Carl Zeiss Meditec AG completes acquisition of Dutch Ophthalmic Research Center

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Carl Zeiss Meditec AG announced it has completed the acquisition of the entire Dutch Ophthalmic Research Center (DORC) from the investment firm Eurazeo SE, Paris, France.

According to a news release, Zeiss secured all of the required regulatory approvals. The acquisition enhances and complements Zeiss Medical Technology’s broad ophthalmic portfolio and range of digitally connected workflow solutions for addressing a wide variety of eye conditions, spanning retina and cornea disorders, cataract, glaucoma, and refractive errors.

Markus Weber, PhD, president and CEO of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, pointed out that together the 2 companies are better.

“Today holds significant importance for us as we bring our teams together and turn our collective attention toward delivering breakthrough innovations and solutions for our customers,” Weber said in the news release. “We are very excited to welcome DORC’s team members to our Zeiss family and to begin integrating our products and practices as we work toward a brighter future together,”

Euan S. Thomson, PhD, president of Ophthalmology and head of the Digital Business Unit for ZEISS Medical Technology, said in the news release the companies can offer a solid portfolio of technologies and digital workflows.

“With DORC, we have an incredible opportunity to serve ophthalmologists around the world with more complete workflows and solutions than ever before,” Thomson added in the news release. “We’ve set our sights high to become the top player in the world for ophthalmology by leveraging our workflow solutions, enhancing our portfolio offerings and market position in the anterior surgery segment, and by significantly expanding our presence in the posterior surgery segment.”

Pierre Billardon, CEO of DORC, stated that together the companies are stronger.

“With four decades behind our amazing business and surgeon-inspired innovation, we look forward to writing the next chapter of our success story together with Zeiss Medical Technology,” Billardon said in the news release. “

Billiardon stated the companies can extend their reach and scale their efforts.

“I am filled with a great sense of pride and gratitude for every DORC team member,” he added in the news release. “Together, we have achieved so much to arrive at this pivotal moment in our journey. And together with Zeiss, we have so much more to accomplish in our bright future ahead to help patients see again.”

As a participant in the retina surgical devices and consumables market, DORC’s contributions will be critical to Zeiss Medical Technology’s long-term strategy and success going forward. With DORC, Zeiss is in a position to offer an unmatched portfolio of market-leading technologies to ophthalmologists, including an expanded, digitally-connected Retina Surgery Workflow from Zeiss.¹

According to the news release, the companies’ portfolios are complementary and the powerful combination of the EVA NEXUS platform from DORC with Zeiss’s extensive range of visualization, diagnostic and therapeutic devices, and surgical instruments and consumables, all connected to a digital ecosystem, will enable the creation of efficient clinical workflows that will reshape the ophthalmology market for the benefit of surgeons and their patients alike.

Moreover, the companies noted in the news release DORC also adds the dual function of its EVA NEXUS platform, which is the core of its portfolio that also includes an range of accessories, instruments and liquids, offering one of the best-in-class solutions across vitreo-retinal (VR) and combined cataract procedures.

This addition of the DORC portfolio will ensure that surgeons will have more options to choose the solutions that best meet their specific surgical requirements and preferences.

According to the companies, in the wake of the completion of this acquisition, healthcare professionals can expect to benefit from a combination of digitally connected devices and workflow solutions, from clinical pre-operative needs to the surgical operating room. This supports efficient clinical workflows and helps surgeons to improve outcomes for their patients. The two companies’ immediate priorities span maintaining business continuity and customer satisfaction, cultivating areas of deep expertise, and enhancing the value of their solutions and services for current and future customers.¹

Reference:

1. Carl Zeiss Meditec AG Completes Acquisition of Dutch Ophthalmic Research Center (D.O.R.C.). www.zeiss.com. Accessed April 4, 2024. https://www.zeiss.com/meditec-ag/en/media-news/press-releases/2024/acquisition-dutch-ophthalmic-research-center.html