexicon Opens Path to $1B+ Opportunity as FDA Greenlights Phase III for Non-Opioid Pill
The company also stands to gain from recent regulatory FDA guidance aimed at streamlining the development of non-opioid painkillers, Jefferies analysts suggested.
January 22, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Vaccines
‘Almost Like a Religion’: Pfizer CEO Slams RFK Jr.’s ‘Anti-Science’ Vaccine Policies
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said that the main thing getting in the way of changing vaccine discussions in the U.S. is the Secretary of Health, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
January 22, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Facade of Novo Nordisk's office in Fremont, California
Cell therapy
After Cell Therapy Retreat, Novo Offloads Technologies in Deepened Aspect Pact
Novo Nordisk pulled back from cell therapies last October, scrapping development of a type 1 diabetes therapy and laying off most employees working on this modality.
January 21, 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
Collaboration
GSK Joins Growing PD-1 SubQ Push With Alteogen Alliance Worth up to $285M+
Ahead of GSK are Bristol Myers Squibb and Merck, which have already won FDA approvals for subcutaneous formulations of their respective PD-1 blockers Opdivo and Keytruda.
January 21, 2026
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Brussels, Belgium. 21st December 2020. Exterior view of Pfizer Pharmaceutical company's offices.
Vaccines
Pfizer Makes $530M Vaccine Play With Novavax Deal After Rumors of BioNTech Pullback
In November, Pfizer was reportedly looking to divest its stake in BioNTech, though the German biotech at the time denied these rumors.
January 20, 2026
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Facade of AstraZeneca's office in Shanghai, China
CAR-T
AstraZeneca Pays $630M for Complete Global Rights Over AbelZeta’s CAR T
The arrangement will boost AstraZeneca’s cell therapy portfolio as the pharma targets $80 billion in revenue by 2030.
January 20, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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