Alcon to pay AMO $121m in patents truce

Advanced Medical Optics and Alcon have announced a global settlement resolving all current patent disputes between the two eye care companies.

Alcon will pay AMO a lump sum of $121m as part of the agreement, which will see all existing patent litigation dismissed, primarily relating to surgical technologies used cataract surgery.

AMO chairman, president and chief executive Jim Mazzo said: ‘We invest substantial resources and energies to develop new ophthalmic technologies and are pleased to bring these legal matters to a swift and successful close for the benefit of our stockholders and customers.’

His counterpart at Alcon, Cary Rayment, commented: ‘Alcon will continue to market all existing phacoemulsification platforms while focusing our development efforts on technological advancements that will continue to revolutionise cataract surgery.’