Carl Zeiss Meditec AG announced it will be acquiring the Dutch Ophthalmic Research Center (International) B.V. (D.O.R.C.) this year.
Refresh me on D.O.R.C.
Founded in 1983 and based in Zuidland, the Netherlands, D.O.R.C. is a global manufacturer and supplier of techniques, instruments, liquids, and equipment for ophthalmic surgery.
Owned by the investment firm Eurazeo SE, Paris, France, the company exports its instruments and equipment to 80+ countries.
How about some details on the purchase?
Per ZEISS, the 100%-of-shares acquisition is valued at an estimated EUR 985 million (just under US $1.1 billion) and is “subject to applicable regulatory and antitrust approvals.”
RBC Capital Markets, a global investment bank, was noted as the deal’s financial advisor.
Should I be familiar with any of DORC’s products?
Probably … the company’s areas of focus are heavily within the retinal surgical device market, including:
- Posterior segment
- Instruments
- Surgical liquids/tamponades
- Disposable vitrectomy lenses
- Scleral buckling products
- Anterior segment
- Instruments
- Surgical liquids
See here for a list of all products.
Of note, D.O.R.C.’S EVA NEXUS ophthalmic surgical system is considered “one of the market’s most advanced dual-function systems.”
Talk more about this EVA NEXUS.
The surgical platform consists of a dual-capable system, full range of accessories, instruments, and liquids that provide a “best-in-class solution” for virtual reality (VR), cataract, and combined procedures.
These include:
- NEXUS Fluidics
- NEXUS Vitrectomy
- NEXUS Endoillumination
- INICIO Microinjection
- NEXUS Phaco
Click here for details on each.
Gotcha. So how does ZEISS benefit from this deal?
For ZEISS— with its already-established ophthalmic portfolio—D.O.R.C.’s product line of retinal surgical devices will be an enhancement for ZEISS Retina Workflow and the overall Medical Technology product portfolio, according to Euan S. Thomson, PhD, head of both the Ophthalmology Strategic Business Unit and the Digital Business Unit for ZEISS Medical Technology.
And the significance?
“We’ll bring together two highly innovative ophthalmic powerhouses to accelerate ZEISS’s position in the vitreo-retinal surgery segment and extend our leadership in the ophthalmic medical devices market,” stated President and CEO Markus Weber, PhD
Lastly… when is the deal effective?
The companies plan to complete the acquisition within the first half of 2024. Stay tuned!