GOTHENBURG, Sweden, March 4, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Entific was created in 1999 as a spin-off from Nobel Biocare, the world leader in innovative esthetics dental solutions, and is today an international medical technology company that develops and markets hearing implants for rehabilitation of conductive and mixed hearing losses as well as Single Sided Deafness (SSD). Sales in 2004 reached SEK 211.5 million (approx. EUR 23 million) and the pre-tax earnings were SEK 37 million (approx. EUR 4 million).
Cochlear is a leading Australian medical technology company and develops and markets cochlear implants for the treatment of profound deafness. The company is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.
During the five years that Entific has been owned by Nobel Biocare, CapMan and Investor Growth Capital, it has developed into a well established company which today has over 25,000 patients treated with the company's Baha(r) hearing implant. The bone anchored hearing implant, made of titanium, gives a unique possibility for ENT- and neurosurgeons throughout the world to treat Single Sided Deaf patients or patients with a conductive hearing loss who will regain a functioning hearing and hence be able to live a normal life. The treatment involves fairly non-invasive surgery. The turnover has increased six-fold since 1999, attributable to the establishment of an international sales and marketing organization in combination with a high pace of new product launches. The market approval for Baha by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration late 2002 has since been a major driving force for growth. The U.S. has now become the biggest market for Entific.
"From a non-core business unit within Nobel Biocare, Entific has developed to a fast growing international company. Both companies compliment each other very well and have products that are intended for the same customer base and sold to the same clinics and surgeons. This solution will give the personnel at Entific, who have done an excellent job in developing this company, an optimal environment and larger platform for further growth," says Heliane Canepa, President and CEO of Nobel Biocare and member of the board of Entific.
The agreement is awaiting clearance from relevant anti-competition authorities and is expected to be closed during the first quarter of 2005.
Nobel Biocare is a medical devices group and the world leader in innovative esthetic dental solutions with its brands Branemark System(r), Replace(r) Select, NobelPerfect(tm), NobelDirect(tm) (dental implants) and Procera(r) (individualized dental prosthetics).
Nobel Biocare is a one-stop shop for restorative esthetic dentistry, offering a wide range of innovative Crown & Bridge & Implant products, as well as training & education and clinically documented treatment concepts.
Nobel Biocare has 1,430 employees and in 2004 revenue totaled EUR 388 million. The global operational headquarters are located in Gothenburg, Sweden; while production takes place at four production sites in Sweden and the U.S. Nobel Biocare has its own sales organizations in 29 countries.
The shares of the parent company Nobel Biocare Holding AG are listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange and on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, Sweden.
Nobel Biocare Holding AG, Postfach 8058 Zurich-Flughafen, Switzerland