Alcon acquires ophthalmic laser equipment company for $466 million

On July 3rd local time, Swiss ophthalmic care giant Alcon announced the acquisition of Israeli medical technology company Belkin Vision and its laser equipment assets for treating glaucoma.

The transaction includes a prepayment of $81 million, of which approximately $65 million is in cash. In addition, if Alcon can establish this technology as the preferred first-line treatment option for clinical doctors, there will be up to $385 million in sales payments. The overall acquisition price is as high as 466 million US dollars.

Belkin Vision is committed to solving this problem by developing a non-contact automatic glaucoma laser treatment method that enables ophthalmologists to treat patients more effectively. The Eagle laser treatment program under the company has been successfully launched in the European Union and the United Kingdom, and was also approved by the FDA in December last year, paving the way for the promotion of its innovative technology in the US market.

The focus of this acquisition is on the automated program of Direct Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (DSLT), which can help reduce patients' intraocular pressure without the need for medication or eye drops, otherwise an increase in intraocular pressure can cause damage to the optic nerve.

DSLT technology has been approved in the European Union and the United Kingdom; Alcon stated that the device has also obtained FDA's 510 (k) certification, but the system has not yet been commercialized in the United States - the company hopes to change this situation by the end of this year.

At the same time, Alcon's glaucoma product portfolio already includes implants such as Hydras and drug eye drops. The company also plans to incorporate DSLT into its Alcon Vision Suite training platform for use by healthcare providers.

"We look forward to expanding the application of this exciting technology in the future while continuing to address the unmet needs in the field of glaucoma," Clark said.

Alcon stated that previous clinical trials have shown that DSLT technology can be an economically effective primary treatment for open-angle glaucoma and high intraocular pressure, reducing the need for repeated medication or surgery, and automating the process can provide a more streamlined workflow.

Belkin Vision was founded by ophthalmologist Professor Michael Belkin in 2013, formerly known as Belkin Laser. Since its establishment, the company has been focusing on developing non-contact laser treatment technology, aiming to treat glaucoma in a more efficient and convenient way, and improve the popularity of treatment.

As a Swiss American pharmaceutical and medical device company with a market value of over $38 billion, this acquisition will further consolidate its leading position in the field of ophthalmology.

Source: OFweek