robot-assisted Archives - Page 6 of 7 - Medical Design Sourcing

DePuy Synthes lands FDA clearance for Velys robotic knee system

Image from Depuy Synthes/Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) unit DePuy Synthes announced that it received FDA 510(k) clearance for the Velys system.

Velys is a robotic-assisted system designed for use with the Attune total knee system and its cleared indications for use and it will become part of the broader Velys digital surgery platform of connected technologies, according to a news release.

DePuy Synthes touts the Velys robotic-assisted platform as a first-of-its kind, table-mounted solution with an efficient design capable of integrating into any operating room. The company said it adapts to a surgeon’s workflow, offers control they are used to and heps execute accurate bony cuts.

Additionally, the Velys system offers gap balance data for visualization and joint stability predictions, along with accurate, consistent plan execution supporting the Attune total knee system.

Johnson & Johnson and DePuy Synthes acquire…

Stryker acquires OrthoSensor and its knee surgery sensor tech

Stryker (NYSE:SYK) announced today that it has bought privately-held OrthoSensor and its Verasense intraoperative sensor tech that could further enhance the ortho giant’s Mako robots.

The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Stryker officials in a news release noted that Verasense since 2011 has proved itself to be a unique knee balancing solution in Stryker’s Triathlon knee system, providing feedback to surgeons on soft tissue. They think the sensor tech will further boost Mako surgical robotics systems, enhancing workflow through one complete data-driven feedback mechanism.

Additionally, OrthoSensor’s MotionSense remote patient monitoring wearables and mobile application combined with the OrthloLogIQ cloud-based data platform could up Stryker’s data analytics capabilities.

“Smart devices and implants will play a big role in orthopaedics and we are excited for OrthoSensor to join Stryker as we continue to innovate an…

Monteris Medical raises $9M

Monteris Medical (Plymouth, Minn.) has raised another $9 million, about four months after it crossed the 3,000 mark of people treated with its NeuroBlate robot-assisted brain surgery device.

The money came from a single investor, according to the Form D that Monteris filed today with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company has been seeking a total $30 million in the present offering.

Funds are going toward further commercial expansion, CFO Jim Erickson told MassDevice via email.

Nearly all of the people treated so far with NeuroBlate had epilepsy, gliomas, brain metastases and radiation necrosis.

“Patients appreciate the minimally-invasive nature of NeuroBlate,” Dr. Stephan Schuele, chief of epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, said in a May news release from Monteris announcing the 3,000th patient.

“They usually return home with a minimal hospital stay. It’s becom…

7 technologies to make a ‘new Medtronic’ even more powerful

[Original image from Unsplash]

It’s been four months since Geoff Martha took over the corner office at Medtronic (NYSE:MDT), and it’s becoming clear that he has ambitious plans for the world’s largest medical device company.

During the company’s Q1 earnings call on Aug. 25, Martha said management in coming weeks plans to outline plans for a “new Medtronic” that is more nimble and competitive. He touted the pipeline of products the company has built, saying that it was time to play offense and expand market share now that the pipeline is kicking in.

“We’re determined to make this pipeline count, not just for patients, our customers but for shareholders,” Martha said. He later added: “Over time, longer-term, we want to put the tech in medtech. And we want to shift, we want to pool in some of these digital technologies to change our offerings.”

Raj Denhoy and other Jefferies analysts in a research no…

7 technologies to make a ‘new Medtronic’ even more powerful

[Original image from Unsplash]

It’s been four months since Geoff Martha took over the corner office at Medtronic (NYSE:MDT), and it’s becoming clear that he has ambitious plans for the world’s largest medical device company.

During the company’s Q1 earnings call on Aug. 25, Martha said management in the coming weeks plans to outline plans for a “new Medtronic” that is more nimble and competitive. He touted the pipeline of products the company has built, saying that it was time to play offense and expand market share now that the pipeline is kicking in.

“We’re determined to make this pipeline count, not just for patients, our customers but for shareholders,” Martha said. He later added: “Over time, longer-term, we want to put the tech in medtech. And we want to shift, we want to pool in some of these digital technologies to change our offerings.”

Raj Denhoy and other Jefferies analysts in a research…

TransEnterix appoints CFO

Robotic surgery company TransEnterix (NYSE: TRXC) announced today that it has hired Shameze Rampertab as its news EVP and CFO.

“We are delighted to welcome Shameze to our team during this important time in TransEnterix’s journey,” TransEnterix CEo Anthony Fernando said in a news release. “His extensive experience at implementing financial strategies and sourcing equity and debt financing options will be invaluable as we continue towards our goals for 2020 and beyond. I am confident Shameze will make an immediate positive impact on the organization and help lead TransEnterix through its next phase of growth.”

Rampertab has over 20 years of financial leadership experience in the healthcare sector. He also spent time as an investment banker and sell-side equity research analyst. Most recently, he rose up to become interim CEO at animal health company Zomedica Pharmaceuticals.

TransEnterix recently reported tough but better-than-expected results for its seco…

Titan Medical reports improved financial position at end of Q2

Titan Medical (TSX:TMD;OTC:TITFX) faced a working capital deficit of $9.7 million more than a year ago. Fast forward 12 months, and the robotic surgery company has $21.7 million in working capital and has been able to resume product development.

That seems to be the big takeaway from Titan Medical’s second-quarter earnings report, released yesterday. Titan executives were able to turn things around thanks to a $10 million license payment as part of its new development deal with Medtronic (NYSE:MDT). Titan also recently brought in $18 million from a public equity raise.

“During the first half of 2020, we also reached agreement on a payment plan with one of our product development suppliers and resolved pending litigation with another service provider,” CEO David McNally said in a news release.

“We are now focused on staffing our newly created U.S. affiliate’s new facility in Chapel Hill, N.C. in order to execute on the development miles…

TransEnterix losses less than expected in Q2

TransEnterix (NYSE: TRXC) reported tough but better-than-expected results for its second quarter as it navigates a challenging COVID-19 pandemic environment.

The Research Triangle Park, N.C.–based robotic surgery company said yesterday evening that cost-saving initiatives and a $15 million underwritten public offering have provided enough cash to support operations into the second quarter of 2021.

TransEnterix reported earnings of –$14.1 million, or –27¢ per share, on sales of $700,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2020. The company earnings of –$20.2 million, or –$1.21 per share, off sales of $3.6 million during the same quarter a year ago.

Adjusted to exclude one-time items, earnings per share were –21¢, 17¢ ahead of The Street, where analysts were looking earnings of –38¢ per share on sales of $420,000.

“Despite operating in a challenging environment throughout the second quarter, we made significant progress towards our goals for the ye…

FDA clears Neocis robot for full-arch dental implants

[Image courtesy of Neocis]

Neocis said today that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its Yomi system for robot-assisted dental implant surgery.

The clearance allows for a new splint attachment, which broadens Yomi’s application to include full arch implant cases as well as partially edentulous cases, or those involving missing teeth.

Get the full story on our WTWH Media sister site The Robot Report.

Intuitive Surgical sales down more than a fifth in Q2

Intuitive Surgical (NSDQ:ISRG) posted second-quarter results today that beat Wall Street expectations — but the results still showed how much the COVID-19 pandemic has damaged sales for surgical robotics companies.

The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based robot-assisted surgery company — the dominant player in the space — reported profits of $68 million, or $0.57 per diluted share, on sales of $852 million for the three months ended June 20, 2020. The results represented a bottom-line decline of 79% and a top-line slide of 22% compared with Q2 2019.

Adjusted to exclude one-time items, earnings per share were 80¢, 17¢ ahead of The Street, where analysts were looking EPS of 63¢ on sales of $665 million.

“The surge of COVID in communities that represent our core markets, either from initial spread or secondary growth, is occurring now. Add to the significant anecdotal evidence of delayed diagnostic visits for non-COVID illness, and we expect that the recovery tal…

Johnson & Johnson to take its time on general surgery robot

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) has decided not to follow a 510(k) clearance pathway for its planned general surgery robot — with a goal to start first-in-human studies with the system by the second half of 2022.

That was one of the major pieces of information to come out of the New Brunswick, N.J.–based company’s quarterly earnings call yesterday.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the U.S., J&J had been planning some kind of robotic surgery reveal in May. The medtech giant has been working on combining technologies that came out of its previous Verb Surgical collaboration with the Alphabet (NSDQ:GOOGL) life sciences unit Verily — as well as its $3.4 billion purchase of Auris Health and its FDA-cleared Monarch platform.

Robot-assisted surgery is presently a hot area in medtech — with J&J, Medtronic and others seeking to take on Intuitive Surgical (NSDQ:ISRG), the dominant company in the space.

“We continue to be impressed …

Titan Medical CEO sees opportunity as product development resumes

Titan Medical (TSX:TMD;OTC:TITFX) has been able to resume product development of its single-port robotic surgical system, CEO David McNally said today in a letter to shareholders.

Titan is back working on its system thanks to a $10 million license payment and $1.5 million loan as part of its new development deal with Medtronic (NYSE:MDT). Titan also recently brought in $20 million from a public equity raise.

McNally said that the opportunity for single-port robotic surgery appears promising. He noted the clinical success that surgeons are reporting while using Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci SP — presently the only commercially available single-port offering — but the success involves surgical indications outside the initial target area that Titan is pursuing.

“We believe that our robotic-assisted surgical system, having been designed with a focus on single-port surgery, may provide competitive advantages for physicians and their clinical teams, hosp…