HOYA Surgical Optics Launches Ophthalmic New Joint Venture in China

In January, Hoya Surgical Optics (HSO) announced an agreement to partner with GeMax, a distributor partner since 2006. Last week, that new venture became a reality as operations opened up in Shanghai.

This joint venture will introduce a broader range of currently available Hoya Surgical Optics products as well as access to pipeline technologies in the future. It will also capitalize on the expertise of GeMax, a specialty promotion service provider of IOLs with a strong reputation in China. The joint venture will be named Hoya GeMax Medical. HSO will be the majority shareholder.

Although the world is facing an unprecedented challenge with the COVID-19 pandemic, life in China is slowly returning to a “new normal.” There has been a steady increase in the number of cataract surgeries as the country rebounds.

“Even in early stages, seeing the economy in China reopen is very promising. We have accelerated the official launch of our joint venture to be able to support hospitals and surgeons as they get back on track at this critical time” John Goltermann Lassen, CEO of HOYA Surgical Optics, said in a company news release.

China, a home to over 1.4 billion people, is one of the biggest markets globally. Given the aging population and rapid infrastructure development, along with the backlog of cataract cases accumulated during the pandemic, there is a need for high quality products and on-site support services to meet the unique demands of this important market.

Alfred Lim, a veteran in the medical device industry with 23 years in leadership roles in China, was named General Manager of Hoya GeMax Medical. He, along with the senior management of GeMax, has spent the last 3 months preparing for the launch of the joint venture.

“We’re very excited to announce the launch of Hoya GeMax Medical. Last week we officially opened operations and we are ready to support our customers in China” said Alfred Lim, General Manager, Hoya GeMax Medical.