Microline Pentax Changes Name To Microline Surgical

BEVERLY, MA—Microline PENTAX, Inc., a leading manufacturer of reposable instruments for minimally invasive surgery, announced today that it has completed the change of its corporate name to Microline Surgical, Inc. The company will also issue a new logo and launch a rebranded website (www.microlinesurgical.com).

According to  Jean-Luc Boulnois, MD, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Microline, the new name offers a more accurate representation of the company’s core business and market position.

“Our tremendous growth, organically and through the acquisition of Starion Instruments earlier this year, has expanded our offerings and broadened our reach into the surgical marketplace,” said Boulnois. “While the PENTAX name represented our past, the Microline Surgical name reflects our current leadership position in the field of laparoscopy and our future goals as we expand into other surgical specialties, such as gynecology, urology, otolaryngology, and cardiac, particularly with innovative minimally invasive instrumentation.”

Microline designs, develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of minimally invasive reposable surgical instruments that offer high quality and precision, combined with ease of use and cost effectiveness. Microline attained the PENTAX name when PENTAX acquired Microline in December 2004. PENTAX was subsequently acquired by HOYA Corporation of Tokyo, Japan in July 2007, making Microline a wholly owned subsidiary of HOYA.

About Microline Surgical

Headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts, Microline Surgical, Inc. is a leading U.S. medical device manufacturer of high quality reposable surgical laparoscopic instruments. Founded in 1987, Microline is a wholly owned subsidiary of HOYA Corporation (7741:TSE) in Tokyo, Japan, a $4.5 billion company with approximately half of its revenues from medical business including endoscopy and eye care. Microline’s integrated modular laparoscopic instrumentation system consists of a selection of reusable handpieces that utilize a broad assortment of disposable tips. This concept allows for surgical efficiency and cost effectiveness to be preserved at all times. The company’s patented product portfolio comprises cutting, dissecting, grasping, cauterizing and ligating instruments used in all laparoscopic surgical procedures. Starion Instruments’ products are based on patented tissue welding and vessel sealing technology used worldwide for open and endoscopic cardiac, gynecology, general surgery, otolaryngology, and urology procedures. For more information, visit www.microlinesurgical.com.