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.
Transenterix Inc., of Research Triangle Park, N.C., said Tuesday that it has filed a 510(k) submission with the U.S. FDA for the Intelligent Surgical Unit (ISU), a machine vision system designed to work with its robotic Senhance surgical system. The new technology would equip users of the Senhance system with augmented intelligence to improve performance and surgical outcomes.