~ The Rt. Hon. Matt Hancock MP has visited the British company behind the next-generation surgical robot, CMR Surgical
~ The Rt. Hon. Matt Hancock MP has visited the British company behind the next-generation surgical robot, CMR Surgical
During the visit on Thursday 11 October, the Health and Social Care Secretary trialled the Versius® system, met its designers and discussed the company’s plans to introduce Versius into the National Health Service with Chief Executive Officer, Martin Frost.
The Secretary of State’s visit occurred just weeks after the company revealed its next-generation surgical robot, Versius, which has been designed by CMR Surgical’s Cambridge team to meet the complex requirements of minimal access surgery. It also follows CMR Surgical’s record-breaking Series-B funding round in June that raised $100 million; the largest ever Series-B raise by a medical device company in Europe.
Commenting on the visit, Matt Hancock said: “This technology has the potential to make keyhole surgery safer, more accessible and could mean millions of patients will not have to undergo invasive procedures.”
“As part of our long-term plan for the NHS, we want to create an ecosystem for innovation to allow the NHS to benefit from other ground-breaking technologies and treatments.”
Martin Frost, CEO, CMR Surgical, said: “The visit from the Health and Social Care Secretary comes at a hugely exciting time for CMR Surgical. We were delighted to welcome Matt and to discuss with him how the NHS can continue to be a world-leader in adopting the latest technology for the benefit of patients.”
CMR Surgical has more than doubled in size in twelve months and now employs over 250 people. The company is currently undergoing validation studies for regulatory approval processes in Europe. Versius will be used in hospitals in the UK and continental Europe in the next year, with wider international expansion shortly afterwards.
ENDS
About CMR Surgical
CMR Surgical is a British private limited company developing the next-generation universal robotic system, Versius®, for minimal access surgery.
The vision behind CMR Surgical is to make minimal access surgery universally accessible and affordable, transforming the existing market for surgical robotics while also addressing the six million people who still undergo open surgery each year.
Global annual revenues for robot-assisted minimal access surgery are presently approximately $4 billion and are anticipated to reach $20 billion by 2025.i
CMR Surgical, formed in 2014, has its headquarters in Cambridge, United Kingdom and is backed by an international shareholder base. The Company achieved the registration of its Quality Management System to ISO 13485:2016 by Underwriters Laboratories LLC® (‘UL’), and the status as a UL Registered Firm, in September 2015.
The Versius® Surgical Robotic System
Designed to meet the complex requirements of laparoscopic surgery, Versius’ compact size fits easily into the existing surgical workflow, while its ergonomic console design allows surgeons to work in a way that reduces physical and mental effort. Intended to be used across a range of surgical specialties, the versatility and portability of Versius, enabled by a unique and patented four-axis wrist joint, expands the potential for higher utilisation. The versatility of the system and compelling commercial model allows healthcare providers to offer the benefits of robotic-assisted procedures in a cost-effective way.
References
i Industry Forecast, Accuray Research