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Nithya Subramanian

The company is also open to participating in the Government's cataract eradication programme.

New Delhi , Sept. 6

OPHTHALMIC surgical device maker, Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) Inc, is bullish about the Indian market. After setting up a wholly owned subsidiary, the company hopes to generate at least 10-15 per cent of its Asia-Pacific revenues from India.

Speaking to Business Line, Mr James E. Francese, Vice-President, Laser Vision Correction Group, Asia-Pacific, said: "On worldwide basis, AMO estimates revenue of approximately $920-930 million in 2005. The Asia-Pacific region is our fastest growing region. In 2004, our revenue from the region was $66.8 million and we expect strong growth in 2005 as well. Moving forward, we expect India to be an increasingly important component of our Asia-Pacific growth strategies, with revenues from India targeted to represent roughly 10-15 per cent of our total 2005 revenue for this region and this percentage is expected to grow in the future."

To achieve this, it is planning to invest $10 million in the Indian market. The company has been present in India through Allergan (a joint venture of Allergan Inc of the US and Nicholas Piramal, headquartered in Bangalore) and in co-ordination with select local partners.

However, now it will service its clients directly. Last year AMO globally acquired Pfizer Inc's surgical ophthalmology business. As a result, AMO also acquired Pfizer's manufacturing and R&D facilities at Bangalore.

Mr Francese said that India would be a potential market, especially for its intra-ocular lens used after cataract surgery.

"Currently, about two million lens are sold each year, and we hope to sell a substantial share," he added.

In India, even today large incision surgery is widely conducted, not micro-incision surgery.

"We have sophisticated machinery and certainly hope to be more active in the segment," Mr Francese said.

The company is also open to participating in the Government's cataract eradication programme.

The products in the company's portfolio include laser vision correction systems and products used in cataract and refractive surgery. The contact lens care line includes disinfecting solutions, daily cleaners, enzymatic cleaners and lens rewetting drops.

Currently, AMO imports several products from its facilities around the world. The products manufactured at the Bangalore facility cater to the domestic market. But the company does not rule out the possibility of servicing other markets from India at a later date.

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