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.
Meio Medical Inc.’s Titian, a surgical robot for navigation in cardiac electrophysiology, has been included in a Green Pathway for approval of medical devices in China, meaning it could get to market faster. Inclusion in the Green Pathway gives the medical device priority for reviewing and shortens the average registration time. Currently, Meio Medical is running a trial of Titian in multiple hospitals in China.
Think Surgical Inc. has just received a $100 million investment from a new investor, South Korea’s KDB Investment Global Healthcare, a private equity firm that is wholly owned by Korea Development Bank. The Fremont, Calif.-based orthopedic surgical robotic company will use the funds to bring new products to market. Stuart Simpson, president and CEO of Think Surgical, confirmed that it will go towards supporting “successful new product commercialization.”
Think Surgical Inc. is deepening ties with South Korean company Curexo Inc. through a new development and distribution deal. Under the terms of the agreement, Think will have exclusive rights to distribute Curexo’s Cuvis-Joint robotic platform, including any additional technology, in the U.S. and other countries. The orthopedic robot is currently used by surgeons in Korea and India for pre-planning surgery.