這是2019年的七個關鍵時刻，它將在未來幾年內塑造外科手術機器人市場。

目前醫療器械行業最熱門的市場之一是外科機器人。根據Allied Market Research的一份報告，該領域市場空間在2017年為0.563億美元，預計到2024年將增長至987.37億美元，預測期間的復合年增長率為8.5%。2019年是外科機器人技術的爆發增長元年。MD+DI網站盤點了2019年手術機器人領域七個重要時刻。

達芬奇機器人：推進降價策略

直覺外科自2000年獲得FDA批準上市以來，一直是手術機器人市場的領導者。然而，競爭對手已經逐漸出現并增加。直覺外科的高管表示，隨著競爭越來越激烈，新產品的推出，公司可能會通過“降價策略”來獲得更大的市場，也就是增加價格談判和談判時間的延長。該公司表示，這些動態也可能導致利潤波動。但對于一些原本認為其定價過高的醫院和醫療中心來說，可能是個號消息。

CMR的兩大勝利

總部位于英國劍橋的CMR今年過得不錯。九月份，公司在C輪融資中募集了2.43億美元，用于它的機器人輔助手術裝置商業化。上個月，該公司完成了向位于印度普納的銀河護理醫院（Galaxy Care Hospital）出售其首臺設備的交易。CMR成立于5年前，并在媒體上公開表示，希望明年能得到FDA的認可。

Verb：新CEO上任

Verb是強生公司的Ethicon部門和verly生命科學公司的合資企業。這項合作發生在verly（前谷歌生命科學部門）與眾多醫藥科技公司合作的時候。雖然Verb在成立之初就大放異彩，但該公司在2019年一直相當安靜。然而，今年6月，Verb再次成為頭條新聞，當時它宣布庫爾特?阿扎爾巴津（Kurt Azarbarzin）將出任新總裁兼首席執行官。阿扎爾巴津曾是SurgiQuest的首席執行官，直到2015年被Conmed（康美）以2.65億美元收購。Azarbarzin是一個大牌人物，他接替了Verb前首席執行官ScottHuennekens，后者于去年年底離開公司。

泰坦醫療（Titan Medical）：暫停開發

泰坦醫療公司（Titan Medical）在運動機器人手術系統上遇到了一個巨大的障礙，并在10月中旬宣布撤回所有有關該平臺成本和時間的預測，暫停開發。Titan Medical表示，融資不足是導致推遲的原因。然而，泰坦并沒有讓它停止。該公司正尋求募集2500萬美元的資金，以幫助這項運動的系統回到正軌。

XACT：獲得FDA的上市批準

XACT機器人公司的手術機器人獲得FDA上市批準。該裝置在CT引導下經皮介入治療過程中得以使用。這家總部位于以色列的手術機器人公司，背后的令人驚嘆的原因是，它是首個基于圖像規劃和導航，無需手動操作的機器人系統，能夠自動引導各種儀器在一系列臨床應用和適應癥中進行插入和轉向操作。

強生：34億美元收購Auris

強生以34億美元現金（約合人民幣230億元）對價收購手術機器人公司Auris，如果達到某些里程碑，還需要支付至多23.5億美元的額外或有款項。這也將成為強生在收購外科手術軟件機器人技術開發公司Orthotaxy時隔一年后再度在這一領域的出擊。

Auris 是由外科機器人先驅弗里德里克·莫爾（Frederic Moll）創立，他同時也是全球手術機器人龍頭Intuitive Surgical（直覺外科）的聯合創始人之一，后者的達芬奇機器人目前占據了很大份額的市場。Frederic Moll也在收購后加入強生。

Auris專注于肺癌機器人技術，其核心產品是一款名為Monarch的，可由外科醫生通過一個控制器進行控制的機器人，引導一個帶有攝錄機的觀察鏡進入病人體內，可用于診斷性和治療性的支氣管鏡檢查，這種檢查中醫生需將儀器插入病人的鼻孔或口腔。

美敦力：打造醫療機器人帝國

9月24日，美敦力在投資人會議上發布了其新一代手術機器人Hugo RAS。Hugo RAS使用模塊化的解決方案，重點克服手術機器人成本和應用的障礙。

美敦力公司微創療法小組執行副總裁兼總裁鮑勃·懷特說：“這不僅僅是發布一款新品機器人，我們是要打造機器人帝國。”

去年12月29日，美敦力就宣布以17億美元（約合人民幣120億元）收購以色列醫療設備公司Mazor Robotics及其機器人輔助手術平臺，該公司主要產品為Mazor X制導系統和Renaissance機器人輔助脊柱手術設備。

在收購完成后的一個月，美敦力在美國推出了Mazor X Stealth?機器人輔助脊柱手術平臺。

Mazor X Stealth? 機器人系統將美敦力的Stealth軟件與Mazor現有的機器人技術相結合。通過交互式三維規劃和信息系統提供實時圖像引導，可視化和導航，提供工作流程可預測性和靈活性。它使用3D攝像頭，引導標記和機械臂，以持續監視工具和儀器相對于脊柱的位置，并按計劃精確定位它們。

美敦力最新季度（2020財年第一季度）財報顯示，在脊柱業務的增長中，手術機器人正在對脊柱業務增長起到拉動作用。

在國內，監管部門同樣也在大力助推醫療機器人的運用。《中國制造2025》中，生物醫藥和高性能醫療器械是重點突破的十大領域之一。《2017-2023年中國手術機器人產業競爭現狀及未來發展趨勢報告》顯示，未來我國手術機器人的行業規模將在2021年到達200億。

而手術機器人對于骨科植入物市場的拉動力非常大，也成為各大骨科巨頭的必爭之地。

原文如下：

One of the hottest markets in the medical device industry right now is surgical robotics. The space, valued at $56.3 million in 2017, is expected to grow to $98,737 million by 2024 with a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast, according to a?report?from Allied Market Research. Growth is happening now and 2019 has been a breakout year for surgical robotics – from product unveilings to delays. MD+DI is counting down the Top 7 developments for Surgical Robotics in 2019.

The Art of Negotiation

For years Intuitive Surgical has been at the top of the surgical robotics market – having gained a nod from FDA for the da Vinci Robot in 2000. (Whew that’s a lot of lead time.) However, competitors are>increased price negotiations and elongated negotiation timelines?as competition gets closer to launching new products. The company said these dynamics could also result in profit fluctuations. This could be a plus for some hospitals and healthcare centers that have had issues with the da Vinci’s pricing.

CMR’s Two Big Wins

Cambridge, UK-based CMR has had a good year. In September, the company raised $243 million (wow!) in a Series C round to commercialize its Versius robot-assisted surgery device. And then last month the company completed the sale of its first unit to the Galaxy Care Hospital in Pune, India. CMR was founded 5 years ago and has publicly stated in media outlets that it hopes to have a nod from FDA next year.

Verb’s New Leadership

Verb is a joint venture between Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon Unit and Verily Life Sciences. The collaboration happened during the time when Verily (the former life sciences unit of Google) was partnering with numerous companies in the medtech and pharmaceutical space. While Verb made a big splash when it was first formed, the company has been fairly quiet in 2019. However, in?June?Verb>

When Titan Hit Pause

Titan Medical hit a huge roadblock with the Sport robotic surgical system and announced in?mid-October?that it was withdrawing all forecasts with respect to the cost and timing of the platform. The Toronto-based company said a lack of financing was the reason behind the delay. Titan isn’t letting this stop it, however. The company is?seeking to raise $25 million?in an offering that could help get the Sport’s system back>

XACT Brings Home?OK from FDA

XACT Robotics?secured a coveted FDA nod?for its robotic system. The device was cleared for use during CT-guided percutaneous interventional procedures.?The wow factor behind the Caesarea, Isreal-based company’s robot is that it is the first hands-free robotic system combining image-based planning and navigation with the insertion and steering of various instruments across an array of clinical applications and indications.

Johnson & Johnson’s Glow Up in Surgical Robotics

Johnson & Johnson pulled?off>Frederic Moll, M.D., CEO and Founder of Auris Health, joined J&J. Moll is also known for cofounding Intuitive Surgical. With this acquisition and J&J’s Verb the company now has multiple shots>

Medtronic’s Done Dropping Hints

Medtronic teased us all year long with tidbits and hints about its upcoming soft-tissue surgical robotics system. After some delays in 2018 with scant details about the platform, the Dublin-based company opened up a bit in June with the?announcement of a collaboration?with Karl Storz. The firm said its upcoming robotic-assisted surgical platform would incorporate Karl Storz’s 3D vision systems and visualization components. To boot the two companies had been working style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 184, 214); text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">announced in August?it would unveil the robot during an?investor’s meeting in September. And that it did. After a lengthy demonstration, Medtronic said it anticipates submitting for CE mark in the Q1 of the company's fiscal year 2021 (Medtronic's fiscal year begins in April), and filing for a U.S. investigational device exemption to begin placing systems in U.S. hospitals, training surgeons, and gathering clinical data in the first half of its fiscal year 2021. If all goes as planned, the system could be available both in Europe and in the U.S. within the next 24 months.