Retailer serving underserved communities to deploy diagnostics and pricing capabilities across 80 stores

MANILA, Philippines, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Prince Retail, a Philippine grocery retailer focused on serving underserved and provincial communities, is expanding its use of RELEX Solutions to further improve forecast accuracy, on-shelf availability, and pricing across its store network.

Prince Retail has been a RELEX customer for several years, using forecasting and replenishment capabilities alongside allocation capabilities to support store execution. Building on this foundation, the retailer will now deploy RELEX Diagnostics, including AI-assisted Diagnostics, to gain deeper visibility into supply chain performance and address issues faster using AI agent capabilities. In future phases, Prince Retail also plans to introduce pricing optimization and upgraded machine learning capabilities.

Operating 80 stores supported by 10 distribution centers, Prince Retail serves communities across a geographically diverse market where demand patterns, logistics constraints, and price sensitivity can vary widely. As the business continues to grow, the retailer saw the need for more precise root-cause analysis to help teams respond faster to forecast and availability issues.

Prince Retail selected RELEX to support this next phase, moving away from multiple technology providers to consolidate planning under a single platform that understands the grocery retail landscape in the Philippines, from regional demand variation to supply chain complexity.

With RELEX Diagnostics, Prince Retail will be able to identify what is driving forecast deviations, availability gaps, and execution challenges, allowing planners to focus on the right issues. Price optimization capabilities will support more consistent and localized pricing decisions, helping the retailer balance affordability for customers with sustainable margin performance.

“Consistent availability and competitive but affordable pricing are essential for the underserved communities we operate in,” said Rina Janine Go, Chief Merchandising, Marketing, and Distribution Officer of Prince Retail. “RELEX has already helped us improve how we forecast and replenish, and diagnostics will give our teams clearer insight into where to act and how to act faster. As we expand into pricing and advanced machine learning, this next phase supports our goal of operating efficiently while serving our customers even better than we do today.”

“Prince Retail was our first customer in the Philippines, and our work together now spans nearly five years,” said Rod Talbot, VP Retail, APAC, RELEX Solutions. “They are a strong retailer with a clear commitment to serving communities that are often overlooked. Over time, we’ve built shared trust through consistent results, and we’re excited to continue supporting Prince Retail as they expand their use of RELEX capabilities.”

About Prince Retail
Prince Retail Group is a Philippine-based supermarket and hypermarket chain dedicated to making quality goods affordable and accessible, particularly for communities at the socio-economic base of the pyramid across the country, mainly focused on Visayas and Mindanao. Through disciplined expansion, strong supply chain capabilities, and continued investment in digital and operational systems, Prince advances inclusive growth while strengthening everyday access to essential goods for Filipino families.

About RELEX
RELEX Solutions provides a unified, AI-native platform for retail and supply chain planning and is trusted globally for its consistently high customer satisfaction. RELEX helps retailers, manufacturers, and wholesalers optimize demand, inventory, merchandising, pricing, and supply and production planning to improve availability and efficiency at scale. Brands like ADUSA, Camco, Carhartt, COSMOS Pharmaceutical Corporation, Circle K, Dollar Tree and Family Dollar, M&S Food, PetSmart, Rituals, The Body Shop, The Home Depot, Sun Tire & Auto Service, and Vita Coco trust RELEX to increase product availability, boost sales, deliver actionable insights, improve sustainability, and drive profitable growth. Learn more at: relexsolutions.com/customer

ALMATY, Kazakhstan and MONT-SAINT-GUILBERT, Belgium, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — OpenWay, a global leader in digital payment software, and UnionPay International (UPI), one of the world’s largest payment networks, have expanded their partnership to deliver complete support for Union Pay International products on the Way4 platform.

OpenWay and UnionPay International Expand Global Cooperation to Deliver Full UPI Product Support on Way4

Way4 is OpenWay’s digital payment software platform used by banks, processors, and fintechs to run card issuing, acquiring, switching, and digital wallet services in real time. With this expansion, OpenWay clients worldwide can now issue, acquire, and tokenize UnionPay cards on Way4, enabling a faster and more consistent rollout of Union Pay-powered payment services across markets.

First Big Pay for UnionPay Cards launched on Way4, more to follow soon

In a major industry first, OpenWay has enabled the initial launch of Big Pay functionality for UnionPay cards on the Way4 platform with six major banks in Central Asia. This marks the first time globally that a UnionPay card has been integrated with a Big Pay, reflecting OpenWay’s commitment to innovation in digital payments.

Additional Big Pay integrations are planned and expected to go live in the near future, expanding the range of mobile and digital wallet options available to UnionPay cardholders on Way4.

Pioneering IPS innovation from Central Asia to the world

OpenWay has consistently pioneered innovation in the global payments industry, especially in the implementation of international payment scheme (IPS) solutions. In 2004, OpenWay powered the first-ever issuance of a UnionPay card in Kazakhstan was on Way4 platform.

Since then, OpenWay has played a central role in transforming Central Asia into a fintech innovation hub. The close cooperation between OpenWay and UnionPay International has supported numerous firsts, including the rollout of UnionPay chip cards and acquiring infrastructure across Central Asia.

Today, the Way4 platform is recognized globally for its excellence in cross-border card scheme integration, wallet-based innovation, real-time payments, and AI-based payment solutions. It exemplifies OpenWay’s ability to align global standards with local financial infrastructure—bringing future-ready capabilities to every market it enters.

Global innovations begin with local partnerships

“This partnership demonstrates the power of glocal innovation,” said Rustem Nurmambetov, Operational Director, OpenWay in Central Asia. “Global breakthroughs often begin with local vision. Together with UnionPay International and our local banking partners, we are setting a global precedent for modern, inclusive, and interoperable payments.”

The Latest GVoice Brings Revolutionary Upgrade to In-Game Player Journey and Immersion

SAN FRANCISCO, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At the Game Developer’s Conference (GDC) 2026, Tencent Cloud, the cloud business of global technology company Tencent, electrified GDC 2026 with AI‑powered breakthroughs for the games industry, introducing a new wave of AI-powered solutions set to redefine how games are developed, played, and protected. From intelligent in-game communication to next-gen security, these innovations are shaping the future of gaming by connecting players, streamlining development, and raising the bar for immersive experiences. 

Positioned as a leader in “Omdia Market Radar: Cloud Platforms for Games – 2025″ report, Tencent Cloud is leveraging decades of gaming expertise to empower developers around the world. The company is now extending that deep industry expertise through a new generation of AI-driven solutions.

Tencent Games GVoice: AI for Intelligent Connection

Leading the charge is Tencent Cloud’s flagship, newly upgraded Game Multimedia Engagement Solution (GMES), formerly known as the Game Multimedia Engine (GME), which signifies a strategic expansion into an integrated, AI-fueled suite that powers the entire game lifecycle. The first taste of this future is GVoice, an upgrade that intelligently connects billions of players across the globe.

Building on clear, smooth, and real-time in-game interaction capabilities, GVoice integrates cutting-edge AI technology to introduce a wealth of game-changing features:

• AI-Enhanced Voice: Provides AI real-time conversation features with built-in Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), interruption handling, and directional voice pickup to ensure accurate and crystal-clear voice input. As a high-performance voice gateway, it enables developers to seamlessly connect with LLMs and TTS to create innovative gameplay such as “AI Teammates” and immersive conversational experiences.
• Magic Voice: Next-generation AI voice-changing technology powered by the GVoice AI voice engine, allowing players to effortlessly change their voice, express personality, break the ice, and communicate naturally during team play.
• Real-Time Translation: Enables seamless global collaboration by providing instantaneous, borderless translation, making cross-region teamwork smooth and effortless.

Shichuan Liu, Director of Game Solutions at Tencent Cloud, said, “Games today are more than entertainment—they are vibrant communities where players connect, collaborate, and create together. As the latest upgraded solution within our GMES ecosystem, GVoice is designed to strengthen those connections, offering instant responsiveness, effortless translation across languages, and interactions that sound natural and engaging. At GDC 2026, we are showcasing how this next‑generation upgrade can reshape the very fabric of multiplayer experiences—making them richer, safer, and more inclusive—so players everywhere can strategize, celebrate, and build friendships without limits.”

From casual mobile titles to massive multiplayer worlds such as PUBG MOBILE and Delta Force, GVoice supercharges communication across five continents—supporting diverse gaming scenarios and enabling players everywhere to connect, strategize, and celebrate without barriers.

AI-Powered Security: Safeguarding Every Level of the Gaming Experience

As game worlds become more dynamic and globally connected, Tencent Cloud is elevating game security and performance with holistic, AI-powered security solutions. Combining the strengths of EdgeOne and Anti-Cheat Expert (ACE), Tencent Cloud offers a multi-layered defense system designed to protect game integrity, ensure fair play, and enhance player trust—without compromising performance.

Tencent Cloud’s EdgeOne unifies performance and protection to safeguard and accelerate every gaming experience. Designed to be Built around the version of “Built for Play. Spark More.“, it delivers rock-solid server stability and ultra-low latency edge AI inference, boosting both game security and player immersion with lifelike NPC interactions. EdgeOne’s core strength lies in its integrated AI‑Power Security and AI Compute at the Edge.

• AI‑Powered Security
  • Protect Content: Detect and control AI crawler traffic
  • Stop Attacks: Reduce malicious traffic from 80% to 0.2% in real time
• AI Compute at the Edge
  • AI Inference: Run elastic, managed edge inference
  • Edge Functions: Secure execution with 0.5ms cold start

Take Delta Force as an example, Tencent Cloud EdgeOne powers this popular title with full-link acceleration and security, protecting massive connections via Layer 4 TCP acceleration, DDoS defense and Anycast, and securing payments and accounts with Layer 7 dynamic protection.

Complementing this is ACE, Tencent Games’ one-stop game defense system with over 20 years of technical accumulation, adhering to “Game On, Cheats Gone”. ACE builds a full-scenario real-time anti-cheat system via AI-powered behavioral detection and scenario-oriented security architecture. Trusted by titles such as Soul Knight Prequel, ACE features a humanized closed-loop governance system and provides scalable solutions for all developers to co-build a fair global game ecosystem.

Comprehensive AI Toolkit to Streamline Content Production

During GDC 2026, Tencent also showcased its recently launched HY 3D AI creation engine, a solution that allows enterprises to generate high-quality 3D assets from a variety of multimodal inputs – including text, images and sketches – within minutes. These capabilities can be applied to major verticals including 3D asset design, digital twins, media production, advertising, e-commerce as well as 3D printing. For example, Germany’s 3D AI Studio is building better tools with this solution to enable their users to create 3D content faster; Lithunia’s CGTrader plans to launch a transformative generative AI workflow designed to help its global creator community to accelerate workflows; and Germany’s Maxon is integrating the HY 3D model engine into its Academy Award‑winning Cinema 4D tool on iPad and desktop, with availability planned for late 2026.

Furthermore, Tencent Cloud’s Agent Development Platform (ADP) is empowering the gaming industry by enabling studios to build dynamic, knowledge-driven ecosystems. By combining RAG with complex workflow automation and multi-agent collaboration, the platform unlocks powerful use cases: from providing real-time Q&A across massive studio knowledge bases to accelerating artist onboarding and streamlining compliance with production standards. This integrated approach lays solid foundation for advanced agentic capabilities in game development.

Powering Global Gaming Success

Tencent Cloud’s leadership in gaming cloud solutions is reinforced by its pivotal role in supporting some of the world’s most successful and widely played game titles. From PUBG MOBILE, which has surpassed one billion global downloads, to Honor of Kings, a consistent top-grossing mobile title, Tencent Cloud provides the backbone for performance at scale. The company also powers blockbuster releases from renowned developers such as Love and Deepspace, Ragnarok Online 3, Lucky Defense, Soul Knight Prequel and NetMarble etc. With millions of concurrent players connected globally, Tencent Cloud brings deep domain expertise and proven reliability to live-service games of all sizes and genres.

Guided by its brand vision—Play Well with Tencent Cloud—the company is committed to enabling gaming clients to thrive in their business through improved efficiency and scalability to achieve long-term success. Tencent Cloud equips developers with accessible, AI-powered tools to bring their creative visions to life more quickly and effectively, while delivering richer, more meaningful experiences for players around the world. Through intelligent connection, accelerated creation, and trusted security, Tencent Cloud is redefining what it means to play well—across every part of the gaming ecosystem.

Learn more about Tencent Cloud’s Gaming Expertise: Where Great Games Take Flight

About Tencent Cloud:

Tencent Cloud, one of the world’s leading cloud companies, is committed to creating innovative solutions to resolve real-world issues and enabling digital transformation for smart industries. Through our extensive global infrastructure, Tencent Cloud provides businesses across the globe with stable and secure industry-leading cloud products and services, leveraging technological advancements such as cloud computing, Big Data analytics, AI, IoT, and network security. It is our constant mission to meet the needs of industries across the board, including the fields of gaming, media and entertainment, finance, healthcare, property, retail, travel, and transportation.

• Global technology company integrates local payment methods across emerging markets in Latin America, Africa, and Asia for more than 100 APAC enterprise merchants
• 36% of EBANX’s TPV last year came from APAC companies, which will have a technology and commercial hub in the new regional HQ
• The Headquarters will be a payments product and regulatory center for e-commerce global brands
• EBANX’s CPO and regional CEO will be based at the new APAC center, alongside senior leaders in engineering, technology, treasury, business, and operations

SINGAPORE, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — EBANX, a global technology company specializing in payment services for emerging markets, will inaugurate an Asia-Pacific Headquarters in Singapore on March 24. The HQ will further strengthen EBANX’s presence in the APAC region, where the company has been partnering with leading e-commerce merchants to support their expansion into emerging markets since its founding in 2012.

In 2025, 36% of EBANX’s Total Payment Volume (TPV) was processed for APAC. Founded in Brazil, the company serves over 100 enterprise merchants in the region, including AliExpress, Gravity Game Vision, Weverse, XTransfer, and Canva. EBANX expects 30% TPV growth in APAC in 2026, driven by purchases from consumers and businesses in over 20 emerging markets where the company processes payments.

“We keep seeing a strong expansion movement of APAC merchants into emerging markets, especially in Latin America and Africa,” said João Del Valle, CEO and Co-founder of EBANX. “In the current global landscape, companies are searching for diversified growth opportunities, strengthening South-South ties and building resilient global partnerships,” he added.

EBANX has strengthened its presence across Asia. Since 2019, the company has maintained its largest office outside Brazil in Shanghai, China, and, since 2024, a dedicated team in India. In 2025, it obtained a Major Payment Institution (MPI) license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). Last month, Eduardo de Abreu, Chief Product Officer (CPO) of EBANX, was also appointed CEO of EBANX Singapore and relocated to the new HQ.

The expansion of EBANX’s position in APAC builds on its long-standing relationship with the region. “The first story of EBANX is truly the story of APAC merchants’ growth,” said Del Valle, emphasizing that the company’s first product, 14 years ago, was the integration of Brazilian payment methods for Chinese retail giants. Since then, the company has served more than 250 merchants based in the region.

Payment innovation and market expansion

Since 2015, Singapore has been EBANX’s primary center for funds transfer capabilities. “With the inauguration of the new Headquarters, we are strengthening our presence in one of the world’s leading hubs for innovation and technology,” said Abreu. In addition to the CPO, 25 professionals will be based at the HQ, including senior leaders overseeing engineering, technology, treasury, compliance, market development, and merchant success. 

According to the IMF, MAS has managed to strike the right balance between progress and safety and soundness, positioning the city-state as a leading example in fintech innovation and regulation. The most recent data from KPMG on Singapore’s fintech sector shows that this environment has attracted over USD 1 billion in investments in the first half of 2025 alone, with the payments vertical leading the way, accounting for 47% of the total deal value.

“EBANX’s HQ in Singapore will serve as one of the key anchors of our global product strategy, becoming a cornerstone for the development of payment solutions for e-commerce merchants around the world,” explained Abreu. The new center will also drive global market expansion, supporting North American and European companies to reach fast-growing economies such as India and the Philippines.

ABOUT EBANX

EBANX is the leading payments platform connecting global businesses to the world’s fastest-growing digital markets. Founded in 2012 in Brazil, EBANX was built with a mission to expand access to international digital commerce. Leveraging proprietary technology, deep market expertise, and robust infrastructure, EBANX enables global companies to offer hundreds of local payment methods and streamline cross-border payments across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Officially licensed as a Major Payment Institution (MPI) by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the company is committed to supporting merchants with full regulatory compliance. More than just payments, EBANX drives growth, enhances sales, and delivers seamless purchase experiences for businesses and end-users alike.

For further information, please visit:
Website: https://www.ebanx.com/en/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ebanx

Media Contact:
Shan Huang
shan.huang@ahgstrategies.com

New Tokyo office strengthens local partnerships, regulatory alignment and global integrations in the world’s third largest pharmaceutical market

BETHESDA, Md., March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Precision for Medicine (Precision), a global leader in biomarker-driven clinical research and development, has announced the opening of its new Japan office, deepening its commitment to the Asia-Pacific region and reinforcing its role as a bridge between local expertise and global development execution.

Japan is the third-largest pharmaceutical market globally and maintains specific expectations for locally derived clinical data in pivotal trials. This requirement has historically created challenges for sponsors incorporating Japan into their development plans. Precision’s Tokyo office and senior leadership embedded in Japan will ensure high quality delivery and consistent global governance while empowering local staff to navigate the regulatory, cultural and operational nuances that define successful trial execution in the market.

“Japan is a vital component of global clinical development,” said James Cheong, Senior Vice President, APAC, Precision. “By establishing our own office with dedicated leadership, we eliminate the gap between global trial design and Japanese regulatory expectations, offering our clients consistent global standards with the confidence that comes from genuine local presence.”

The Japan office also positions Precision to work directly with biopharmaceutical sponsors, investigators, key external experts and sites, enabling more agile operational delivery and stronger collaborations across Japan’s research ecosystem.

“Our Japan presence strengthens our ability to lead complex oncology, autoimmune and rare disease programs that are truly fit for Japanese patients, while aligned with global standards and relevancy,” said Jing Ping Yeo, Vice President, Clinical Operations, Precision. “Our on-the-ground presence ensures Japanese scientific insights, biomarker trends and regulatory expectations inform global trial design from the outset, especially in the highly specialized indications where expert local input is critical.”

The new office opening complements Precision’s extensive APAC footprint, which includes over 500 employees and offices in Singapore, Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, Taiwan and Australia. Together these operations deliver fully integrated, regionally informed support for clients pursuing global market access.

“Our vision for APAC is one of full integration; not a regional add-on, but an indispensable part of how global precision medicines get developed and delivered,” said Daisy DeWeese-Gatt, President, Clinical Solutions, Precision. “The Japan office advances that vision and deepens our commitment to ensuring novel therapies reach the patients who need them most, with APAC populations fully represented.”

About Precision for Medicine

Precision for Medicine is the first biomarker-driven clinical research and development services organization supporting life sciences companies in the use of biomarkers essential to targeting patient treatments more precisely and effectively. Precision applies a transformational approach to clinical research that integrates clinical trial design and execution with deep scientific knowledge, laboratory expertise and advanced data intelligence. This convergence is driving faster clinical development and approval. Precision for Medicine is part of Precision Medicine Group, with 3,500 people in over 40 locations globally across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. For more information, visit PrecisionForMedicine.com.

Contact
Brad Epstein
Brad.Epstein@PrecisionMedicineGrp.com

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SINGAPORE, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Locus Cell Co., Ltd. (“Locus Cell”), a Taiwan-based cell and gene therapy (CGT) Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), and Charles River Laboratories (“Charles River”), a global contract research organization (CRO) providing drug development support and biologics testing solutions, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the APAC Biomanufacturing Leadership Summit 2026 in Singapore.

The Summit, positioned as the flagship APAC biomanufacturing forum, convened regional executives, investors, regulatory experts, and scientists under the theme “Shaping the Region’s Bioproduction Landscape – From Scale-Up Innovation to Quality Compliance.” Discussions centered on strengthening regional manufacturing capabilities, accelerating innovation, and ensuring alignment with global quality and regulatory standards.

Over its decades-long history, Charles River’s global services have supported the research or development efforts behind a significant number of FDA-approved therapeutics in recent years, underscoring its central role in advancing biomedical innovation worldwide.

The MoU establishes a framework for the Parties to explore potential collaboration in CMC support, analytical testing, technical development, and related services for advanced therapy developers in Taiwan and across the Asia-Pacific region.

As a CDMO dedicated specifically to cell and gene therapy manufacturing, Locus Cell is building a digital-native smart cell factory in Taiwan to support the rapidly growing CGT sector in Asia. By combining Locus Cell’s advanced therapy manufacturing capabilities— including CAR-T, iPSC, and immune cell platforms — with Charles River’s global expertise in biologics testing and analytical development, the Parties intend to evaluate opportunities for technical alignment, service integration, and mutual customer referral mechanisms, subject to further discussion and definitive agreements.

“This MoU reflects our shared commitment to strengthening collaboration in advanced therapies,” said Sean Chang, CEO of Locus Cell. “Locus Cell is a CDMO dedicated specifically to cell and gene therapy. We are building a digital-native smart cell factory from the ground up in Zhubei, Taiwan, designed to integrate AIoT systems, digital manufacturing, and future automation under PIC/S GMP standards. By combining Charles River’s global expertise in testing and analytical development with Locus Cell’s dedicated CGT manufacturing platform in Asia, we see a strong strategic fit to support advanced therapy developers across the region. Taiwan is also establishing a supportive regulatory framework for regenerative medicine, and we welcome international partners to collaborate with us.

SEOUL, South Korea, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sky Labs announced on 12th that it is supporting the Established Investigator Award for Clinical Hypertension’ developed by the American Heart Association (the Association).

This support follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Association last September. It is expected to significantly support the advancement of hypertension research globally.

Sky Labs will provide support for the Established Investigator Award for Clinical Hypertension which will provide funding to a total of three outstanding researchers who have achieved exceptional research accomplishments in the field of hypertension from 2026 to 2028.

During this period, Sky Labs will provide approximately $90,000 in total funding to the Association. This amount includes the annual honorariums for the selected investigators as well as all program-related costs required to support the operation of the awards.

Eligibility requires membership of the Association’s Scientific Council on Hypertension.

Jack Byunghwan Lee, CEO of Sky Labs, stated, “We are deeply honored to look forward to and contribute to world-class hypertension research outcomes through our support for the American Heart Association. We will intensify clinical research to validate the effectiveness of blood pressure management solutions while also dedicating efforts to research and development to support these initiatives.”

Sky Labs is an AI healthcare company providing innovative chronic disease management solutions through ‘CART,’ the world’s first medical-grade ring-type wearable blood pressure monitor.

About Sky Labs https://skylabs.io/en/

Founded in September 2015, Sky Labs is a healthcare company that develops and operates “CART”, a ring-type medical device and platform for monitoring chronic disease patients. Since the first CART was developed in 2020 for atrial fibrillation monitoring using cardiac signals from optical sensors, the company has expanded its capabilities. In 2023, Sky Labs received medical device approval for “CART BP pro,” a ring-type monitor designed for 24-hour blood pressure measurement. In 2024, CART BP pro was recognized by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) under the existing medical procedure of ’24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring’ (reimbursement code ‘E6547’), and is currently being prescribed in hospitals and clinics across Korea. Furthermore, in September 2025, the company launched “CART BP,” a consumer-grade ring-type blood pressure monitor, which is available through its official online store and various other online channels.

Media Inquiries

Inok Jung inok.jung@skylabs.io
Bomi Lee bomi.lee@skylabs.io