Novartis to license Google "smart lens" technology

Innovative technology offers potential to transform eye care and further enhance Alcon's leadership in contact lenses and intraocular lenses. Agreement is a first step for Novartis to evolve technology to manage human diseases and conditions - The digital press release with multimedia content can be accessed here: - Basel, Switzerland, July 15, 2014 - Novartis announced that its eye care division Alcon has entered into an agreement with a division of Google Inc. to in-license its "smart lens" technology for all ocular medical uses. The agreement with Google[x], a team within Google that is devoted to finding new solutions to big global problems, provides Alcon with the opportunity to develop and commercialize Google's "smart lens" technology with the potential to transform eye care and further enhance Alcon's pipeline and global leadership in contact lenses and intraocular lenses. The transaction remains subject to anti-trust approvals. The agreement between Google and Alcon represents an important step for Novartis, across all of its divisions, to leverage technology to manage human diseases and conditions. Google's key advances in the miniaturization of electronics complement Novartis's deep pharmaceuticals and medical device expertise.