News out of the Heart Rhythm Society 2024 meeting May 16-19 highlighted the rapid disruption pulsed field ablation (PFA) devices have wrought in cardiac arrhythmia treatment, so it is little surprise to see that PFAs are among the top five technologies with transformative potential identified by Clarivate plc in its Medical Technologies to Watch in 2024 report. The impact of the other four – continuous glucose monitors (CGM) for diabetes, neurostimulation devices, surgical robotics and renal denervation – has been just as revolutionary, if longer in being realized.
Stereotaxis Inc. said it is buying electrophysiology catheter maker Access Point Technologies EP Inc. to enhance its minimally invasive endovascular surgical robotics technology offerings.
Asensus Surgical Inc. grabbed a $10 million lifeline from prospective suitor Karl Storz SE & Co. KG, which has offered to buy the cash-strapped company for 35 cents per share or about $96 million. Asensus signed a non-binding letter of intent to consider and negotiate terms after “an extensive period of consideration of various strategic alternatives.” Under certain circumstances, it could access a further $10 million from Storz prior to a merger. Asensus reported in March that its cash runway would tap out in early July.
The $110 million that Medical Microinstruments Inc. (MMI) recently raised in its series C funding round is testament to its unique position in microsurgery, said Olivier Litzka, a board member at MMI and a partner at Andera Partners. “There are not many companies actually working in that space in robotics,” he told BioWorld.
Broncus Holding Corp. subsidiary Broncus Hangzhou is acquiring Chinese medical device company Hangzhou Jingliang in the form of an equity transfer agreement for ¥5.4 million (US$758,000). The move will strengthen Broncus’ R&D capabilities in the flexible robotic space and will allow the company to offer pulmonology diagnostics and therapeutic solutions covering the complete product life cycle.
Medical Microinstruments Inc. (MMI) is expanding its Symani surgical system into the Asia Pacific – a region with “clear demand for the technology” – through two local partners, Device Technologies Australia Pty Ltd. and Seoul-based TRM Korea Corp.
Microsure BV recently secured €38 million (US$40 million) in a series B2 funding round that will allow it to finalize the development of its microsurgical robot, the Musa-3. The robot system is designed to give microsurgeons the precision, stability and control that are currently beyond human capabilities. “We want to make a super microsurgeon from every microsurgeon,” Sjaak Deckers, CEO of Microsure, told BioWorld.
CMR Surgical Ltd. raised $165 million in financing from its existing investors that will allow the company to continue to innovate its portable robotic surgery system, Versius, and grow its position in existing and new markets. The latest financing takes CMR’s total capital raised since its founding to over $1 billion. The Versius surgical robotic system is now in over 20 markets and the company has become the second largest soft tissue surgical robotics company globally, after Intuitive Surgical Inc.
Beijing Tinavi Medical Technologies Co. Ltd.’s surgical robot received approval from China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for total knee replacement, expanding its product portfolio to cover spine, trauma and joints in orthopedic surgery. The new product, named Tirobot Recon, provides support for surgeons in total knee arthroplasty.