Distalmotion announced that it secured a strategic investment from Johnson & Johnson’s JJDC venture capital arm.
The investment, for which the company did not disclose the amount, follows a $150 million Series G round closed in November. It adds further support for Distalmotion’s push to bring its purpose-built Dexter surgical robot into ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).
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Dexter, the Swiss medtech company’s soft tissue surgical robot system, was designed with outpatient ASC settings in mind. The company seeks to deliver robotic benefits to more hospitals, outpatient departments and ASCs. The modular, small-format, open system delivers simplicity and straightforwardness, plus more accessibility, Distalmotion says.
According to the company, Dexter can work natively with third-party 3D imaging systems, energy devices, vessel sealers and other laparoscopic devices. It features a suite of fully wristed, single-use instruments. These instruments offer dexterity, precision of movement, reliable instrument performance and lower reprocessing requirements.
Dexter recently received FDA clearance for total benign hysterectomy as well as oophorectomy, salpingectomy, and other gynecologic procedures. It marks the third approved indication in the U.S. after FDA nods for inguinal hernia repair and cholecystectomy.
“Dexter is compatible with existing medical technology, including visualization systems and other devices used in minimally invasive surgery, and this investment is an important step as the US site of care shifts out of the hospital,” said Greg Roche, CEO of Distalmotion. “It reflects a clear understanding that the soft tissue robotics market is becoming increasingly segmented. ASCs require an approach that balances performance with efficiency, and Dexter was designed to serve that environment.”
Distalmotion is the latest surgical robot maker to receive an investment from J&J’s venture arm. Previous investments include Ronovo Surgical and Moon Surgical, while the company also advances its own Ottava robotic platform.
