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FTC Requests More Information on Alcon’s $430 Million Acquisition of Lensar

By  |  May 27, 2025
FTC, price surveillance, retail prices

The Federal Trade Commission has requested further details regarding Alcon Inc.’s proposed acquisition of Florida-based medical technology firm Lensar Inc., temporarily delaying the completion of the deal. The move extends the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, according to a statement released on May 21, 2025.

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    The transaction, first announced in March, involves Swiss eye care leader Alcon acquiring Lensar through a merger with Alcon Research, LLC, and its subsidiary, VMI Option Merger Sub, Inc. As outlined in a March 23, 2025, statement, the agreement would see Lensar become a wholly owned subsidiary of Alcon.

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    Under the terms of the deal, Alcon has agreed to purchase all outstanding shares of Lensar at $14.00 per share in cash, with the potential for an additional $2.75 per share in contingent value rights. The bonus payment depends on achieving a target of 614,000 cumulative procedures using Lensar’s technology between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2027. Per a statement, this brings the total potential value of the transaction to approximately $430 million, reflecting a significant premium over Lensar’s recent trading prices.

    Despite the FTC’s request for more information, both companies have expressed their intention to work closely with regulators. According to a statement, Alcon and Lensar are cooperating with the FTC and remain optimistic about closing the transaction in the second half of 2025, subject to regulatory approval and other customary conditions.

    Alcon’s CEO, David Endicott, emphasized the strategic value of the acquisition, highlighting Lensar’s advanced femtosecond laser technology and intellectual property as important additions to Alcon’s surgical portfolio. The integration is expected to enhance the company’s global reach and support innovation in cataract surgery—a procedure performed more than 5 million times annually in the United States and roughly 32 million times worldwide.

    The FTC’s second request is a common step in antitrust reviews of sizable mergers and does not necessarily indicate opposition to the deal.

    Source: Alcon