AMO's WaveFront purchase is 'another step forward'

KOLOA, Hawaii — Advanced Medical Optics announced in a press release its acquisition of diagnostic systems manufacturer WaveFront Sciences Inc.

WaveFront Sciences is the developer of a high-resolution Shack-Hartmann-based wavefront aberrometer, which is used in wavefront-guided custom ablation procedures, according to the press release.

AMO will pay approximately $20 million for the company. The acquisition includes $14 million in cash at closing, and a commitment to pay $6 million in future payments based on achieving agreed upon milestones over the next 3 years.

"This acquisition represents another step forward in AMO's strategy to provide a full range of products and services that meets the needs of comprehensive refractive practices," AMO chairman, president and CEO, James V. Mazzo, said in the release. Albuquerque, N.M.-based WaveFront Sciences Inc., a privately owned company, welcomed the acquisition.

"WaveFront Sciences looks forward to supporting and contributing to AMO's growth and business objectives while enabling practitioners to provide state-of-the-art surgical planning and diagnostics for their patients," WaveFront Sciences CEO Tim Turner said in the release.

"A lot of very knowledgeable people think that the WaveFront Sciences aberrometer is one of the best Shack-Hartmann aberrometers that has ever been made. They have a number of features from their technology that are interesting, compelling and high quality," said Steven C. Schallhorn, MD, Director of Refractive Surgery, U.S. Navy.

"I was very happy when I heard the news and excited about the possibility that state-of-the-art technology can be incorporated into the [VISX] WaveScan. It is a good merge," he said.

This is the second acquisition this year for AMO, following its January 8 announcement of its intent to acquire IntraLase Corp., manufacturer of the IntraLase FS femtosecond laser.