Intuitive Surgical and Resmed Make Strategic Moves in Medical Device Market

Intuitive Surgical and Resmed, two prominent players in the medical device industry, have made significant strides in expanding their product offerings and market reach. Meanwhile, Precision Neuroscience strengthens its leadership team as it prepares for commercialization.

Intuitive Surgical Secures FDA Clearance for Single Port Robot

Intuitive Surgical has received Food and Drug Administration clearance for its da Vinci Single Port surgical system, specifically for procedures performed through the anus. This clearance covers transanal local excision/resection, allowing physicians to access lesions in the upper rectum without abdominal incisions.

The single port device is designed to navigate narrow body cavities, with physicians able to control up to three multi-jointed instruments and a camera through a single entry point. This advancement builds on Intuitive's recent clearance for a compatible stapler, positioning the company for increased U.S. commercialization of the robot.

Intuitive reported a 94% growth in single port procedures during the first quarter, driven by adoption in Korea, Europe, and Japan. This new FDA clearance is expected to further accelerate the system's adoption in the United States.

Resmed Acquires Virtuox to Enhance Sleep Diagnostics Capabilities

Resmed, a leader in sleep and respiratory care devices, has acquired Virtuox, an independent diagnostic testing facility specializing in sleep, respiratory, and cardiac conditions. Virtuox provides home-based diagnostics and patient monitoring, with a focus on conditions such as sleep apnea.

This strategic acquisition aligns with Resmed's response to the approval of Eli Lilly's GLP-1 drug Zepbound for sleep apnea. Resmed CEO Michael Farrell has emphasized the importance of targeting primary care physicians who work with independent diagnostic testing facilities (IDTFs) to capture demand created by Lilly's market entry.

While Resmed offers its own sleep apnea diagnostic device, the Nightowl, the company maintains an agnostic approach to testing methods. The primary goal is to drive prescriptions for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, Resmed's core product offering.

Precision Neuroscience Bolsters Leadership for Commercialization Push

Precision Neuroscience, a brain-computer interface company, has appointed John Woock as its new chief business officer. Woock brings a decade of experience from Axonics, where he played a key role in the company's growth from startup to a $3.7 billion acquisition by Boston Scientific.

This appointment follows Precision Neuroscience's recent 510(k) clearance for a device designed to record, monitor, and stimulate electrical activity on the brain's surface. The company's co-founder and CEO, Michael Mager, stated that Woock's hiring, along with the appointment of Konstantinos Alataris to the board of directors, will support Precision's plans for scaling and expanding its impact in the coming years.