CMR Surgical unveils game-changing robot
Paradigm shift' for medical science
Robotic surgery specialist CMR Surgical has released photos of its much-anticipated next-generation surgical robot, Versius.
The small, portable and cost-effective system is writing a whole new narrative in the story of minimal access surgery. In only four years since it was created the Madingley-based company has created and built a product which biomimics the human arm, using small fully-wristed instruments, 3D HD vision, and a choice of ergonomic working positions.
CEO Martin Frost said: “We believe Versius represents a paradigm shift in surgery. The ground-breaking design, coupled with genuine affordability, means that patients everywhere have the potential to benefit from the advantages of minimal access surgery. Versius is a great example of British innovation and its launch represents a pivotal moment in the next chapter of surgery and patient care.”
The open surgeon console enables easy-to-adopt instrument control which will benefit both patients and healthcare providers. Using Versius promises reduced trauma, faster recovery and improved clinical outcomes.
CMR’s is a disruptive model which is set to transform the sector thanks to the technology’s small form factor, modular design and individually cart-mounted arms. Being easy to move between operating rooms or hospitals, quick to set up and offering the surgical team easy access to the patient at all times renders other products slow and expensive.
The firm has doubled in size in the last 12 months and now employs 220 people. A record-breaking Series B private fundraise of $100m was announced in June. New investor Zhejiang Silk Road Fund joined existing investors Escala Capital Investments, LGT, Cambridge Innovation Capital and Watrium for the largest ever private financing of a medical devices company in Europe.
The company, which is moving to Evolution Business Park in Impington next year, is undergoing validation studies for regulatory approval processes in Europe. The robotic system is expected to be used in hospitals in the UK and continental Europe in the next year, with wider international expansion afterwards.
“In the UK you can’t place a product in a surgical environment until you have a CE mark,” CMR’s head of marketing Patrick Pordage told the Cambridge Independent, “and our aim is to have a CE mark within the next six months. A whole range of pre-clinical trials are ongoing.”
