Press Releases

Leica Microsystems and TrueVision® 3D Surgical Reach Worldwide Agreement
Advancing 3D Visualization for Microsurgery Applications

Washington D.C. / USA. Leica Microsystems and TrueVision 3D Surgical announced today that Leica will incorporate key components of TrueVision's 3D intelligent digital visualization and guidance platform into selected Leica Microsystems surgical products under the Leica brand. In addition to co-marketing the Leica and 3D by TrueVision products, the two companies will collaborate on advanced projects that will further integrate their respective optical and digital technologies to improve microsurgery outcomes in Ophthalmology and Neurosurgery.

TrueVision® is a real-time, stereoscopic, 3D high-definition visualization system for microsurgery. It will be integrated into Leica Microsystems' surgical microscopes to display the surgical field of view on 3D flat panel displays in the operating room. TrueVision® combines 3D visualization with guidance software applications focused on improving accuracy, efficiency, and outcomes for both surgeons and patients. It also enables surgeons to record surgery in 3D and to stream live video of the surgical field, making it an unparalleled teaching tool.

Leica Microsystems is presenting the TrueVision® line of products at the annual Congress of Neurological Surgeons in Washington DC, October 1-6, 2011, Booth# 548. It is the debut of a collaboration which is expected to bring integrated 3D visualization and guidance for microsurgery into the main stream as a standard of care.

"We are very pleased to have Leica Microsystems as a worldwide partner," says Forrest Fleming, CEO of TrueVision 3D Surgical, "As a world leader in surgical microscopes, Leica adds significant distribution and technology resources to our current sales efforts globally, and accelerates commercialization of the TrueVision brand in 3D computer-aided surgery."

"TrueVision products are a great add-on to our product portfolio," says Silvio Bracone, Vice President of the Medical Division of Leica Microsystems, "we are very excited to cooperate and drive superior technology in the OR combining our almost 40 years of know-how in surgical microscopy with TrueVision's 3D technology." The comprehensive worldwide agreement will have a phased approach for specific product developments over a three year term. Specific details of the agreement are not disclosed.

Leica Microsystems is a world leader in microscopes and scientific instruments. Founded as a family business in the nineteenth century, the company's history was marked by unparalleled innovation on its way to becoming a global enterprise.
Its historically close cooperation with the scientific community is the key to Leica Microsystems' tradition of innovation, which draws on users' ideas and creates solutions tailored to their requirements. At the global level, Leica Microsystems is organized in four divisions, all of which are among the leaders in their respective fields: the Life Science Division, Industry Division, Biosystems Division and Medical Division.

Leica Microsystems' Biosystems Division, also known as Leica Biosystems, offers histopathology laboratories the most extensive product range with appropriate products for each work step in histology and for a high level of productivity in the working processes of the entire laboratory.

The company is represented in over 100 countries with 12 manufacturing facilities in 7 countries, sales and service organizations in 19 countries and an international network of dealers. The company is headquartered in Wetzlar, Germany.

TrueVision® 3D Surgical is the leader in digital 3D visualization and guidance for microsurgery. Based in Santa Barbara, California, TrueVision® has developed and patented an intelligent, real-time, 3D surgical visualization and computer-aided guidance platform. The company is focused on developing a suite of 3D guidance applications for microsurgery to improve surgical efficiencies and patient outcomes. The first application is the Refractive Cataract Toolset®, the first 3D computer guided image system for astigmatic correction and advanced IOL placement.

Contact:

Leica Microsystems
Dr. Kirstin Henze
Tel.: +49 – 6441 – 29 – 2550
Email: corporate.communications@leica-microsystems.com
www.leica-microsystems.com

TrueVision 3D Surgical, Inc.
Robert Reali
Tel.: +1 – 805 – 963 – 9700
Email: rreali@truevisionsys.com
www.truevisionsys.com