Monday March 23, 7:32 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Premier Laser, Schein Expand Distribution Agreement To Cover North and South America, Europe
Premier, Schein Book Orders Valued at More Than $500,000 at Chicago Dental Meeting
IRVINE, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--March 23, 1998-- Premier Laser Systems (Nasdaq NM: PLSIA - news) Monday said that the previously announced agreement with Melville, N.Y.-based Henry Schein Inc. (Nasdaq NM:HSIC - news), world's largest dental products distributor, to market and distribute Premier's dental laser products has been expanded to include direct and/or catalog sales programs in Canada, Germany, Spain, France, the Benelux countries, Mexico and South America.
The broadened agreement was signed by Premier and Schein at the 1998 Chicago Dental Society Mid-Winter Meeting, one of the nation's largest such professional gatherings, where the companies together booked more than $500,000 in system orders from United States- and foreign-based practitioners.
Premier Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Colette Cozean, Ph.D., cited the company's overall positive experience at the internationally attended dental meeting as ''one of the deciding factors in signing the expanded agreement on the spot.'' She added that ''literally several hundred dentists not only visited the Premier and Schein exhibits over two days, but personally tested our laser product line under the direction of experienced clinicians.
''We were told by industry sources that our combined order volume substantially exceeded anything they had previously seen,'' Cozean said.
Cozean indicated that Schein plans to market aggressively across the nation and in Europe, Premier's Centauri Erbium:YAG laser for procedures on adult teeth, cleared to market by the United States FDA last year.
''We believe that the Er:YAG's ability to build dental practices while providing significant patient benefits both in overall comfort and time savings promises to be a major selling aid for Schein representatives,'' she said.
If the FDA clears the system for use with children, Cozean stated, ''it could be an even greater marketing plus for both companies.''
Premier Laser Systems develops, manufactures and markets several lines of proprietary medical lasers, fiber optic delivery systems, corneal topography systems and services for a variety of dental, ophthalmic, dermatologic and surgical applications.
The statements in this news release that relate to future events or performance are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including risks and uncertainties related to the development of markets for and commercial acceptance of the company's products and services, future sales levels and other risks identified in the company's SEC filings. Some of the devices described in this release are not yet cleared for market by the FDA. The company can not offer any guarantee that such clearance will be granted or on what schedule it may be cleared. Actual results may differ from those described in these forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Allen & Caron Inc.
Matt Clawson (investors)
Owen Daley (media)
714/252-8440 |
