Ellex Medical Lasers

Infobox_Company
company_name = Ellex Medical Lasers
company_
company_type = Public (ASX: [http://www.asx.com.au/asx/research/CompanyInfoSearchResults.jsp?searchBy=asxCode&allinfo=on&asxCode=ELX ELX] )
foundation = 1985
location = flagicon|AUS Adelaide, Australia
key_people = Peter Falzon (CEO)| Kevin McGuiness (CFO & COO) industry = Manufacturing
homepage = [http://www.ellex.com www.ellex.com]

Ellex Medical Lasers is an Australia-based company that is engaged in the business of designing, manufacturing and marketing a line of lasers used by ophthalmologists. Ellex manufactures and sells photodisruptors, photocoagulators and selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) system for treating cataract, retina and glaucoma conditions.

History

Ellex was first established as a division of Quentron Optics, an Australian-based scientific laser company, in 1985.

The first ophthalmic product, a photodisruptor system marketed under the Laserex brand, was launched in 1988 - followed shortly after by an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) arrangement with Alcon for supply of this photodisruptor platform.

In 1999, Ellex entered into a second OEM agreement with Coherent Medical to develop and supply the Coherent branded YAG laser photodisruptor based on the Laserex design. This relationship was expanded in 2001 with a second OEM arrangement to design and supply a Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) system for treatment of Glaucoma.

In 2001, Ellex also underwent an IPO and listing on the Australian Stock Exchange. However, within 18 months of listing the ophthalmic laser industry experienced a downturn and Ellex was exposed to the fortunes of its major OEM partners. As a consequence, the company embarked on a three year research and development programme to develop the existing product range.

In March 2006, the company announced a decision to operate and brand products exclusively under the Ellex name. The same year the company established an Australasian direct sales and service subsidiary - Ellex Australia Pty.

In December 2006, the Company acquired Innovative Imaging Inc., a designer and manufacturer of ophthalmic diagnostic ultrasound systems. This marked Ellex's first involvement in an area of ophthalmology outside of laser products.

Internationally, Ellex operates direct sales offices in Japan and the United States - and a European product service centre in France.

Ophthalmic Lasers

Ellex manufactures and sells solid-state photodisruptors, photocoagulators and SLT devices for treating cataract, glaucoma and retinal conditions.

Ophthalmic Ultrasound

As of 2007, the only Innovative Imaging Inc product is the Eye Cubed diagnostic ultrasound system.

Patent Portfolio

Ellex holds a number of core patents which act to differentiate the laser portfolio. These include:
* The integration of the treatment laser into the body of the slit lamp delivery system
* Production of photocoagulation and SLT treatment wavelengths from a single YAG laser source [ cite web
url=http://v3.espacenet.com/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=EP1540403&F=0
publisher=esp@cenet
title=Patent EP1540403 - Ophthalmic laser system
date=2005-06-15]
* Production of red and green wavelengths from a single diode laser source [ cite web
url=http://v3.espacenet.com/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=WO2007006092&F=0
publisher=esp@cenet
title=Patent WO2007006092 - DIODE PUMPED LASER
date=2007-01-18]

External links

* [http://www.ellex.com Ellex Medical Lasers website]
* [http://www.innovative-imaging.com Innovative Imaging Inc. website]

Notes