Samsara Vision Ophthalmic Technologies Names Wolfgang Tolle Chief Executive Officer
New CEO to Lead Market Expansion of Novel Treatment for Advanced Macular Degeneration
Saratoga, CA – April 15, 2015
Samsara Vision Ophthalmic Technologies, Inc. the developer, manufacturer and marketer of the Implantable Miniature Telescope (“IMT” by Dr. Isaac Lipshitz), the only FDA-approved surgical device for End-stage Age-related Macular Degeneration, announced today that Wolfgang Tolle will join the company as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Tolle takes the helm of the company as it accelerates market adoption of the novel CentraSight treatment program, fueled by recent milestone achievements with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Samsara Vision’s current CEO, Allen Hill, will turn over duties effective May 1 and transition to Chairman & Advisor.
”Wolfgang’s corporate and entrepreneurial successes in the ophthalmology sector as General Manager of Alcon Benelux and CEO of Wavelight coupled with his broad technology and industry experience make him the right executive to lead Samsara Vision to higher levels of commercial performance and business value,” said Hill. “Samsara Vision’s” board and management are excited that Wolfgang is taking leadership of the company at this important inflection point for the company.”
Mr. Tolle is an accomplished and successful executive, entrepreneur and business advisor with over 25 years of experience in the ophthalmology industry, the technology sector and business advisory services. He was most recently President & COO of PostCreator, a Washington-area technology business. From 2011 to 2014, Mr. Tolle was General Manager of Alcon Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxemburg), a division of Novartis, where he was responsible for all Alcon product lines including surgical, pharmaceutical, and contact lenses. In this capacity, Mr. Tolle guided the integration of Alcon Benelux into Novartis AG, the Swiss multinational that completed its acquisition of Alcon in 2011. Prior to that, he was CEO of WaveLight Inc. and WaveLight AG/GmbH, a publicly traded German producer of premium refractive ophthalmic lasers acquired by Alcon Inc. Earlier, he was President and CEO of LaunchDreams LLC, a Northern Virginia firm that provides advisory services to U.S. and international technology and related businesses.
“I am honored and thrilled the Board of Directors has provided me the opportunity to lead Samsara Vision, the company that has pioneered the development of implantable devices for treating end-stage macular degeneration,” said Tolle. “I look forward to working with the healthcare community, our management team and employees as we strive to accelerate healthcare provider and patient adoption of the telescope implant and CentraSight treatment program.”
About Samsara Vision Ophthalmic Technologies
Samsara Vision Ophthalmic Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Saratoga, CA, is a privately-held company. The company is focused on the development, manufacturing, and marketing of implantable ophthalmic devices and technologies that are intended to improve vision and quality of life for individuals with End-stage Age-related Macular Degeneration. Samsara Vision’s Implantable Miniature Telescope was invented by company founders Yossi Gross and Isaac Lipshitz.
Media Contact:
Richard Powers, Executive Vice President
Samsara VisionOphthalmic Technologies, Inc.
(408) 872-9393
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Released April 15, 2015