Demant has negotiated an agreement with the intention to divest its Hearing Implants business, Oticon Medical, to Cochlear Limited for a total consideration of DKK 850 million. The transaction follows a review of strategic options for the business area, including how to ensure the best lifelong support of existing patients.

Since the establishment of its Hearing Implants business in 2007, Demant has invested significantly in implantable solutions for the treatment of hearing loss, and the employees of Oticon Medical have worked tirelessly to bring industry-leading technology to thousands of patients, reaching many major milestones along the way. However, Demant has now concluded that the prospect of becoming a global leader in hearing implants is not achievable within a reasonable timeframe without disproportionate levels of investments and significant dilution of the Group’s profitability. In this light, Demant has taken the decision to discontinue its efforts in hearing implants.

In the best interest of patients and the company
As a result, Demant believes it is in the best interest of both patients and the company to divest its Hearing Implants business to Cochlear, which is the global leader in implantable solutions for hearing loss. As part of the transaction, Cochlear has committed to servicing existing patients of Oticon Medical now and in the future.

“Overcoming the challenges of hearing loss – and living with implant technology to alleviate this – is a lifelong journey, and we believe it is best for our patients to continue this journey with Cochlear. We will do everything in our power to ensure minimal implications of the intended divestment for customers and patients as well as the employees of Oticon Medical, who have delivered beyond expectations and are some of the brightest minds in the industry,” says Søren Nielsen, President & CEO of Demant, and continues:

“Demant remains fully committed to hearing healthcare and audio technology. We will continue to grow and expand in hearing aids, hearing care and diagnostics, where we are uniquely positioned to service users and customers from the first screening, over the first fitting to continued personalised care, and to pursue the strong growth potential in Communications with our EPOS brand.”

Dig Howitt, Cochlear’s CEO & President, adds: “We look forward to welcoming Oticon Medical’s entire base of implant customers and patients to the Cochlear family. Driven by our mission to innovate and deliver a lifetime of hearing outcomes, we will seek to ensure that Oticon Medical’s customers and patients continue to be supported with a lifetime of hearing solutions. We will work closely with Demant to ensure a seamless transition of the business to Cochlear to ensure continued access to current Oticon Medical technology for customers and patients in the coming years. We will develop next-generation sound processors and services that will enable customers to transition to and benefit from Cochlear’s technology platform over time. The acquisition of Oticon Medical will provide us with greater scale and will enable us to increase our investments in R&D and market growth activities.”