Carl Zeiss Meditec acquires IOL manufacturer

Carl Zeiss Meditec has acquired Aaren Scientific, Inc., an IOL manufacturer based in Ontario, Calif., that has been making IOLs for more than two decades.

"The two companies, Zeiss and Aaren Scientific, are highly complementary and enable Zeiss to offer ophthalmic surgeons a broader portfolio of solutions" says Dr. Ludwin Monz, a member of the executive board of Zeiss AG and president and CEO of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG.

The acquisition was made through the subsidiary Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc. The majority of shares in Aaren Scientific had previously been owned by a private investment company, as well as other investors, including the CEO and co-founder of Aaren Scientific, Rick Aguilera, who along with the entire management team will stay on board after the transaction.

Aaren Scientific was the first manufacturer of IOLs in the U.S. to receive a CE registration. The company currently has 235 employees. In 2012, it had total revenues of approximately $20 million, primarily generated outside of the U.S.

Aaren Scientific will be integrated into the Carl Zeiss Meditec surgical ophthalmology strategic business unit and complements the existing Zeiss IOL development and manufacturing sites in Berlin, Germany and La Rochelle, France.