Alcon Completes Deal for Ivantis

Alcon has completed the acquisition of Ivantis, developer of the Hydrus Microstent, a minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) device to lower eye pressure for open-angle glaucoma patients in connection with cataract surgery.
 
Ivantis’ integration helps ensure business and relationship continuity with existing customers. Alcon can also begin growth plans to bring the Hydrus Microstent to more international markets and prioritize ongoing evidence-based research.
 
“We believe this transaction will further strengthen our global surgical portfolio and help provide a platform for more growth in the glaucoma space,” Alcon CEO David Endicott told the press. “As we welcome Ivantis associates into Alcon, we look forward to introducing Hydrus Microstent on a broader, global scale in the near future to help even more patients see brilliantly.”
 
Five-year HORIZON data showed clinically meaningful, statistically significant clinical benefits using Hydrus over five years, including sustained medication use reduction and need for invasive secondary glaucoma surgery.
 
“This is an important time for Hydrus Microstent as we continue to learn more about its long-term efficacy and outcomes for glaucoma patients worldwide. The visual field data recently showcased at the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting showed Hydrus Microstent as the first MIGS device to demonstrate a reduced rate of visual field loss compared to cataract surgery alone. This is an important milestone for surgeons and their patients,” said Dr. Ike Ahmed, Research Director at Kensington Eye Institute, Director of the Glaucoma and Advanced Anterior Segment Surgery (GAASS) Fellowship Program at the University of Toronto, and Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Utah’s John A. Moran Eye Center. “I am confident that Alcon’s acquisition of Ivantis will help drive even more research and adoption of Hydrus Microstent.”
 
Alcon intends to pursue standalone surgery indications for Hydrus in the U.S. Clinical trials are underway.
 
Hydrus is indicated in the U.S. for intraocular pressure reduction in adult patients with mild to moderate primary open-angle glaucoma in conjunction with cataract surgery. In the U.K., Canada, Australia, Singapore and Germany, the device is indicated for primary open-angle glaucoma in conjunction with cataract surgery and as a stand-alone procedure.