~ CMR has been awarded a King’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation for Versius, its small and modular next-generation surgical robotic system
~ The newly renamed King’s Award for Enterprise celebrates outstanding achievement by UK businesses
CMR Surgical (CMR) – the global surgical robotics business – has today announced that it has been honoured in the first ever King’s Award for Enterprise within the innovation category for the Versius® Surgical Robotic System. CMR has been recognised for its excellence in Innovation for the development of Versius, a next-generation surgical robot. The award also recognises CMR’s approach to technology development, training, community engagement and sustainability.
Versius is the only versatile, small, modular surgical robot on the market. The innovative design biomimicks the human arm, with the small, modular robotic arms providing versatile port placement that is unparalleled in robotic assisted surgery. This allows for complex procedures to be performed robotically that would otherwise be performed using open surgery, allowing more patients to experience the benefits of robotically-assisted minimal access surgery (MAS). The versatility of the system is thanks to its small size and portability and has made robotic surgery more accessible to hospitals around the world, supporting hospitals and their surgical teams to provide more MAS to patients.
Supratim Bose, Chief Executive Officer at CMR Surgical said: “As a company that exists to improve the lives of patients globally through innovative technology, we are delighted and honoured to receive such an esteemed award, celebrating the success of CMR and Versius. The small, modular design of Versius means that hospitals where surgical robotics have previously not been feasible are now able to adopt a Versius system. It is a privilege for CMR to be able to increase access to the benefits of robotic minimal access surgery to patients around the world, and be recognised in this way.”
Luke Hares, Chief Technology Officer at CMR Surgical said: “With Versius we set out to develop an innovative product that would transform the way surgery is performed everywhere in the world. Throughout the development of Versius and the growth of CMR, we have sought to be innovative in every aspect of our thinking. It is an honour for us to win such a prestigious award celebrating outstanding achievement by UK businesses as we continue our work to help surgeons and surgical teams deliver the highest quality care to patients.”
Versius was first introduced into the NHS in late 2019 and is now in widespread use in hospitals across the world, including the UK in multispecialty robotics programmes that include thoracic surgery, gynaecology, general surgery, upper GI, urology and general surgery. Recent installations include pioneering cardiothoracic centres such as Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and national surgical robotics programmes such as in Wales. Due to the versatility of the system, Versius has been adopted by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust as well as local teaching hospitals such as Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, where the introduction of Versius was shown to save over 450 bed-days annually.[i]
This recognition for innovation follows recent news that Versius has been used to perform more than 10,000 soft-tissue surgical cases spanning 130 different procedure types and has been installed in over 100 centres globally.
ENDS
The Versius® Surgical Robotic System
Versius® resets expectations of robotic surgery. Versius fits into virtually any operating room set-up and integrates seamlessly into existing workflows, increasing the likelihood of robotic minimal access surgery (MAS). The small, portable and modular design of Versius allows the surgeon to only use the number of arms needed for a given procedure.
Biomimicking the human arm, Versius gives surgeons the choice of optimised port placement alongside the dexterity and accuracy of small fully-wristed instruments. With 3D HD vision, easy-to adopt instrument control and a choice of ergonomic working positions, the open surgeon console has the potential to reduce stress and fatigue and allows for clear communication with the surgical team. By thinking laparoscopically and operating robotically with Versius, patients, surgeons and healthcare professionals can all benefit from the value that robotic MAS brings.
But it’s more than just a robot. Versius captures meaningful data with its wider digital ecosystem to support a surgeon’s continuous learning. Through the Versius Connect app, Versius Trainer and CMR clinical registry, Versius unleashes a wealth of insights to ultimately improve surgical care.
About CMR Surgical Limited
CMR Surgical (CMR) is a global medical devices company dedicated to transforming surgery with Versius®, a next-generation surgical robot.
Headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, CMR is committed to working with surgeons, surgical teams and hospital partners, to provide an optimal tool to make robotic minimal access surgery universally accessible and affordable. With Versius, we are on a mission to redefine the surgical robotics market with practical, innovative technology and data that can improve surgical care.
Founded in 2014, CMR Surgical is private limited company backed by an international shareholder base.
About the the King’s Award’s for Enterprise
The King’s Awards for Enterprise was previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, and the new name reflects His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s by recognising outstanding UK businesses.
First awarded in 1966, the award is given to innovative businesses which are leading the way with pioneering products or services, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility. The winners pass a rigorous assessment process, judged by senior officials in Whitehall and experts from industry, academia and the third sector. Past recipients of the award include Pearson Engineering, McLaren Electronic Systems, ClearScore, Tyrrells Potato Crisps, and Luminary Bakery.
For more information on the awards, visit https://www.gov.uk/kings-awards-for-enterprise
References
[i] Milton Keynes University Hospital: Versius® Robotic Assisted Surgery Case Study February 2022
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