Triton is a GI robotic endoscopy system designed for easy and comfortable navigation, precision, and control throughout the entire colon. | Source: Neptune Medical
Neptune Medical Inc. this week announced FDA clearance for its Triton 1 System. The comapny said it designed the robot for flexible endoscopy and for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures throughout the colon.
Triton can bring robotic precision, stability, and control to reach the entire colon, claimed Neptune Medical. The Burlingame, Calif.-based company said the system can elevate any endoscopist’s capabilities for screening, surveillance, and diagnostic colonoscopies, as well as other more complex procedures in the colon. These include endoscopic mucosal resections (EMRs) and endoscopic submucosal dissections (ESDs).
“Triton has the potential to fundamentally transform colonoscopy, creating a better experience for both physicians and their patients. Achieving regulatory clearance in the U.S. brings us one step closer to that reality,” stated Alex Tilson, founder and CEO of Neptune Medical. “We are using this generation of the Triton system to build on the evidence from our recent trial and to learn from endoscopists how robotics should integrate into their workflow — insights that will directly shape our next-generation platform.”
Triton tech aids diagnosis of common cancer
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. and increasingly affects adults under age 50. Colonoscopy is the gold standard for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer, as it is the only procedure that allows for both detection and removal of precancerous lesions in one session, according to Neptune.
However, today’s endoscopes have inherent design limitations that make them difficult to control despite gastroenterologists (GIs) undergoing years of specialized training, the company said. Endoscope instability can lead to incomplete visualization of the colon, missed adenomas (pre-cancerous lesions), and ultimately, an increased risk of cancer development.
In 2024, Neptune Medical raised $97 million in Series D funding and launched its subsidiary Jupiter Endovascular Inc. The shift allowed Jupiter Endovascular to focus on its own technology platform, said the companies.
Register now and help us celebrate 20 years of RoboBusiness!Neptune gets results from Triton’s first in-human study
Neptune Medical presented its first-in-human CARE 1 study earlier this year. The study showed that the Triton 1 System met its primary endpoints, with no adverse events and 100% cecal intubation.
The robotic system also demonstrated a high adenoma detection rate (ADR) of 54.2%, compared with the industry threshold of 35%, the company reported. It was also effective in creating a highly favorable ergonomic environment for endoscopists, with a 67% lower average burden compared to manual colonoscopy (based on the NASA-TLX score) and no patient repositioning, abdominal pressure, or conversion to manual colonoscopy.
“Bringing robotics to lower GI procedures is an exciting prospect for us,” said Jason B. Samarasena, M.D., chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at University of California, Irvine who was part of Neptune’s CARE 1 clinical trial. “Triton showed us the possibility of one system that can screen and treat anywhere in the colon, efficiently, thoroughly, and with minimal burden. I look forward to participating in additional clinical research of the system that will support its progress along the path to commercialization.”
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