RealPage Acquires Cherre, Creating a Trusted AI-Powered Intelligence Platform Across the Full Real Estate Capital Stack

 Combination connects property-level operations with institutional portfolio intelligence, giving owners and operators a governed, trusted foundation for better decisions and stronger performance.

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- RealPage, Inc., a leading provider of AI-enabled software and data analytics to the real estate industry, today announced it has completed its acquisition of Cherre, a real estate data intelligence company trusted by institutional owners, investment managers, and operators worldwide.

"AI can transform real estate only if it understands real estate," said Dirk Wakeham, President and Chief Executive Officer of RealPage. "Cherre has built the kind of trusted, governed intelligence that institutional owners and asset managers depend on. Bringing that expertise into RealPage means every customer, whether they manage one property or a global portfolio, gets access to a stronger, more trustworthy foundation for their decisions.”

"We've always believed real estate organizations can't make confident decisions on data alone. They need a trusted, connected meaning behind it," said L.D. Salmanson, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cherre. "The work we've done at Cherre was building toward the moment the industry needed to move from reporting to reasoning. Joining RealPage lets us bring that future to the real asset ecosystem faster, without changing how we work with the clients who trust us today."

Building the Foundation for Real Estate AI

The real estate industry manages trillions of dollars in assets and supports decisions with consequences that extend far beyond a balance sheet: where capital flows, where communities grow, and how the built environment serves the people who depend on it. The industry is turning to AI to make those decisions faster and with greater confidence. But AI is only as reliable as the data beneath it.

Today, that data rarely agrees with itself. A single property can appear as one address in a leasing system, a different unit number in an operations platform, and a separate parcel ID in a tax record, with most platforms treating those as three unrelated assets. As a result, even a basic question, such as why the net operating income (NOI) changed at a given asset, cannot be answered with confidence. The data may all be there, but until something resolves those identities and governs what the data means, no AI can reason across it.

This is the gap now stalling AI across the industry. Models cannot reason across data that does not agree on what it describes. The industry's AI ambition is sound, but the data infrastructure beneath it was built to report on the past, not to support the decisions that come next.

Closing that gap requires a foundational layer that resolves data into consistent identities, governs what it means, and connects it into a knowledge graph that AI can reason across: why performance moved, what is at risk, and where to focus next.

Why RealPage + Cherre is the Answer

For more than a decade, Cherre has been building exactly that layer, at a scale few can match. Its platform resolves more than four billion entities and four trillion dollars in real assets globally into a trusted foundation, sourced and governed in a secure, compliant environment that institutional owners depend on.

RealPage brings deep operational scale across the property lifecycle, serving more than 42,000 customers and 24 million housing units worldwide. For the operator running a single property, that same foundation means more reliable revenue signals, faster lease-up insight, and data that stays consistent across every system already in use. It is the same governed foundation that institutional portfolio-level reasoning is built on. Together, the two companies connect what happens at the property with what matters at the portfolio and fund level, unifying data, trust, and infrastructure across the entire real estate capital stack, spanning all asset classes.

What This Means for Customers

With Cherre, RealPage customers will gain access to a layer of intelligence built specifically to bridge property-level data with portfolio- and fund-level context, connecting operations to the decisions that depend on them.

With RealPage, Cherre customers will gain the scale, resources, and global delivery capacity of one of the industry's largest technology providers, including expanded engineering and deployment capabilities to take customers from data readiness to AI in production, while continuing to work with the same dedicated team and consultative approach they rely on today.

A Commitment to Openness and Customer Control

Cherre's platform has always worked across any property management system and any data source a customer uses, and that will not change. Cherre will remain an open hub where any application or data vendor can connect under clear permissions, security controls and governance standards. RealPage and Cherre are committed to openness and to governance in equal measure, giving customers the freedom to access and use their data alongside the security and protections they depend on. Customers keep every control and protection they have today, plus new enterprise-grade tools for even finer control tomorrow.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel to RealPage. For Cherre, Software Equity Group (SEG) served as financial advisor and Goodwin Procter LLP served as legal counsel.

About RealPage, Inc.

RealPage exists to improve the business of living. For more than 25 years, RealPage has powered the neighborhoods people call home, for the capital that enables them, the operators who run them, and the residents who live in them. RealPage is advancing the AI-native platform for real estate operations and institutional intelligence, bringing together agentic AI, advanced analytics, and governed data into one platform. Backed by Thoma Bravo and with more than 8,500 employees worldwide, RealPage solutions help manage more than 24 million units and the institutional portfolios behind them around the globe. For more information, visit realpage.com.

About Cherre

Cherre is the leading real estate data intelligence platform for institutional investors, commercial operators, and real asset owners. Cherre connects, resolves, and governs fragmented data to create a trusted foundation for AI, analytics, and decision-making. Organizations use Cherre to unify information across systems, improve data confidence, and accelerate business outcomes. Cherre powers the data infrastructure behind modern real estate operations. For more information, visit cherre.com.

About RealPage & Cherre

Together, RealPage and Cherre are building the trusted AI infrastructure real estate has always required: governed, domain-specific, and purpose-built to know what every piece of data means, resolve it consistently across every system that touches it, and make it available to AI that can reason on it, so the people making consequential decisions can trust what it tells them. Every recommendation is traceable, every definition is governed, and every data asset stays in the customer’s control. This is the foundation for the next era of real estate AI.

 

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Patrick.Mendoza@realpage.com

Post-Quantum’s Algorithm - Classic McEliece - Achieves Global ISO Standardization to Protect the World From Quantum Cyber Attack

LONDON - Wednesday, 15. July 2026

Ultra-secure encryption algorithm added to ISO standard for Asymmetric Ciphers

Classic McEliece is first PQC algorithm to achieve global standardization 

Organisations in 177 ISO member states can now adopt Classic McEliece to remain secure from attack by both classical and quantum computers

Governments including Germany and the Netherlands already recommend the highly secure Classic McEliece algorithm due to its unmatched security credentials

 

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- It’s proven that today’s encryption is vulnerable to attack by a sufficiently mature quantum computer running Shor’s algorithm - a catastrophic event commonly known as Q-Day. Even before such a cryptographically relevant quantum computer emerges it is known that adversaries are stealing encrypted data now, which can be decrypted later - also known as Harvest Now, Decrypt Later (HNDL).

Google’s recent use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimise Shor’s algorithm reduces the number of physical qubits required to break today’s encryption, therefore shortening the timeline to Q-Day. This has led prominent experts to estimate today’s encryption may be broken as-soon-as the next three years.

It’s against this backdrop that the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) has included the Classic McEliece algorithm as part of its standard for Asymmetric Ciphers (ISO/IEC 18033-2). Organisations from ISO’s 177 member states can now upgrade to Classic McEliece using an international standard that supports interoperability and robust implementation.

Available on an open source basis, Classic McEliece* was pioneered by the team at UK cyber security company Post-Quantum in collaboration with prominent cryptographers. The algorithm uses error correcting codes to build on Professor Robert McEliece’s cryptosystem, originally invented in 1978, providing an ultra-secure code-based option to protect communications in the quantum era.

Recommended by nation states, including Germany’s BSI and its Dutch counterpart and recognised by the crypto community as the most secure PQC algorithm available, Classic McEliece has a wide range of applications, including:

Forming the backbone of quantum-safe Virtual Private Networks to secure communications between users and infrastructure, like data centres

Protecting data-in-transit with a long shelf life, such as healthcare data, intellectual property or government secrets

Securing mobile messaging applications to prevent interception

Securing connected devices (e.g. drones) to prevent interception

Securing identity systems to ensure credentials like passwords or biometric identifiers cannot be intercepted and compromised.

Through its partnership with Czech defence manufacturer STV Group, Post-Quantum recently demonstrated the first airborne deployment of Classic McEliece. The programme resulted in the world’s first battlefield-ready quantum-safe drones operating in the most challenging DDIL (Denied, Degraded, Intermittent, or Limited) environments. The drones were successfully tested at STV’s weapons facility - dispelling the myth that the algorithm’s large keysize is impractical for real-world deployment.

Rikky Hasan, CEO at Post-Quantum, commented: “Every major organisation should now have progressed beyond planning to active implementation of quantum-safe encryption. ISO standardisation means Classic McEliece can be implemented more easily and consistently by governments and enterprises across the world. The cryptographic community has attacked the McEliece system without success since the 1970’s and Classic McEliece offers the highest security assurance of any post quantum algorithm available today. Our own work for NATO and STV demonstrates the algorithm’s viability for a wide range of use cases.”

ISO’s decision to standardise Classic McEliece required a successful vote of independent technical experts drawn from ISO’s member states.

Hasan added: “ISO’s standardisation demonstrates the technical community’s belief in Classic McEliece and its suitability for securing communications from attack by quantum computers.”

Founded in 2009, Post-Quantum was the first company with the sole focus to develop and promote post-quantum cryptography (PQC). Specialists in high-grade cybersecurity and encryption innovation, the company works for various secure areas of banks, defence organisations, and governments. The company’s quantum-safe VPN has been successfully tested by NATO and its technology is licensed by defence group STV to secure communications between drones and their operators.

*Classic McEliece is a higher performance and more usable refinement of the original McEliece crypto-system, originally invented by Professor Robert McEliece in 1978. The system works by intentionally inserting random errors as part of the encryption process. Only the intended recipient can successfully decrypt the error-laden ciphertext by employing an error correcting technique. With Classic McEliece, the ciphertext is by far the smallest and most efficient amongst all the known PQC KEMs to date. Its public key is also reusable which makes it ideal for applications that require frequent ephemeral key establishment. Classic McEliece was created following the merger of Post Quantum’s NIST submission NTS-KEM and a submission led by Professor Daniel Bernstein.

About Post-Quantum

Post-Quantum is upgrading the world to next-generation encryption. Our quantum-safe platform includes modular software for Identity, Transmission and Encryption that protect organisations across their entire digital footprint. Products are interoperable, backward compatible and crypto-agile - ensuring a smooth transition to the next generation of encryption.

Post-Quantum works with organisations in defence, critical national infrastructure and financial services, including a multi-year relationship with NATO to ensure its communications are secure against quantum attacks.

The company is the inventor of NTS-KEM, a code-based post-quantum algorithm. Now known as Classic McEliece following the merger with the submission led by Professor Daniel Bernstein. The company is also the original author of the global Internet Engineering Taskforce (IETF) standard for a Hybrid Post-Quantum Virtual Private Network.

As IETF defines how the internet functions, it is inevitable that more and more of the components will become quantum-safe in due course. The company is proactively working on and proposing several new standards to IETF to help shape how the internet will operate in a post-quantum world.

As part of the multi-year journey to secure the world, the company is also a highly valued contributor to the quantum migration consortium established by the US National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCOE).

 

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Contacts

Nick Ward

nward@fireoth.com

SLB, Liberty Energy to Form Strategic Alliance for Data Center Infrastructure and Power

 HOUSTON & DENVER - 

Planned alliance combines modular infrastructure and integrated power solutions designed to accelerate global data center deployment

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Global energy technology company SLB (NYSE: SLB) today announced an agreement with Liberty Energy Inc. (NYSE: LBRT) to form a strategic alliance that will deliver modular infrastructure and integrated power generation solutions for new data center projects globally.

The collaboration will bring together complementary expertise in modular infrastructure, power generation and operations to support the rapid deployment of new data center capacity and help the world’s leading AI companies address increasingly complex energy requirements.

The growth of AI and high-performance computing is driving unprecedented demand for data center capacity. As developers work to add new compute capacity, many are seeking behind-the-meter power solutions that can be deployed independently of traditional grid connections, while also improving reliability, efficiency and flexibility as power needs grow.

“The bottleneck in AI infrastructure is no longer just compute. It is the ability to deliver infrastructure and power on the timelines the market now demands,” said Gavin Rennick, president of SLB’s New Energy and Industrial business. “By bringing together complementary infrastructure and power capabilities, we will help developers accelerate deployment of new data center capacity.”

Under the planned alliance, SLB will provide modular infrastructure solutions, project execution capabilities and global market reach, while Liberty will provide modular power generation systems, behind-the-meter intelligent power controls and operational expertise.

“The scale and complexity of AI energy infrastructure is fundamentally changing how power systems are built and deployed,” said Ron Gusek, chief executive officer of Liberty Energy. “Liberty’s comprehensive power service platform is engineered to meet this transition, as customers increasingly prioritize tailored, integrated solutions. Building on our long-standing relationship with SLB, we are excited to bring power solutions that address immediate capacity constraints while supporting the next generation of energy systems.”

In addition to delivering infrastructure and power solutions, the companies plan to collaborate on technologies aimed at improving the efficiency, flexibility and environmental performance of future data center energy systems, including hybrid power systems, digital energy management and advanced power architectures.

Since April 2024, SLB has shipped more than 1.3 gigawatts of prefabricated modular infrastructure for data center projects and expects cumulative deliveries to exceed 2 gigawatts globally by year-end. Liberty plans to deploy approximately 3 gigawatts of power projects by 2029.

Key Points:

SLB and Liberty Energy announced an agreement to form a strategic alliance to deliver modular infrastructure solutions and integrated power generation for data center projects globally.

The planned alliance will combine SLB’s modular data center infrastructure solutions and project execution expertise with Liberty’s modular power generation and intelligent behind-the-meter power management capabilities to support growing demand for AI and high-performance computing infrastructure.

As developers seek to bring new compute capacity online, the planned alliance is designed to address increasing demand for behind-the-meter power solutions that can be deployed independently of traditional grid connection timelines.

The companies also plan to collaborate on future technology initiatives focused on hybrid power systems, digital energy management and advanced power architectures to support evolving data center energy requirements.

About SLB

SLB (NYSE: SLB) is a global technology company that has driven energy innovation for 100 years. With a global footprint in more than 100 countries and employees representing almost twice as many nationalities, we work each day on innovating oil and gas, delivering digital at scale, decarbonizing industries, and developing and scaling new energy systems that accelerate the energy transition. Find out more at slb.com.

About Liberty Energy

Liberty Energy Inc. (NYSE: LBRT) is a leading energy services company. Liberty is one of the largest providers of completion services and technologies to onshore oil, natural gas, and enhanced geothermal energy producers in North America. Liberty also owns and operates Liberty Power Innovations LLC, providing advanced distributed power and energy storage solutions, supported by strategic relationships across advanced nuclear, enhanced geothermal, and battery energy storage systems, serving the commercial and industrial, data center, energy, and mining industries. Liberty was founded in 2011 with a relentless focus on value creation through a culture of innovation and excellence and the development of next generation technology. Liberty is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. For more information, please visit www.libertyenergy.com and libertypowerinnovations.com, or contact Investor Relations at IR@libertyenergy.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws — that is, statements about the future, not about past events. Such statements often contain words such as “plan”, “expect,” “may,” “can,” “estimate,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “will,” “potential,” “projected" and other similar words. Forward-looking statements address matters that are, to varying degrees, uncertain, such as forecasts or expectations regarding the deployment of, or anticipated benefits of, SLB’s or Liberty’s new technologies, alliances and partnerships; forecasts or expectations regarding demand for data center capacity; and improvements in operating procedures and technology. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the inability to recognize intended benefits of SLB’s or Liberty’s strategies, initiatives or partnerships; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in SLB’s or Liberty’s most recent Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize (or the consequences of such a development changes), or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those reflected in our forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and SLB and Liberty disclaim any intention or obligation to update publicly or revise such statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

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Contacts

Media

Josh Byerly – SVP of Global Communications

Moira Duff – Director of External Communications

SLB

Tel: +1 (713) 375-3407

media@slb.com

Investors

James R. McDonald – SVP of Investor Relations & Industry Affairs

Joy V. Domingo – Director of Investor Relations

SLB

Tel: +1 (713) 375-3535

investor-relations@slb.com

Michael Stock – Chief Financial Officer

Anjali Voria, CFA – VP of Investor Relations

Liberty Energy

Tel: +1 (303) 515-2851

IR@libertyenergy.com

 

MARLBOROUGH, Mass. - 

(BUSINESS WIRE)--ExaGrid®, the industry’s only Tiered Backup Storage solution with AI-Powered Retention Time-Lock (RTL) that includes a non-network-facing tier (creating a tiered air gap), delayed deletes and immutability for ransomware recovery, announced today that MES Computing, a brand of The Channel Company, has highlighted ExaGrid in its 2026 MES Midmarket 100 list.

The annual MES Midmarket 100 recognizes technology vendors with deep knowledge of the unique IT needs of midmarket organizations. These vendors are committed to delivering future-focused products and services that support growth, innovation, and success for their midsize customers.

MES Computing defines midmarket organizations as those with an annual revenue of $50 million to $2 billion and/or 100 to 2,500 total supported users/seats. Vendors were selected for the MES Midmarket 100 for their go-to-market strategy, how they innovate to serve the midmarket better, and the strength of their midmarket product portfolios.

Midmarket organizations have a complex set of requirements that include: working across a wide range of operating systems, network topologies and distributed environments, stringent security requirements, and managing massive data growth. In addition, mid-sized organizations have tight IT resources and budget dollars.

ExaGrid Tiered Backup Storage appliances are architected to work with all major backup applications and in any environment with the easiest installation, easiest management, and lowest cost up front and over time. ExaGrid’s full appliances in a single system bring a scale-out architecture to backup storage at a price that is affordable for midmarket organizations.

Midmarket organizations benefit from ExaGrid's simplicity and reliability:

Easy to install and manage

Virtually no touch time – set it and forget it

Work with an assigned level 2 customer support engineer to solve issues quickly

With the right retention – the lowest cost

“The Midmarket 100 highlights the technology vendors that genuinely understand—and actively champion—the distinct needs of midsize organizations,” said Samara Lynn, senior editor of MES Computing at The Channel Company. “These companies are true partners, equipping midmarket IT teams to overcome their toughest challenges so they can innovate and accelerate growth. We’re excited to watch how these vendors continue to evolve and strengthen the midmarket ecosystem.”

The 2026 MES Computing Midmarket 100 is featured online at mescomputing.com/midmarket100.

“We are honored to be recognized again in the MES Computing Midmarket 100. ExaGrid has solved all of the backup challenges faced by organizations in the upper midmarket to large enterprise,” said Bill Andrews, President and CEO of ExaGrid. “ExaGrid provides a scale-out architecture that allows organizations to add appliances as their data grows so they only pay for what they need and offers the fastest backups, fastest restores, complete disaster recovery solutions, and the most comprehensive security and ransomware recovery for backup storage with industry-leading customer support.”

About ExaGrid

ExaGrid provides Tiered Backup Storage with a unique disk-cache Landing Zone, long-term retention repository, scale-out architecture, and comprehensive security features. ExaGrid’s Landing Zone provides for the fastest backups, restores, and instant VM recoveries. The Repository Tier offers the lowest cost for long-term retention. ExaGrid’s scale-out architecture includes full appliances and ensures a fixed-length backup window as data grows, eliminating expensive forklift upgrades and planned product obsolescence. ExaGrid offers the only two-tiered backup storage approach with a non-network-facing tier (tiered air gap), delayed deletes, and immutable objects to recover from ransomware attacks.

ExaGrid has physical sales and pre-sales systems engineers in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Benelux, Brazil, Canada, Chile, CIS, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nordics, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and other regions.

Visit us at exagrid.com or connect with us on LinkedIn. See what our customers have to say about their own ExaGrid experiences and learn why they now spend significantly less time on backup storage in our customer success stories. ExaGrid is proud of our +81 NPS score!

ExaGrid is a registered trademark of ExaGrid Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company (TCC) is the global leader in channel growth for the world’s top technology brands. We accelerate success across strategic channels for tech vendors, solution providers and end users with premier media brands, integrated marketing and event services, strategic consulting, and exclusive market and audience insights. TCC is a portfolio company of investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, a New York City-based private equity firm. For more information, visit thechannelco.com.

Follow The Channel Company: LinkedIn and X.

© 2026 The Channel Company, Inc. The Channel Company logo is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

 

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Contacts

 

The Channel Company Contact:

Samara Lynn

The Channel Company

slynn@thechannelcompany.com

ExaGrid Media Contact:

Mary Domenichelli

ExaGrid

mdomenichelli@exagrid.com

Cover Genius Raises USD $100M Backed by Vista Credit Partners, Reaching USD $1.9 Billion Valuation as it Advances AI-First Platform and Global Expansion

 SAN FRANCISCO - 

Accelerating the AI roadmap and next era of embedded protection

 

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cover Genius, the global infrastructure for embedded protection, today announced a USD $100M capital raise, backed by Vista Credit Partners, a subsidiary of Vista Equity Partners and strategic financing partner focused on enterprise software. The raise values the business at USD $1.9 billion, advancing a new chapter for the company.

Cover Genius operates a B2B2C embedded protection platform that connects 200+ partners with 50+ global insurance carriers to protect over 70 million end customers at the point of sale across travel, retail, ticketing and logistics. Unlike traditional insurers, Cover Genius dynamically adapts product design, pricing, and presentation in real time to match each merchant's unique customer journey and geography mix.

“We’ve spent more than a decade building the trust layer the world’s largest digital companies rely on to protect their customers. Today’s raise is about broadening possibilities: moving faster, going deeper into our partnerships, and building the AI capabilities that help people move through every step of their digital journey with certainty,” commented Gus McDonald, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Cover Genius.

Cover Genius will deploy the capital across three priorities. First, deepening enterprise partner relationships through enhanced integration capabilities, which are already improving partner conversion rates. Second, scaling AI capabilities: hyper-personalization engines, agentic distribution of embedded protection, and automated infrastructure for faster claims resolution. Third, investing in platform scalability and selective strategic acquisitions to drive entry into new verticals across an embedded insurance market that Boston Consulting Group projects will grow from $13 billion to over $70 billion in gross written premiums by 2030.

The raise reflects accelerated momentum. In 2025, Cover Genius:

Grew revenue 50% year-over-year.

Crossed USD $3+ billion in cumulative gross written sales.

Extended its reach to 240 million policies, delivered through integrations with many of the world’s leading digital platforms, such as Klarna, Revolut, Priceline, Agoda, Booking.com, Turkish Airlines, and Uber. Also available at Amazon, eBay, Coolblue, Wayfair, Flipkart, Tongcheng Travel, and Shopee, a leading ecommerce shopping platform in Southeast Asia.

Earned an 'Excellent' rating of 4.5 out of 5 on Trustpilot for XCover, its claims management platform, across 70,000+ verified consumer reviews worldwide.

“Vista Credit Partners is proud to support innovative enterprise software companies like Cover Genius with flexible capital solutions to further establish market leadership. It has built the infrastructure layer that enables many of the world's leading digital platforms to embed protection seamlessly into their customer experience. The embedded insurance market is large, structural and growing, and Cover Genius has earned its position at the center of it," commented Pete Fisher, Co-Head of Vista Credit Partners, Senior Managing Director, Vista Equity Partners.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC served as exclusive placement agent on this transaction.

Notes to editors:

ABOUT COVER GENIUS

Cover Genius is the global infrastructure for embedded protection. Active in over 60 countries and all 50 US States, it protects the customers of the world’s largest digital companies, including Klarna, Revolut, Stripe, Priceline, Agoda, Booking.com, Turkish Airlines, Tongcheng Travel, eBay, and Uber, with seamless, end-to-end experiences. Cover Genius has protected more than 70M customers globally across 240M policies with USD $3.2BN in gross written sales. For more information, visit covergenius.com.

ABOUT VISTA CREDIT PARTNERS

Vista Credit Partners is the credit-investing arm of Vista Equity Partners and is a strategic investor and financing partner that specializes in enterprise software. Vista Credit Partners offers solutions tailored to strategic objectives with growth-friendly terms and long-term investment horizons across both the private and broadly syndicated markets, sourcing deals directly from founder-led companies, through sponsor relationships, and from its deep network of experts, advisors and other intermediaries to support growth and unlock value through creative capital solutions and operational partnership. Vista Credit Partners has completed more than 700 transactions since its inception.

As of March 31, 2026, Vista Credit Partners has grown to over $8.2 billion of assets under management. Since its formation in 2013 and as of March 31, 2026, Vista Credit Partners has deployed over $16.2 billion. For more information, please visit www.vistacreditpartners.com.

 

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Contacts

Media contact: Cover Genius (E) global-comms-team@covergenius.com

Media contact: Vista Credit Partners

Brian W. Steel (T) 212-804-9170

Max Gross (T) 347-267-3274

Media contact: Vista Equity Partners

(E) media@vistaequitypartners.com (T) +1-512-730-2400

European Commission Approves Erbitux® (cetuximab) in Combination with Encorafenib and FOLFOX for First-Line Treatment of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer with BRAF V600E Mutation

 

• ERBITUX in combination with encorafenib and FOLFOX is the first and only approved targeted regimen for the first-line treatment of adult patients with BRAF V600E-mutant mCRC
• The approval is based on the pivotal Phase 3 BREAKWATER trial, which demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in both progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared to standard chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab
• ERBITUX confirms its status as the pioneering anti-EGFR therapy in mCRC, now approved across different patient populations and multiple lines of therapy

Not intended for Canada-, UK- or US-based media

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Merck, a leading global science and technology company, today announced that the European Commission (EC) approved an update to the Erbitux (cetuximab) EU label on June 26, 2026. Erbitux is now indicated in combination with encorafenib for patients with BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) — both in first-line treatment in combination with FOLFOX (BREAKWATER regimen) and for patients who have received prior systemic therapy (BEACON regimen).

The first-line approval is based on results from the Phase 3 BREAKWATER trial, which showed that the cetuximab–encorafenib–FOLFOX combination delivered statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in the dual primary endpoints of objective response rate (ORR) and PFS, as well as a significant overall survival benefit — reducing the risk of death by 51% versus chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab.

”The approval of Erbitux in combination with encorafenib and FOLFOX marks an important milestone for patients with BRAF V600E-mutant mCRC who can now benefit from a first targeted treatment option in the first-line setting,” said Matthias Wernicke, Head of Global Therapeutic Area Specialty Care, in the healthcare business sector of Merck. “BRAF V600E-mutant mCRC is associated with a historically poor prognosis and limited effective options. This approval reinforces Erbitux as the backbone of anti-EGFR therapy in colorectal cancer — and reflects our ongoing commitment to addressing unmet needs for patients across the full treatment continuum.”

BREAKWATER (NCT04607421) is a Phase 3, randomized, active-controlled, open-label, multicenter trial evaluating encorafenib in combination with cetuximab and FOLFOX in participants with previously untreated BRAF V600E-mutant mCRC. The trial was conducted by Pfizer, in collaboration with Merck, and Ono Pharmaceutical. The combination of cetuximab, encorafenib and FOLFOX received accelerated FDA approval in December 2024 for treatment-naïve patients based on ORR data, and full FDA approval in February 2026 based on PFS and OS data — with the indication expanded to include fluorouracil-based chemotherapy (FOLFOX or FOLFIRI).

The BREAKWATER regimen demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements across all key endpoints versus standard-of-care chemotherapy (FOLFOX/FOLFOXIRI/CAPOX with or without bevacizumab).1,2 Median PFS was 12.8 months versus 7.1 months (HR 0.53; 95% CI: 0.41–0.68; P<0.001), representing a 47% reduction in the risk of progression or death. Overall survival was likewise significantly improved, with a median OS of 30.3 months versus 15.1 months (HR 0.49; 95% CI: 0.38–0.63; P<0.001) — a 51% reduction in the risk of death, more than doubling median overall survival compared to standard care. Confirmed ORR was 65.7% (95% CI: 59.4–71.4) in the BREAKWATER arm versus 37.4% (95% CI: 31.6–43.7) in the control arm. Safety profiles were consistent with those previously established for each individual agent; serious adverse events occurred in 46.1% versus 38.9% in the standard-care arm.

The cetuximab–encorafenib–FOLFOX regimen has been endorsed as first-line standard of care by the April 2026 ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines (Recommendation Grade I, A) for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer harboring the BRAF V600E mutation.3

While the BREAKWATER regimen redefines first-line therapy, the Phase 3 BEACON CRC trial confirmed Erbitux as a standard of care in second-line and beyond. The combination of Erbitux and encorafenib — also approved by the EC on June 26, 2026 for patients with BRAF V600E-mutant mCRC who have received prior systemic therapy — significantly improved OS versus the irinotecan-based control (median 9.3 vs. 5.9 months; HR 0.61; 95% CI: 0.48–0.77; p<0.0001), reducing the risk of death by 39%.4,5 This regimen maintains quality of life with no increase in Grade ≥3 adverse events versus standard chemotherapy.

Erbitux is the first and only anti-EGFR therapy approved for both RAS wild-type and BRAF V600E-mutant mCRC patients — supporting patients throughout their treatment journey and across multiple lines of therapy.

Colorectal cancer remains a major global health challenge. It is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with 1.92 million new cases and approximately 900,000 deaths recorded in 2022 alone.6 Projections indicate cases will increase by more than 85% and mortality will double in coming decades. Of patients presenting with metastatic disease — approximately 20% at diagnosis — 5-year survival remains at only 16.2%.

BRAF V600E mutations occur in approximately 8–12% of patients with mCRC and are associated with a particularly poor prognosis, with mortality risk more than double that of patients without the mutation. Extending the indication of Erbitux to this patient population represents a meaningful step toward more personalized and effective treatment — addressing a significant and clinically important unmet need.

With this dual approval — first-line (BREAKWATER) and second-line (BEACON) — Erbitux is now established as the pioneering anti-EGFR backbone across the mCRC treatment continuum. This milestone underscores Merck’s commitment to driving innovation in oncology and improving outcomes for patients with difficult-to-treat cancers.

Local HCP Declaration

Pierre Fabre, which holds the commercialization rights for BRAFTOVI (encorafenib) in Europe, submitted the BREAKWATER data to European Medical Agency (EMA) and received EC approval on June 22,2026. The BEACON regimen was already approved under BRAFTOVI since June 2020.

About BREAKWATER Study

BREAKWATER is a Phase 3, randomized, open-label, multicenter trial, whose findings support a targeted, first-line approach for patients with BRAF V600E-mutant mCRC.2 The combination of ERBITUX, encorafenib, and the FOLFOX regimen significantly improved outcomes versus standard of care, with a 47% reduction in the risk of progression or death (HR 0.53) and a 51% reduction in the risk of death (HR 0.49). The data also show a meaningful increase in the ORR and a median OS of over 30 months in the experimental arm, underscoring the value of combined inhibition of BRAF and EGFR pathways in this poor-prognosis population and suggesting this treatment strategy as a new first-line standard of care.

About BEACON Study

BEACON CRC is a randomised, open-label, global Phase 3 trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of ERBITUX in combination with encorafenib ± binimetinib in patients with BRAF V600E-mutant mCRC whose disease has progressed after one or two prior regimens. BEACON CRC is the first Phase 3 trial designed to test a BRAF combination targeted therapy in BRAF V600E-mutant mCRC.

The data showed that ERBITUX in combination with encorafenib significantly improved OS in patients with BRAF V600E-mutant mCRC (median 9.3 months vs 5.9 months; HR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.48–0.77; p<0.0001) and reduced the risk of death by 39%, compared with the ERBITUX plus irinotecan-containing regimen (control) arm. Data also showed that, besides improving OS, ERBITUX-encorafenib resulted in no worsening in quality of life or increase in grade 3 AEs versus irinotecan-based chemotherapy–cetuximab.4,5

About Cetuximab (ERBITUX®)

Cetuximab is an IgG1 monoclonal antibody targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). As a monoclonal antibody, the mode of action of Cetuximab is distinct from standard non-selective chemotherapy treatments in that it specifically targets and binds to the EGFR. This binding inhibits the activation of the receptor and the subsequent signal-transduction pathway, which results in reducing both the invasion of normal tissues by tumor cells and the spread of tumors to new sites. It is also believed to inhibit the ability of tumor cells to repair the damage caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy and to inhibit the formation of new blood vessels inside tumors, which appears to lead to an overall suppression of tumor growth. Based on in vitro evidence, Cetuximab also targets cytotoxic immune effector cells towards EGFR-expressing tumor cells (antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity [ADCC]).

Cetuximab has already obtained market authorization in over 100 countries worldwide for the treatment of RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer and for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Merck licensed the right to market ERBITUX (Cetuximab), a registered trademark of ImClone LLC, outside the U.S. and Canada from ImClone LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, in 1998.

About Merck

Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. More than 62,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2025, Merck generated sales of € 21.1 billion in 65 countries.

Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Merck’s technological and scientific advances. This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare, and EMD Electronics in electronics.

All Merck press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck website. Please go to www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service.

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1 Elez E, et al. Encorafenib, cetuximab, and mFOLFOX6 in BRAF-mutated colorectal cancer. N Engl J Med. 2025;392:2425–37.

2 Kopetz S, et al. Encorafenib, cetuximab and chemotherapy in BRAF-mutant colorectal cancer: a randomized phase 3 trial. Nat Med. 2025;31:901–908.

3 Cremolini C, et al. on behalf of the ESMO Guidelines Committee. Metastatic colorectal cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guideline for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann Oncol. 2026. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annonc.2026.03.005.

4 Kopetz S, et al. Encorafenib, Binimetinib, and Cetuximab in BRAF V600E-Mutated Colorectal Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2019. PMID: 31566309.

5 Tabernero J, et al. Encorafenib Plus Cetuximab as a New Standard of Care for Previously Treated BRAF V600E–Mutant Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Updated Survival Results and Subgroup Analyses from the BEACON Study. J Clin Oncol. 2021;39(4):273–284.

6 World Health Organization. Colorectal cancer: Key facts. Accessed 14 July 2026. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/colorectal-cancer.

 

 

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Contacts

Sebastian Roos

sebastian.roos@merckgroup.com

Phone: +49 151 14 54 1721

 

Andersen Consulting Deepens Advisory Solutions in Turkey with ODS Consulting Group

 SAN FRANCISCO - Tuesday, 14. July 2026 AETOSWire  

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Andersen Consulting adds collaborating firm ODS Consulting Group, enhancing its platform across digital transformation, talent strategy, and operational advisory services.

Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Turkey, ODS Consulting Group provides advisory services to organizations seeking growth, talent, and investment opportunities in Turkey and international markets. The firm supports clients through international business development and export consulting, recruitment and talent management solutions, and investment advisory services, helping businesses expand operations, access new markets, attract qualified talent, and navigate the Turkish business landscape. With a multidisciplinary approach and deep local expertise, ODS delivers tailored strategies that drive sustainable growth and long-term value creation.

“Since our founding, we have focused on helping organizations build sustainable growth through a combination of strategic insight and practical execution,” said Onur Seçkin, co-founder of ODS Consulting Group. “Working with Andersen Consulting enables us to broaden our capabilities and support clients with more integrated solutions across technology, talent, and global expansion.”

“Companies navigating transformation need solutions that extend beyond technology alone,” said Mark L. Vorsatz, global chairman and CEO of Andersen. “ODS Consulting Group adds strength in aligning digital initiatives with workforce and operational priorities.”

Andersen Consulting is a global consulting practice providing a comprehensive suite of services spanning corporate strategy, business, technology, and AI transformation, as well as human capital solutions. Andersen Consulting integrates with the multidimensional service model of Andersen Global, delivering world-class consulting, tax, legal, valuation, global mobility, and advisory expertise on a global platform with more than 50,000 professionals worldwide and a presence in over 1,000 locations through its member firms and collaborating firms. Andersen Consulting Holdings LP is a limited partnership and provides consulting solutions through its member firms and collaborating firms around the world.

 

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mediainquiries@Andersen.com