Fintech PR
EQT to invest in Compass to accelerate company’s innovation and education software solutions
- EQT invests in Compass through the MMG fund
MELBOURNE, Australia, Aug. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Compass (or the “Company”), a leading K-12 vertical SaaS software company, and EQT, a purpose-driven global investment organization, today announced the signing of definitive agreements under which EQT will invest in the Company to support its ongoing growth, product development and innovation.
Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, Compass is a full-suite, cloud-based school management platform for the K-12 education market. Compass is today used by more than 3,000 schools and over 4 million parents, teachers, and students, and has recently expanded to provide its innovative education solutions to users in Ireland and the UK. Compass offers a variety of management solutions for individual state schools, private independent schools, enterprise education dioceses and State and Territory education departments.
With EQT’s backing, Compass is poised to continue growing in Australia and its key markets at a time when schools are actively modernizing their systems and transitioning to the cloud. Against this backdrop, Compass is well positioned to see even greater adoption of its suite of more than 40 modules and embedded payments offerings.
Group CEO and Founder John de la Motte – who continues as a significant shareholder in the Company – said: “Compass is investing heavily to further develop the platform with a focus on analytics, learning, assessment, and timetabling — each of which are rapidly gaining traction in schools. The partnership with EQT, which brings to Compass its deep expertise supporting education and technology businesses globally, will support us in accelerating growth. We anticipate EQT’s support will even better enable Compass to expand internationally, pursue selective M&A opportunities, and accelerate hiring to bring forward some key projects.”
EQT’s investment in Compass further underscores its commitment to advancing both the global education and technology sectors. To date, EQT has made more than 60 platform investments across these sectors, with an aggregate valuation exceeding USD 65 billion, reflecting its dedication to developing innovative solutions for students, parents, teachers, and the broader technology landscape.
Nicholas Macksey, Partner in the EQT Private Capital Asia advisory team and head of the Mid-Market Growth strategy, said: “Compass is a standout leader in the education software space, and we have been consistently impressed by the company’s dedication to supporting meaningful education outcomes and exceptional user experiences for educators and parents. Compass extends EQT’s track record of supporting technology solutions that strategically align with our investment themes, enabling us to leverage our deep insights to enhance and drive innovation in key sectors. We look forward to working closely with John and Compass’ talented team to accelerate Compass’ mission of creating lasting value in the educational field.”
EQT invests in Compass through the BPEA EQT Mid-Market Growth Partnership (the “MMG Fund”). EQT’s MMG strategy is a natural extension of EQT’s established large-cap buyout platform in Asia Pacific, and leverages EQT’s pan-Asian presence to implement key initiatives within its portfolio. EQT has been a prolific investor in the software and tech services sector in Asia through its MMG and large-cap strategies, and Compass adds to its portfolio which includes, but is not limited to, Quantios, HRBrain, and WSO2.
As part of the transaction, Advent Partners will exit its investment in Compass, which was initiated six years ago. Robert Radcliffe Smith, Managing Partner at Advent Partners, stated: “It has been incredibly rewarding to be part of Compass’ growth journey, expanding from 1,000 schools in Melbourne to 3,000 schools across Australia, the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand. This achievement is a tribute to John and the Compass team for building a business that now has millions of passionate teachers, students, and parents who use the product every day. Compass is now arguably the world’s leading SaaS Student Information System.”
The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals. Further details of the transaction are not disclosed.
Contact
Alex Beashel, Compass Education, +61 466 308 667, [email protected]
EQT Press Office, [email protected]
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
The following files are available for download:
Compass Team |
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Fintech PR
KT&G Establishes Uzbekistan Corporation Strengthening Eurasian Market Competitiveness
– Office to corporation conversion reinforces local operations heightening global competitiveness
SEOUL, South Korea, Jan. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — KT&G (KRX : 033780) is establishing a corporation in Uzbekistan handing local operations for earnest market expansion and increased profitability, aiming to strengthen competitiveness in the Eurasian region.
In 2023, KT&G set up an office in Uzbekistan and entered the market with the superslim brand “ESSE”.
Through the corporation conversion of the Uzbekistan office, KT&G plans to reinforce long-term competitiveness in the Eurasian region. To increase market presence, KT&G will increase the size of the local workforce by four times, and continue to widen distribution coverage by establishing detailed operational networks.
KT&G also plans to grow “ESSE” as a major brand in the Uzbekistan market, anticipating revenue and profit growth from market expansion.
KT&G has established regional CIC’s (Company-In-Company) in Eurasia and the Asia-Pacific regions to facilitate global business expansion. KT&G currently is operating in 132 countries across the globe through six sales corporations and three branches. Going forward, KT&G will continue to expand its global corporations to support direct global operations and continue efforts to increase profitability.
A KT&G spokesperson said that “the establishment of the Uzbekistan corporation is part of the ongoing investment and innovation for the leap to a ‘Global Top-Tier.’ KT&G will continue its global growth trends by reinforcing local operations.”
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Fintech PR
Telix to Acquire Next-Generation Therapeutic Assets and Innovative Biologics Technology Platform
MELBOURNE, Australia and INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: TLX, Nasdaq: TLX, Telix, the Company) today announces it has entered into an asset purchase agreement with antibody engineering company ImaginAb, Inc. (ImaginAb) to acquire a pipeline of next-generation therapeutic candidates, proprietary novel biologics technology platform, and a protein engineering and discovery research facility to enhance existing innovation capabilities.
This transaction adds a pipeline of early-stage drug candidates against high-value targets including DLL3[1] and integrin αvβ6[2], as well as several other novel targets in discovery stage. These next generation drug candidates fit synergistically with Telix’s therapeutics pipeline, enabling expansion to future therapy areas with unmet clinical need. The acquired intellectual property utilizes small engineered antibody formats that enable highly specific cancer targeting, combined with fast tumor uptake and blood clearance. This technology has the potential to be highly effective for imaging and treating tumors with a broad range of radioisotopes, with alpha emitters of particular interest.
The transaction also includes a state-of-the-art research facility in California, staffed by a talented team of discovery, protein engineering and radiopharmaceutical development experts. Together, these assets will provide Telix with further in-house capabilities in antibody engineering and preclinical development, as well as a novel biologics platform to create the next generation of Telix precision medicine and therapeutic products, beyond the current clinical-stage pipeline.
Richard Valeix, Chief Executive Officer, Therapeutics, Telix, said, “The combination of a proprietary drug discovery platform, pipeline of promising theranostic assets and a talented team of subject matter experts will enhance Telix’s research and innovation capability now and into the future. This acquisition will enable Telix to explore new disease areas with state-of-the-art radiotherapeutic technology.”
Dr. Anna M. Wu, Co-Founder and Board Member, ImaginAb, added, “As the radiopharmaceutical sector gains momentum there is a significant need for targeting agents to be more selective, deliver less off-target radiation, and better match the pharmacology and radiobiology of a given radionuclide. The team’s deep expertise in antibody engineering and the resulting development of a valuable, proprietary platform technology has led to clinical proof-of-concept. Telix is the right partner to unlock the future therapeutic potential of this platform.”
Transaction details
Telix will acquire these assets through an asset purchase agreement with a concurrent technology license agreement to be signed at closing. The purchase price for the transaction is US$45 million (AU$73 million)[3], comprised of US$10 million in cash and US$31 million in equity at closing, and a deferred payment of up to US$4 million in equity at the conclusion of a 15-month indemnity period.
Upon achievement of specific key development and commercial milestones, Telix will pay up to a total of US$185 million (AU$299 million), a portion of which may be paid in cash or equity at Telix’s election[4]. Royalties are also payable on net sales in the low single digits on a limited number of platform and early-stage products after the first four products have been developed, as well as single-digit sublicense fees, as applicable.
Telix will issue ordinary shares to ImaginAb within its Listing Rule 7.1 placement capacity as consideration for the acquisition. Upfront equity consideration will be subject to voluntary escrow (lock-up/leak-out) restrictions with equal tranches being released from escrow 60, 90 and 120 days after closing. Completion of the transaction is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals and other third-party consents. Telix cannot guarantee this transaction will close in any specific timeframe or on the terms summarized here, if at all.
Refer to Telix disclosures and Appendix 3B lodged with the ASX today for further information.
About ImaginAb, Inc.
ImaginAb is a clinical stage, revenue-generating global biotechnology company developing the next generation of radiopharmaceutical and imaging agent products. These patented products contain engineered antibodies that maintain the specificity of full-length antibodies while remaining biologically inert in the body. Used with widely available positron emission tomography (PET) and optical imaging technology, these novel targeting agents are able to bind specifically to cell surface targets.
Following closing of its transaction with Telix Pharmaceuticals, ImaginAb, Inc. will be focused on developing its lead imaging candidate, CD8 ImmunoPET, which is currently in Phase 2 clinical trials and has been licensed by numerous pharmaceutical and biotech companies for use in imaging within immunotherapy clinical trials, primarily in oncology.
Jefferies LLC and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated served as financial advisors to ImaginAb on the transaction.
Disclosures
Telix Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Christian Behrenbruch, is a non-affiliated shareholder of ImaginAb, holding less than 1% of its capital stock as his only interest in the company. Dr. Behrenbruch abstained from the transaction process and the Telix Board’s approval of the arm’s length acquisition. Dr. Behrenbruch has voluntarily elected, via a binding undertaking, to donate any enrichment from the transaction as the result of his shareholding to charity.
About Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited
Telix is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapeutic and diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals and associated medical technologies. Telix is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, with international operations in the United States, Canada, Europe (Belgium and Switzerland), and Japan. Telix is developing a portfolio of clinical and commercial stage products that aims to address significant unmet medical needs in oncology and rare diseases. Telix is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: TLX) and the Nasdaq Global Select Market (Nasdaq: TLX).
Telix’s lead imaging product, gallium-68 (68Ga) gozetotide injection (also known as 68Ga PSMA-11 and marketed under the brand name Illuccix®), has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)[5], by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) [6], and by Health Canada[7]. No other Telix product has received a marketing authorization in any jurisdiction.
Visit www.telixpharma.com for further information about Telix, including details of the latest share price, announcements made to the ASX, investor and analyst presentations, news releases, event details and other publications that may be of interest. You can also follow Telix on X and LinkedIn.
Telix Investor Relations
Ms. Kyahn Williamson
Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited
SVP Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
Email: [email protected]
This announcement has been authorised for release by the Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited Disclosure Committee on behalf of the Board.
Legal Notices
You should read this announcement together with our risk factors, as disclosed in our most recently filed reports with the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our registration statement on Form 20-F filed with the SEC, or on our website.
The information contained in this announcement is not intended to be an offer for subscription, invitation or recommendation with respect to securities of Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (Telix) in any jurisdiction, including the United States. The information and opinions contained in this announcement are subject to change without notification. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Telix disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any information or opinions contained in this announcement, including any forward-looking statements (as referred to below), whether as a result of new information, future developments, a change in expectations or assumptions, or otherwise. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained or opinions expressed in the course of this announcement.
This announcement may contain forward-looking statements, including within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that relate to anticipated future events, financial performance, plans, strategies or business developments. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as “may”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “outlook”, “forecast” and “guidance”, or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on Telix’s good-faith assumptions as to the financial, market, regulatory and other risks and considerations that exist and affect Telix’s business and operations in the future and there can be no assurance that any of the assumptions will prove to be correct. In the context of Telix’s business, forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about: the initiation, timing, progress and results of Telix’s preclinical and clinical trials, and Telix’s research and development programs; Telix’s ability to advance product candidates into, enrol and successfully complete, clinical studies, including multi-national clinical trials; the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals for Telix’s product candidates, manufacturing activities and product marketing activities; Telix’s sales, marketing and distribution and manufacturing capabilities and strategies; the commercialisation of Telix’s product candidates, if or when they have been approved; Telix’s ability to obtain an adequate supply of raw materials at reasonable costs for its products and product candidates; estimates of Telix’s expenses, future revenues and capital requirements; Telix’s financial performance; developments relating to Telix’s competitors and industry; and the pricing and reimbursement of Telix’s product candidates, if and after they have been approved. Telix’s actual results, performance or achievements may be materially different from those which may be expressed or implied by such statements, and the differences may be adverse. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
©2025 Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited. The Telix Pharmaceuticals® and Illuccix® names and logos are trademarks of Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited and its affiliates – all rights reserved.
[1] Delta-like ligand 3, a cell surface protein overexpressed in high-grade neuroendocrine tumors and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). |
[2] Integrin αvβ6 is a cell surface protein overexpressed during wound healing and in cancer. |
[3] All references to AUD have been converted at the AUD/USD exchange rate of 1.614. |
[4] Refer to Appendix to this announcement and Appendix 3B lodged with the ASX today for further details. |
[5] Telix ASX disclosure 20 December 2021. |
[6] Telix ASX disclosure 2 November 2021. |
[7] Telix ASX disclosure 14 October 2022. |
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Fintech PR
Rule 10b-5 Private Securities-Fraud Litigation Peaked in 4Q’24
BETHESDA, Md., Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — SAR, a data analytics company specialized in the securities litigation risk of U.S. public companies, today published the Securities Class Action Rule 10b-5 Exposure Report for 4Q 2024. According to the report, securities litigation exposure of public company defendants that trade in the NYSE and NASDAQ peaked during the fourth quarter of 2024, when records were set across the buoyant U.S. equity markets. During the bullish market conditions of 2024, shareholders claimed approx. $665.2 billion in market capitalization losses due to alleged violations of Rule 10b-5 – the most in the last five years.
According to the report, global quarterly Rule 10b-5 securities litigation exposure in 2024 was 17% greater than the average of 2023. Actual monetary settlements with investor plaintiffs last year were, on average, 23% greater than during the last six years.
SAR data and analysis indicate that the litigation exposure of U.S. public company defendants amounts to approximately $380.3 billion in 2H 2024. Shareholders claimed approximately $4.0 billion in market capitalization losses per securities class action filing, and approximately $2.0 billion per allegedly fraud-related stock drop in 2H 2024. The former metric increased by 32.1%, and the latter by 15.4% during the second half of 2024.
“Our data and analyses indicate that securities litigation exposure against U.S. public companies peaked in the fourth quarter of last year. This peak may be short-lived with an expected increase in volatility and new headwinds for U.S. equities given greater shareholder scrutiny of corporate disclosures. With average Rule 10b-5 settlements over 20% greater in 2024 than during the last six years, litigation activity is expected to increase in 2025,” said Anthony Kabanek, EVP of SAR.
According to the report, in 2023 and 2024 investor plaintiffs claimed $13.6 billion and $20.5 billion, respectively, in private Rule 10b-5 securities-fraud class actions that relied on short-seller research.
Key takeaways:
- 86 U.S. issuers were sued for alleged violations of Rule 10b-5 during 2H 2024. Based on allegations presented in the first-filed class action complaint against each defendant issuer, U.S. SCA Rule 10b-5 Exposure amounts to $259.4 billion. U.S. SCA Rule 10b-5 Exposure decreased -5.4% relative to 1H 2024.
- U.S. SCA Rule 10b-5 Exposure peaked in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, followed by a decline to trend in the 4th quarter of 2024.
- 9 Non-U.S. issuers were sued for alleged violations of Rule 10b-5 during 2H 2024. Based on allegations presented in the first-filed class action complaint against each defendant issuer, ADR SCA Rule 10b-5 Exposure amounts to $120.9 billion. ADR SCA Rule 10b-5 Exposure increased by 11.3x relative to 1H 2024.
- An anomalously high 4th quarter exposure among Non-U.S. issuers contributed to a remarkably volatile year for ADR SCA Rule 10b-5 Exposure.
- Rule 10b-5 private securities-fraud filing frequency and potential loss severity need not move in tandem. Global exposure increased by approximately 34% in the 2H 2024 relative to 1H 2024, while filing frequency remained relatively stable.
- 38 U.S. Large Caps were sued for alleged violations of Rule 10b-5 in 2H 2024, the same observed frequency as 1H 2024. The U.S. Large Cap SCA Rule 10b-5 Exposure amounts to $233.7 billion, a decrease of 10.1% relative to 1H 2024.
- 22 U.S. Mid Caps were sued for alleged violations of Rule 10b-5 In 2H 2024. The U.S. Mid Cap SCA Rule 10b-5 Exposure amounts to $19.8 billion, more than 3 times the amount in 1H 2024.
- 26 U.S. Small Caps were sued for alleged violations of Rule 10b-5. The U.S. Small Cap SCA Rule 10b-5 Exposure amounts to $5.9 billion, a decrease of 33% relative to 1H 2024.
- 9 Non-U.S. issuers that trade via ADRs in the U.S. public markets were sued for alleged violations of Rule 10b-5. The ADR SCA Rule 10b-5 Exposure increased by over 11.3x to ~$121 billion, relative to 1H 2024.
Media contact: [email protected]
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