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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 of red paper plane leading white paper planes up into the sky
Rare diseases
Beam’s Base Editor Advances to Pivotal Development on Back of ‘Impressive’ AATD Data
Beam is now in the strongest position of all companies advancing a genetic therapy for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, according to analysts at William Blair.
March 26, 2026
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1 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Silhouette of a business person on the top of a mountain peak in sunset background. Winner and conquer of businessman concept.
Approvals
Denali Delivers ‘Welcome Positive’ for Rare Disease Space With FDA’s Hunter Syndrome Nod
Avlayah is the first Hunter syndrome therapy approved to address the condition’s neurologic complications, according to Tracy Beth Høeg, acting director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
March 26, 2026
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Effort, Businessman pushing a round object
Pipeline
Sarepta Pushes Past Gene Therapy Debacle as RNA Therapies Show Early Promise
Biomarker data for Sarepta Therapeutics’ RNA programs, licensed from Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, are “competitive” and “strong,” according to analysts at Jefferies, which projected over $1 billion in peak sales.
March 26, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Big fish eats small, takeover of the company. Art collage.
Mergers & acquisitions
Merck To Buy Terns, ‘Unprecedented’ Leukemia Drug for $6.7B as Keytruda Cliff Looms
Merck’s acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals follows other big-ticket purchases, including of Verona Pharma and Cidara Therapeutics, as the pharma prepares for the impending expiration of its blockbuster’s patents.
March 25, 2026
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Abstract creative art collage, market declines in the stock market. The concept of collapse or bankruptcy.
Cancer
Karyopharm Slides as Mixed Myelofibrosis Results Cloud Regulatory Road
Missing one of its co-primary endpoints could make it difficult for Karyopharm Therapeutics to score conventional approval for Xpovio in myelofibrosis, according to Jefferies analysts.
March 25, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Espionage in China concept, 3D rendering isolated on white background
Funding
RA Capital Looks to China for Next Startup To Put on SPAC Track to Nasdaq
While RA Capital Management has yet to commit to a merger plan, it noted that its new blank-check company, Research Alliance III, could target companies abroad, including those from China.
March 25, 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
Obesity
Aardvark Pauses 2 Obesity Trials, Reveals New Details on Cardiac Concerns
Aardvark Therapeutics’ obesity asset is based on its lead molecule, which in February was linked to reversible heart safety signals in a healthy volunteer study.
March 24, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
Gilead Sciences CEO Daniel O’Day (Gilead)
People
Gilead Chief Gets 20% Pay Bump, Still Falls Short of $30M Club
Gilead’s median employee compensation in 2025 was $238,979. Daniel O’Day’s compensation package is 119 times larger.
March 24, 2026
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2 min read
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Tristan Manalac
A train with blue background, 3d rendering. Computer digital drawing.
Mergers & acquisitions
Gilead Drops $2.1B for Ouro, Hopes To Split Cost with Galapagos
Following last month’s $7.8 billion purchase of CAR T biotech Arcellx, Gilead’s dealmaking train chugs along with yet another acquisition—this time securing Ouro Medicines’ pipeline of T cell engagers for inflammatory diseases.
March 24, 2026
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3 min read
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Tristan Manalac
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
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