Today's corporate news highlights significant strategic shifts and financial maneuvers across various sectors. AstraZeneca received a positive EU recommendation for its TNBC drug Datroway, while BT Group and Verizon formed a major international joint venture, impacting BT's financial outlook. Bridgepoint Group expanded its global private markets presence with the acquisition of Kayne Anderson Real Estate. Futura Medical terminated its US distribution agreement with Haleon for Eroxon, securing a new partner in MPG, as Georgia Capital and Secure Trust Bank initiated share buyback programs. Elsewhere, Big Technologies announced a CEO transition, Gunsynd reported encouraging gold grades from its Barb Project, Plus500 launched new US sports event-based contracts, Tap Global introduced its own "Stabld" stablecoin, and Invinity Energy Systems appointed a seasoned energy executive to its board. However, Tortilla Mexican Grill announced a delay in its FY25 results due to accounting adjustments in its French business.

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca announced that its drug Datroway, developed in partnership with Daiichi Sankyo, has received a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) for approval in the European Union. The recommendation is for Datroway as a monotherapy first-line treatment for adult patients with unresectable or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) who are not candidates for PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor therapy. This positive opinion follows robust results from the TROPION-Breast02 Phase III trial, highlighting Datroway's potential as the first TROP2-directed antibody drug conjugate to demonstrate an overall survival benefit for these patients.

Big Technologies announced a significant leadership transition with the retirement of Ian Johnson from the board and his role as CEO. Charles Lewinton has been appointed as Acting Chief Executive Officer. Johnson, who joined in April 2025 and was appointed CEO in May 2025, led the company through a challenging period, overseeing its restructure and professionalisation. The change signals continued strategic realignment and leadership evolution for the electronic monitoring solutions provider.

Private markets firm Bridgepoint Group announced a significant acquisition, taking over Kayne Anderson Real Estate. The deal is set to bolster Bridgepoint's global presence and diversify its investment offerings across private equity, credit, infrastructure, real estate, and secondaries. The combined platform will manage approximately $117 billion in Assets Under Management (AUM), with Kayne Anderson Real Estate's latest flagship fund raising $5.12 billion. This acquisition represents a material strategic expansion for Bridgepoint, reinforcing its leadership in the middle-market private investment space.

Telecommunications giant BT Group has agreed with Verizon Communications to combine their international enterprise operations into a 50:50 joint venture. The new entity will create a scaled international connectivity platform, serving over 3,000 customers across 180 countries, with a combined annual revenue of approximately $4 billion. This strategic move is expected to transform international connectivity and lead to a new platform designed for cloud and AI. Consequently, BT has adjusted its FY27 and mid-term financial guidance to reflect only its continuing business, excluding the international division now part of the joint venture, with key operational metrics largely in line with expectations for the re-scoped business.

Futura Medical , the consumer healthcare group behind Eroxon, announced a significant change in its US commercial strategy. The company has terminated its agreement with Haleon, citing slower-than-expected US Eroxon sales since its October 2024 launch. Futura has now partnered with Market Performance Group (MPG), a prominent omnichannel commerce agency, to distribute Eroxon in the US. This new partnership aims to accelerate growth across retail and eCommerce channels, signalling a decisive move to reinvigorate Eroxon's performance in the crucial US market.

Investment company Georgia Capital announced robust financial actions, including the full early redemption of its US$50 million sustainability-linked local bonds. Furthermore, the company will extend its existing US$50 million share buyback programme by an additional US$10 million. These combined transactions will see Georgia Capital complete its GEL 700 million capital return programme significantly ahead of the initially projected end of 2027, underscoring the company's strong capital allocation strategy and commitment to enhancing shareholder value through debt reduction and direct returns.

Explorer Gunsynd provided an update on its Barb Gold Project in Manitoba, Canada, revealing exceptionally high-grade gold assays from recent field work. A Phase 1 Summer Field Program, targeting the Lotus and Betty Shaft areas, identified visible gold in multiple samples. Among the 59 samples collected, gold grades reached up to 489 g/t, with a significant 35 samples exceeding 1 g/t. These preliminary results highlight the strong mineralisation potential of the project, with five samples returning values over 80 g/t, paving the way for further systematic exploration.

Invinity Energy Systems , a leader in vanadium flow battery technology, has strengthened its board with the appointment of Volker Beckers CBE as a Non-Executive Director. Beckers' distinguished career spans over three decades in the energy sector, including a decade as Group CFO and CEO of RWE Npower, where he oversaw a significant transition towards gas and renewable energy sources. His extensive experience in both traditional and clean energy, coupled with various board chair positions in digital energy businesses, positions him to provide valuable strategic guidance to Invinity as it navigates the evolving energy storage market.

Global fintech group Plus500 is expanding its US presence by launching sports event-based contracts. These CFTC-regulated financial contracts represent the highest-engagement category within prediction markets, offering a substantial growth opportunity for the company. The new offering provides US retail customers access to these Kalshi contracts through Plus500's proprietary futures trading platform. This strategic expansion leverages Plus500's institutional-grade infrastructure and aims to position the company at the centre of this rapidly growing segment of the US market.

Specialist lender Secure Trust Bank has announced the launch of a new share buyback programme, totalling £10 million over the next twelve months, starting with an initial £5 million tranche. The programme, which has received regulatory approval, reflects the Board's strategy to return surplus capital to shareholders following the divestment of its Consumer Vehicle Finance business. This initiative will operate alongside the company's established progressive dividend policy, reinforcing its commitment to enhancing shareholder value.

Digital finance hub Tap Global Group announced the launch of 'Stabld,' its proprietary stablecoin, integrated into the Tap app's Earn product. This marks the first step in a broader strategy to establish Tap's own settlement layer for modern money, encompassing stUSD, stGBP, and stEUR, all fully-reserved and fiat-backed. By owning both the stablecoin and its underlying rails, Tap aims to achieve seamless 1:1 conversion and instant settlement across its connected payment networks. This infrastructure will also be offered as a product to other companies, a strategic move to attract new B2B clients and strengthen Tap's position in the digital finance ecosystem.

Tortilla Mexican Grill has announced a delay in the publication of its audited annual report for FY25, alongside a temporary suspension of trading on AIM. The delay stems from an ongoing comprehensive review of accounting adjustments identified within its French operations, which relate to the classification of certain operating costs. These adjustments are projected to reduce the Group's FY25 Adjusted EBITDA (pre-IFRS 16) by up to £2.5 million, bringing it down to approximately £1.5 million. The board emphasised its commitment to strengthened financial controls, indicating a significant impact on profitability and transparency for the past financial year.