SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
Tristan Manalac

Tristan Manalac

Contributing Writer | News

Tristan is an independent science writer based in Metro Manila, with 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.

Perspective way to invest money. Hands with dollar sign coins around yellow light bulb over blue background
Clinical research
Undeterred by Political, Economic Headwinds, Pharma Ups R&D Investment in 2024 and Beyond
R&D spending across the global pharmaceutical sector climbed 1.5% in 2024, according to unreleased data from Evaluate Pharma.
May 28, 2025
 · 
12 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Concept of money prize. Vector illustration. Halftone hand holds bouquet of money flowers. Gift prize, donation, earnings, bonus or cashback concept. Retro poster or banner. Creative trend collage.
Funding
Novo-Backed GlycoEra Raises $130M To Advance Protein Degraders for Precision Immunology
GlycoEra’s lead candidate targets IgG4 autoantibodies, potentially addressing autoimmune diseases such as muscle-specific kinase myasthenia gravis and pemphigus.
May 27, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Red round circle with a pause button or icon against yellow background.
Gene therapy
Rocket’s Danon Disease Gene Therapy on Hold After Patient Death
Acute systemic infection caused the patient to develop fatal capillary leak syndrome, highlighting the unpredictability of gene therapies and potentially challenging investment in the space, analysts say.
May 27, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz speaking at a Senate hearing
Drug pricing
Trump Taps Oz To Lead Drug Pricing Negotiations as Customs Warns Against Import Violations
According to President Trump, CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz is a “tough hombre” who can bring down drug costs “like a rock.”
May 27, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
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.
Rare diseases
Prothena Looks at Business Options as Phase III AL Amyloidosis Trial Fails
Prothena has already discontinued the development of birtamimab, and anticipates further spending cuts, including workforce reduction.
May 27, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Chicago, Illinois, USA on Lake Michigan at dawn.
Cancer
Practice-Changing Data, Innovative Modalities and China in Focus at #ASCO25
Beginning this week in Chicago, the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual conference will feature presentations that could have far-reaching implications for breast and blood cancers and more.
May 27, 2025
 · 
7 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
A contemporary artistic collage featuring a hand holding a trophy. The concept of victory and achievement.
Cancer
Merus’ Bispecific Shows ‘Best in Disease’ Profile in Head-and-Neck Cancer Ahead of ASCO
Analysts were effusive about Merus’ new HNSCC data, writing that petosemtamab could “become the standard of care” in the first-line setting for this indication.
May 23, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Poznan, Poland - 5 October 2024: GSK -Glaxosmithkline headquarters office building in Poznan.
Immunology and inflammation
GSK Wins COPD Expansion for Nucala After FDA Delay
The approval tees GSK up to challenge Sanofi and Regeneron, which in September 2024 won the first biologic approval for COPD for their blockbuster antibody Dupixent.
May 23, 2025
 · 
1 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Taylor Tieden for BioSpace
Government
Changes to IRA Pill Penalty Conspicuously Absent as Congress Narrowly Passes Trump’s Tax Bill
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” includes negotiation exemptions for orphan drugs approved to treat more than one rare disease and has implications for PBMs. Also on Thursday, the White House released its MAHA report with a mission to “make our children healthy again.”
May 23, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Syringe resting on top of a vaccine vial, with more vaccine bottles in the background
Vaccines
FDA Vaccine Advisors Agree on COVID-19 Vaccine as New Framework Looms as ‘Elephant in the Room’
The advisory committee meeting comes days after the FDA unveiled a new risk-based approval framework for COVID-19 vaccines.
May 23, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
New York City, NY, USA - August 22, 2022: Pfizer world headquarters in New York City, USA. Pfizer Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation.
Adcomms
Pfizer’s Talzenna Expansion Fails To Earn FDA Advisory Committee’s Support
The FDA’s independent advisors found Pfizer’s data lacked the precision needed to establish the efficacy of Talzenna in patients with prostate cancer who do not carry HRR mutations.
May 22, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
The COVID-19 vaccine in glass bottles for prevention, immunization, and treatment of coronavirus infection on a green background. Space for text. Concept of medical and vaccine.
Vaccines
FDA Asks Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna To Add Myocarditis Risk to COVID-19 Vaccines
The FDA had given Pfizer and Moderna until May 17 to propose changes to the labels of their COVID-19 vaccines or challenge the agency’s directive. The products’ labels already include myocarditis warnings, albeit for different age groups.
May 22, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Pictured: Eli Lilly's biotechnology center in California
Drug pricing
‘We Don’t Believe This Is Right’: Lilly Bristles as CMS Leaves Obesity Drugs Out of Medicare
The CMS last month declined to include anti-obesity medications in its Medicare coverage for Part D, a move that Lilly says could interfere with patients getting the appropriate medical care.
May 22, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
super glue tube on blue background
Collaboration
Genentech Bets Again on Orionis With Potential $2B+ in Crowded Molecular Glue Space
Roche, along with Bristol Myers Squibb, Novo Nordisk, AbbVie, Eli Lilly and others, is making inroads into molecular glues to use in cancer, immunology and other applications.
May 21, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Government
RFK Claims Ignorance About HHS Research, Clinical Trial Cuts in Hearing
After a tense exchange, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) told Kennedy that by implementing sweeping cuts to the HHS, he is “enacting his budget,” which “Congress has not passed.”
May 21, 2025
 · 
2 min read
 · 
Tristan Manalac
Load More